Cultivating creativity at Sister Library’s zine-making workshop
On September 23, 2024, a zine-making workshop took place at Jatra Biroti, organised by Sister Library, in partnership with Her Story Foundation, Goethe Institut, and Star Books and Literature. The event brought together individuals who are passionate about learning and exploring the world of zine creation, as zines are a celebrated medium for self-expression and non-commercial publishing.
Led by Katerina Don, Curator of HerStory and Sister Library, the workshop commenced with introductions from the participants. Don then provided an overview of the history and significance of zines in contemporary culture. She showcased various examples of past zines from Sister Library's 'Pink Shelf', emphasising their roles in feminism and activism. Each zine had challenged the status quo in its own unique way. They were intimate and personal, yet also amplifying diverse voices. The topics of the zines were boundless but still highly relatable, ranging from momos and biryani to friendships and even menstruation—these zines shed light on numerous issues. These little booklets were created to convey ideas and stories that might have otherwise gone unheard in mainstream media.
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Feeling inspired after going through the thought-provoking archive, participants began making their own zines. Katerina Don patiently demonstrated the basic zine-making techniques, from layout planning to folding methods—showing how a single piece of paper can be bent and creased to be beautifully transformed into a booklet with eight smaller pages. Whether it would be a standing, gallery-style zine or a traditional zine was their own choice. The participants had collectively brainstormed for a minute, closing their eyes to envision how they would like to express their thoughts and feelings onto the paper. They were then free to write, draw, cut and stick paper onto their zines in whatever ways they wished, letting their creative processes take them in whichever directions that came to mind.
Each individual engaged in their personal storytelling, tapping into several facets of their stories, opinions, and experiences. The immersive activity, along with Jatra Biroti's vibrant decorations, lighting, and ambient music, created an energetic atmosphere where ideas flowed freely. The zines, made by the participants, were undeniably an expression of raw emotions, with some participants having made art focusing on their mental health and inner turmoils. The themes varied, though, from talking about the importance of using film cameras all the way to the tale of a tree with a jinn living in it—reflecting the fascinating variety of attendees at the event, as their own perspectives shone through their artistic work.
Katerina Don then made her closing remarks. She said, "In every event, we keep saying that the power of creation lies within you. And zines really make you realise that." She added that, "It can be scary, a piece of white paper is scary. But this can be shared with others. Zines are also forgiving as they can be anonymous, yet at the same time very inclusive. There's a comfort in that." She had also mentioned that Sister Library hopes to display all the zines made from the last few workshops at a location soon.
With the event slowly reaching its end, participants bonded over their shared passion for making something personal and meaningful by showing their work to each other. Admiring one another's work and the exchange of ideas built a sense of community within the group as discussions about zine culture, art, and the challenges of self-expression took place.
Soon, as the participants started to leave, it was clear that the act of making zines had provided not only a creative outlet but also a therapeutic experience for many in the room.
Deeana Maqsood is currently an intern at Star Books and Literature. She enjoys naps, ice cream, and rewatching her favourite shows countless times in a row.
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