Ruin or

 
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Released June 26th as part of Fanzineist Vienna Artbook & Zine Fair 2021

Ruin or Revolution is the result of an extended process of collage undertaken by Ryts Monet and Andrea Steves over the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021). Using a flatbed scanner, Ryts Monet spontaneously assembled images from books found in temporary apartments where he stayed in isolation, Andrea responded with quotes and texts, and they continued to exchange material (including long threads on WhatsApp), eventually scanning more images from Andrea’s apartment during Vienna’s long winter lockdown, until the layers took form as this publication. The resultant ideas and images recombine to gesture towards new narratives, possibilities, and a refrain: Ruin or Revolution?

Risograph booklet (5.5x8.5’’) printed in black and red by Irrelevant Press in Oakland, California.

Newsprint (11x17’’) offset printed by Newspaper Club in Glasgow, UK.

Goblins

New zine by new friend Brad! This was a fun one. More of his stuff here.

Even Two Hands Pressed Together Are Split

“Even Two Hands Pressed Together Are Split” - Sarah O’Neal, Irrelevant Press 2021

We were entranced with Sarah O’Neal’s poetry the first time we ever heard her read her work aloud. Now, years later, we are honored to have printed and published her first-ever chapbook!

We are in awe of Sarah’s ability to convey emotions often left unspoken. Her work is honest, romantic, familial, relatable, and sometimes painful and solitary.

This was one of our most involved and thoughtful projects. Everyone (Sarah and her friends/editors- designer Andrew Kodama and IP) took the time to get everything right. We worked as both a printer and publisher, and Sarah and Andrew helped enthusiastically with every part along the way. We are so proud to bring this collection into the world, and please trust us when we say that you should be reading “Even Two Hands Pressed Together Are Split” right now!

This project is exactly why we do what we do: to take part in something personal and magical with our friends and community. It was so sweet and humbling to get to know Sarah and Andrew better during this process. Beyond that, getting to hear Sarah read her work aloud again, but from a book we printed, was really so special.

We have a portion of the first run available on our webstore, for only $15. For international shipping, please send us a request via email at <irrelpress@gmail.com>

Thank you so much to Sarah for coming to us with your trust, passion for learning, and willingness to soak it all in. And thank you to Andrew for your ideas, patience, eye for detail, and for being someone who is always great to be around!

xoxo

 
Photo by Andrew Kodama

Photo by Andrew Kodama

 

Orchestrated or Accidental??

Mollie of Irrelevant Press, like many others trapped in quarantine, has been doing deep-dives of high-profile mysterious deaths. Series one, which features the first three installments of an unbiased examination of the facts/details of the cases, from the autopsies to eye-witness statements, to police and detective failings. This collection is called ORCHESTRATED OR ACCIDENTAL. Volume one looks at child actress Natalie Wood, volume two Princess Di, and volume three Colorado beauty paegant star Jon Benet Ramsey. Available now as a set in our webstore.

Printed on French Paper’s Speckle-tone Starch White, with Pop-tone covers, and spiral bound with large ivory coils.

Ruby

On August 3, 1952, in Live Oak, Florida, a Southern town of 4,000 people, Ruby McCollum shot and killed her lover, Dr. C. LeRoy Adams. McCollum was a 43 year old married Black woman and Adams was a prominent white physician. Her trial rivaled some of our modern legal circuses. Renowned writer Zora Neale Hurston was dispatched by the Pittsburgh Courier to cover the McCollum trial. Today, the memory of this incident has faded from public consciousness. In this zine, Victoria Law describes the case, forward by Mariame Kaba. Also included are Zora Neale Hurston’s impressions of the trial. Resurrecting Ruby contextualizes Ruby’s story within a legacy of how Black women have been unfairly treated within U.S. society. It raises the question of whether Ruby’s actions were justified as self-defense and asks if she might have been criminalized for survival. The publication was designed by Neta Bomani, the cover art was created by Rachel Marie Crane-Williams, and Kayla LeGrand provided research support. You can download/share a copy of the zine at no cost here: https://issuu.com/projectnia/docs/resurrecting-ruby-pages__1_

Purchase through Project NIA here: https://marketplace.zibbet.com/nia-books-and-things

Support the Help Ramona Africa Fight For Her Life Fund here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/helpsaveramonaafrica

Lastly, if you are on Instagram, go follow this incredible, inspiring archive by the designer here: https://www.instagram.com/mchapoarchive/

Want to find out more about the process? Here is a talk by Survived and Punished / Project NIA with the creators: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xK9-9JzgLGk

5.5x8, risograph printed in brown and orchid on Earthchoice gray stock.

Don't Go Yet

Obviously our favorite part of zine-making is the friends we make along the way, but it’s always a bonus when we are a big fan of their art practice, too.

Alex Diel (Würzburg, Germany) is working as a designer and illustrator, and always looking for new collaborations and ways to create and live.

We are excited to final release Don’t Go Yet. In Alex’s classic style of “exploring the field, where graphic, illustration-art and narration meet”, Don’t Go Yet is a brutally honest, arresting blend of characters and their flaws, all somehow relatable and lovable.

Risograph printed on 90lb cover stock in black and fluoro pink, edition of 90, with 45 in Germany and 45 in Oakland/NY.

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Dream Girls Fundraiser Zine

From the creators; @michati_moans & @make_repost:

Dream, Girls. A Fundraising Zine for Black Trans Femmes! Highlighting @djerikakayne ✨🌹✨🌹✨🌹✨🌹✨🌹✨🌹✨🌹
・・・
Hi y’all! Today we are announcing the launch of “Dream, Girls. A Fundraising Zine for Black Trans Femmes.”

We have created this zine to support the lives of 10 amazing Black Trans Femmes that we admire, love, and keep close to our heart. 

This zine contains the wisdom of 10 Black Trans Femmes, responding to the question: "What does a world where Black Trans Femmes can thrive look like to you?" We believe that we must dream and envision a world that we want to see, and specifically follow and support the leadership of Black Trans Femmes in getting there. This zine also includes custom painted illustrations of each of the folks featured. Over the next 2 weeks we will be releasing each of the illustrations leading up to the full zine release.

Today we uplift @djerikakayne who says that “A world where black trans femmes can thrive looks safe. Safe for all black trans femmes to live ad express their gender without fear of violence.”

Cash app: $misserikakayne
Venmo: @misserikakayne

You can also support her directly by donating to her Gofundme supporting her Transition fund, and booking her to DJ your next party 👀✨💕

Dream, Girls will feature:

@djerikakayne 
@_ladylondyn 
@fatimaspeaks9 
@blaq.blossom 
@simolovemusique 
@daviaspain 
@bettsurevolt 
@therealedgeslayer 
@keelahtay 

We are selling this zine at a minimum suggested donation of $20, but we also encourage folks who are interested in supporting this effort to pay what you can. All of the funds raised for this zine will be distributed equally among the 10 Femmes featured. We have hopes of raising $10,000 to be distributed, which equates to the purchase of 500 copies at the suggested donation. We hope you can help us raise this amount and achieve our goal to support these amazing beings.

If you would like to support and pre-order the zine, please visit the link in our bio.

SUPPORT BLACK TRANS LIVES AND GIVE THEM THEIR ROSES NOW!

Illustrations by @_singenero with digital edits by @mx.matias

CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR COPY AND SUPPORT BLACK TRANS FEMMES!! <3