A photo zine documenting my first year living on the Lower East Side.
Photography
Zine
About the Project
Making this zine was a passion project that resonated with me more than any creative project I've ever done. It was a result of living in downtown New York City for the first time, and crossing paths with artists I had always looked up to. This collection of street portraits needed to be more than just an Instagram post, so the zine was born.
Process
After choosing which photos I wanted to use, I decided to print them in the darkroom to achieve a rough border look, and make the colors pop. I took a class, then went every weekend for a few months. It became a fun and challenging ritual of trial and error. I then collaged these photos by hand with journal entries, stickers, and other doodads.
Release
I printed a first edition of 50 copies and had a release party at LAAMS. To accompany the zine, I created an art installation that linked the photos and artifacts to the locations where they were taken. I also made hand-dyed t-shirts that matched the colors on the cover.
Results
After my New York release, I wanted to take this project as far as I could. I set out internationally, zines in hand, to try to get them stocked in the cities that would appreciate them most. I successfully got them stocked in London (Bankrupt Store), Paris (Classic), and Tokyo (Flotsam Books.) If you see one in the wild, let me know!
