Murmur's Amanda Mills talks Printed Matter

? The DIY-championing nonprofit Murmur prepares for its fourth annual fundraiser, Printed Matter. Profits from the slew of zines for sale go directly to propel 2016's Atlanta Zine Fest, an ambitious celebration of zine culture complete with workshops and zines of all breeds on display.
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? Creative Loafing caught up with AZF/Murmur's Amanda Mills to learn more about Friday's shindig.
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? It's been an exciting year for Murmur, namely nabbing that space on Broad Street. How do you think this new home might color this year's Printed Matter?
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? Amanda Mills: We’ve had a few opportunities to show off the space, including the Creative Loafing Best of Atlanta Party and the Atlanta Zine Fest. We’ve also had a few smaller events, including kicking off the ATL Theory Club. This exhibit will be a unique time for us to show the breadth of work that people produce via zines and to demonstrate our commitment to community-centered programming. It’s really thrilling to see the range of ways that people engage DIY. I feel that it’s inspiring, challenging, and educational simultaneously. I can give discussions and workshops on the importance of zines and on zine-making methods; seeing it for yourself is a different effect entirely. I am also excited to see what opportunities come out of people seeing the space. 100 Broad Street, aka the Murmur space, is one of our available resources. We are launching a Curatorial Residency program wherein interested people will have access to the space for three months to create large or small scale events in collaboration with Murmur. We are also available for people with similar visions — but who do not need to collaborate with us directly — to use the space for a small donation. Having a physical locality says and does a lot to further our mission for accessibility and community.
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? Tell me about the curation process.
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? A.M.: Curation in Printed Matter is tricky to describe. I reach out to people who have contributed in the past, to people whom I don’t know personally but am a fan of, and — this is especially true — to people whom I feel would make a badass zine. I guess that doesn’t exactly reveal much, but it means that a lot of contributors haven’t made a zine before or weren’t thinking of making one until Printed Matter. It’s really like one massive zine release show! People also reach out to us about being involved, and we’re very open to anyone’s contribution. It’s also important to me that there is a range of people in methods, content, and representation.  
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? What kind of topics and ideas can we expect to see represented through this year's crop of zines?
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? A.M.: As with zine culture in general, the work exhibited is heavy on the perzine and art zine side. The per in perzine stands for “personal” — think of blogs, diaries and Facebook statuses. The language and purpose is very similar and people sometimes pull from their Internet writings to make zines. This is also where a lot of identity politics are hashed out and where lifestyles and underrepresented experiences are captured. Writing about subcultural phenomena and offering larger cultural critiques are also a big part of zine culture. One zine that combines all of these elements is Tracy Soo-Ming’s “It Girls Revisited.” Her zine — with a beautiful stark blue screen printed cover — is a feminist re-reading of “It Girls.” She looks at how, for instance, Winona Ryder is only 38 but playing the mother to a 32 year old. As she explains it, “Even our generation’s young ingénue has grown up to be sidelined and reduced to the ‘hag.’” Other zines are outright gorgeous, literary, hilarious … It really runs the gamut.
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? For those new to the world of zines in general, how would you explain a zine? What's the bare minimum requirements to be considered such?
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? A.M.: At its core, zines are independently created, often handmade publications with a small circulation. Typically the zinester handles the content, layout, design, printing, binding, and distribution. Community is an essential facet; we’re a champion of do-it-yourself with others! Marginalized groups have particularly turned to zines as an alternative medium to express their lives and experiences. These populations are continually left out of established media channels. As fringe expression, they’re integral to furthering discourse. Zines allow people to mess with the means and aesthetics to express themselves; challenging others to experiment, as well. And as participatory media, zines give people a way to respond to and exist outside of the mainstream. Beyond that there are really no rules or requirements!   
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? Why do zines and zine culture seem to resonate so hard with ATLiens?
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? A.M.: This might be the best thing I’ve ever heard! I put a lot of effort and energy into this medium because I am deeply motivated by its importance. No doubt we’ve received a lot of positive response and support, which is always appreciated. Printed Matter showcases this — showcases just how inspired people are through zine culture. I think a lot of it speaks to a larger feeling of disenfranchisement. However it seems that many zinesters aren’t aware of the importance of their work. They might feel it’s silly or inconsequential. The fact that each zine is an archive of a person, an experience, a method of independent expression — this is all very significant.
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? Printed Matter goes down Fri., Nov. 20 from 6-10 p.m. Free. 100 Broad Street. murmur.org. More info here.
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