Fast and Furious is a class which explores the power of the multiple through the production of zines, posters, t-shirts, tote bags, pins and more. Beginning in the 1930s, the production of zines mainly in the sci-fi fan world became popular after the advent of the mimeograph--the first widely available duplicating machine. This way of making content was able to circumvent mainstream and institutional publishing models creating channels for more creatives to distribute their work. Today, there are even more technologies that can be used in the production of zeitgeist material. In this class, we will learn how to create with a Xerox machine, silkscreen, letterpress, polymer, and more. In each assignment we will contend with the power of quantity. What does it mean to make five of something? Ten? Fifty? One hundred? We will also experiment with format. How can a message be told through a wearable garment? How does the narrative change when it's a tote bag? And finally, we will explore the poetics of distribution. What are the artistic possibilities of a zine when it can be sent through the mail or left in a pile for the public? |