Students, staff, faculty, and various vendors gathered in the University Commons on Oct. 15 as Arcadia Exhibitions hosted the University’s first-ever Zine Fest. Organized to celebrate the closing of Philadelphia illustrator Anuj Shrestha’s exhibition in the Harrison Gallery, the event focused on the creation of these popular, often self-published booklets. Zines (pronounced like the last syllable of “magazines”) can come in a variety of sizes and are typically devoted to unconventional or specialized subjects.

“The impetus for exhibiting Anuj’s work on campus was to utilize our exhibition spaces to engage the growing interest in illustration amongst the students within the Department of Art + Design,” Matthew Borgen, director of Arcadia Exhibitions, said. “Programming an event of this kind, that more directly engages the creativity of our students, faculty, and staff, as opposed to a more passive lecture or gallery talk, felt like a natural extension of the impulse to support curriculum.”

A Dungeons & Dragons campaign set the stage near the Commons entryway, where a table full of students welcomed the role-playing game curious. Tables lined the walls of the Chat and the Harrison Gallery, displaying student and vendor wares, including zines, paintings, prints, friendship bracelets, and other creations. 

Gertie Smith ’27, a Studio Arts major, came to the event as a vendor. On her table were reconfigured gumball machines with zines inside. 

“I’ve really been on a zine kick recently,” she said. “It’s a really fun way to share your art in an affordable and accessible way. My passion project has been making these machines, which are really hard to find. I scoured Facebook Marketplace for them. If you put in quarters, then you get a surprise, a mystery zine.”

Jeanette Jablonski ’29, an Early Education major, stepped out of her comfort zone to sell artwork. Popular in her displays were Halloween-themed cartoon characters in witch costumes and masks. 

“This is my first time as a vendor, my first time selling my artwork,” she said. “I’m selling paintings that I made. Part of me is like, ‘oh no, I’m just selling stuff, and then I’m like ‘oh, I’m actually selling stuff to people;,’ I feel a little bit nervous.”

James Heimer, adjunct professor of Visual and Performing Arts, had his own zines on display.  

“I’ve been making comics since sixth grade,” he said. “I grew up enmeshed in comics culture, which led to indie comics culture, which led to self-publishing.” 

In addition to selling his zine, “The Matinee Idle Movie Fanzine,” Heimer handed out a DIY zine, allowing attendees to dive into the world of creating zines.

Gina Dawson of Partners and Son, South Philadelphia’s comic store and art gallery, was invited to exhibit a variety of zines, comics, and books. Some published works on display were from Italy and Sweden.

“My partner and I run a small press, an indie comic shop in Philadelphia,” she said. “We purchase zines everywhere, from local artists who come in and bring us things, to zines from all over the world. People get in touch with us via Instagram or through our website and email us about their stuff. We also go to zine fests to try to find new artists.” 

Arcadia’s Zine Fest also kicks off a larger partnership between Arcadia Exhibitions and the Division of Campus Life, which will continue with two events later in the month. On Oct. 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Arcadia Exhibitions will host a workshop with Philadelphia Artist Helen Maurene Cooper, who will demonstrate the process of creating an ambrotype by exposing a treated metal plate to light. That evening, Campus Life and Arcadia Exhibitions will present “Lip Sync For Your Life” at 6 p.m., which will award winners of the competition with ambrotype portraits of themselves.