Author: Stephanie

Small books on big topics – check out the BWB Texts Collection

Stephanie

The BWB Texts Collection is one of the hidden gems in our online collections line-up that we LOVE and think more of you should know about.

Why? Well in a nutshell the collection brings together a diverse group of short and accessible eBooks on some of the biggest and most important issues facing New Zealand. Some of the topics covered include: the housing crisis, climate change, public health, child poverty and inequality. Dive in to discover stories, insights and analysis by some of New Zealand’s best writers and commentators.

The BWB Texts Collection is also easy to access and use. All you need is your Wellington City Libraries card and a device to read on — PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone. Ebooks have unlimited simultaneous users and are read in your web browser so there is no waiting or downloading – simply click on any title and read!

Some just released titles that you might like to check out are:

Imagining Decolonisation – contributors include: Rebecca Kiddle, Bianca Elkington, Moana Jackson, Ocean Ripeka Mercier, Mike Ross, Jennie Smeaton and Amanda Thomas
“Decolonisation is a term that alarms some, and gives hope to others. It is an uncomfortable and often bewildering concept for many New Zealanders. This new BWB Text seeks to demystify decolonisation using illuminating, real-life examples. By exploring the impact of colonisation on Māori and non-Māori alike, Imagining Decolonisation presents a transformative vision of a country that is fairer for all.” (from title description page)

The Climate Dispossessed: Justice for the Pacific in Aotearoa? – by Teall Crossen
“The world is heating up beyond the capacity of some countries to cope. Entire populations of Pacific islands are threatened, jeopardising the sovereign rights of these countries and the security of the region. This book explores what a just response to the risk of climate change displacement in the Pacific could look like.” (from title description page)

Transforming the Welfare State: Towards a New Social Contract – by Jonathan Boston
“Eighty years ago, New Zealand’s welfare state was envied by many social reformers around the world. Today it stands in need of urgent repair and renewal. One of our leading public policy thinkers asks: What might the contours of a revitalised ‘social contract’ for New Zealand look like?” (from title description page)

The Broken Estate: Journalism and Democracy in a Post-Truth World – by Mel Bunce
“A lack of knowledge about the world can be a very dangerous thing…Drawing upon the latest international research, Bunce provides a fresh analysis that goes beyond the usual anecdote and conjecture. Insightful and impassioned, this short book provides a much-needed assessment of the future for New Zealand journalism in a troubled world on issues of justice, tikanga, trade-offs, finance, futurism, adaptation, and more.” (from title description page)

Rebuilding the Kāinga: Lessons from Te Ao Hurihuri – by Jade Kake
“Rebuilding the Kāinga charts the recent resurgence of contemporary papakāinga on whenua Māori. Reframing Māori housing as a Treaty issue, Kake envisions a future where Māori are supported to build businesses and affordable homes on whānau, hapū or Treaty settlement lands. The implications of this approach, Kake writes, are transformative.” (from title description page)

#No Fly: Walking the Talk on Climate Change – by Shaun Hendy
“What happens when a leading New Zealand scientist (and frequent traveller) rules out flying for a year? From overnight buses to epic train journeys, Shaun Hendy’s experiences speak to our desire to do something – anything – in the face of growing climate anxiety. #NoFly confronts the hard questions of one person’s attempt ‘to adapt’. Was this initiative merely symbolic? Did it compromise his work, his life? And has it left him feeling more optimistic that we can, indeed, reach a low-emissions future?” (from title description page)

An Audience With…Isobel Rose Cairns

Stephanie

Isobel writes the awesome and lovely zines – Things We Have in Common and I Like the Light in Here. They are both beautifully designed and packed full of interesting goodness that we think you should read right away!

ionlyclosedHow did you first get into zines? Did someone suggest you to make one?

I made my first zine at the first Zinefest event in Wellington. I spent all day at the zine making table and struggling with the photocopier and finally I had my first little zine, which I called Upset. And then I realised that zines were the perfect thing for doing writing AND drawing!

Photocopying zines can be tedious, hard work while making illustrations can be lots of fun… What parts of the zine making process do you like and dislike the most?

Yes, I think I would have to say that I’m not too good with the photocopier. I’m a bit better than when I first started but something always seems to get messed up! With some of my zines I’ve put them together the night before Zinefest so I don’t have time to do illustrations, but I like them! And I like interviewing people, and also getting glue on my fingers. I don’t like spending ages typing everything out on my typewriter though.

What do you like and dislike about zines in general? And what do you think about them as a medium?

I like that they’re so very versatile and that they can be used for so many things. I like that they’re self produced and compact. I like being able to draw and write, and it’s good that they’re cheap to produce, although I would like to start experimenting with nicer papers. It’s sometimes hard to make them interesting to other people; I think that I just have too much fun making them and don’t think about who will read them.

Continue reading “An Audience With…Isobel Rose Cairns” →

An Audience With…Jon Drypnz

Stephanie1 Comment

massage 3Jon is one of the artists behind the collaborative zine ‘Massage’ – an atmospheric urban art/graffiti zine. Find out more about Jon and his work on his website. Thanks for answering our questions Jon! 

Describe an average day:

A bus ride to Wadestown. Then cooking and delivering food. After this, you would find me in my studio drawing and painting. And if it is an extra lucky day I would probably be painting some walls with friends.

Describe your work:

You could maybe describe my work as ‘Post Graffiti Pop Surrealism, and I depict the notion of disevolved humans.  I feel like most humans are ignorant to the world around them, and lack simple self care. I believe this can be seen in most people, in yourself, I know I see it in myself.  It seems to be a universal human characteristic. This concept can also be perceived as a reflection of how I understand modern society. However, when you see my work, you may not instantly see this as an obvious regergitation of this understanding, because I want to poke a little bit of fun at our own demise.

massage

How did you first get into zines? 

It was a bit accidental. Our zine ‘Massage’ was based on creating a collective portfolio with some friends. It feels more like a collection of our work rather than a zine, which seems to be appealing to a wide audience at the moment.

What do you like about zines?

I guess like most people I like the fact that they are an easy and cheap way of sharing your personal ideas / intrests.

Is there anything you don’t like about zines as a medium?

I think a vast majority of them can be very similar.

massage 6How do you get inspiration for a zine?

We just produce work without focusing too much on the outcome, the outcome is not our main goal. The process of creating content, that then might happen to be used, is what matters the most.

Tell us about some of our favorite zine…

I do not really have a particular one. I do like Ed Templeton’s work. It is the photography and social commentary ones in particular that usually grab my attention, or zines about strange cats, especially the ones done by Wellington locals, Heather and Zach.

Do you have any last words?

I would have a single little man floating cross-legged, knowing all that he surrounds. His expression would be of sombre recognition of his surroundings, but with a hint of realization that it would all turn to custard at any moment.  He would be a simple fellow with a head larger than it should be because he began to think he knew everything once, and even though he knew better now, it was like his mother used to say  ‘Do that any longer dear and it will stay like that’. 

He will then sit hovering over the places where he wished he could always be, next to streams and beaches on the signs that reminded him of where those places were. 

He would be human but simplified, he would be human but his humanity has left him, he would be human if only he could remember what it was he was meant to do, he would be human if only it was that simple.

An Audience With…Hayden Currie

Stephanie

BookHayden produces the awesome zine comic ‘Book’ along with Matt Henley and James Rowsell. We have numbers one and three of Book in the zine library waiting eagerly for you to discover (sorry we have no idea what happened to two!). Thanks for answering our questions Hayden!

Describe an average day:

Since I’ve got a new job I wake up really early. My current job is pretty brainless; I just have to stick posters around the city. I only focus on getting them straight. Before the zine fest I was working very hard on Book, our latest zine. We really wanted to get the zine finished and it was hard work but lots of fun. Soon after the zine fest I started this new job, so I have been really tired for the last few weeks because I did not get a chance to rest in between. I tend to do some illustrations before going to work. To do so I have to wake up really early. But I think it is really important for me to draw, even if I need to wake up so early.

Describe your work:

I would say that it is mainly a satire or really crude humour. For example, the stuff in Book is a kind of cartoony and funny as well as a raw critique of our society.  But I think other people would be better than me at describing my work.

How did you first get into zines?

It was a bit accidental. James and I started to print out our first zine in an A5 format because it was cheaper. Then we sold it at the 2008 zine festival and it went really well. So I guess we just wanted to make a comic and distribute it in a cheap way and the result was a zine.

What do you like about zines?

I really like the fact that they are small and easy to carry. They are a great cheap form of showing your own work. The zines I like the best are the ones that manage to combine good illustrations and entertaining stories. Overall I tend to prefer zines with really nice art.

Is there anything you don’t like about zines as a medium?

Yes, I think many of them do not show a lot of thought about entertaining other people. It looks like they have been written as a personal diary and then turned it into a zine. The final product seems to be a compilation of personal stuff, interests and thoughts. I find this very boring and superficial.

steph book photo


How do you get inspiration for a zine?

I think I get inspiration from a basic reaction to things from popular culture. I find inspiration in everyday culture and I think most things in life are quite funny and ridiculous.  Let’s take for example Miss Green Consumer, a character from Book, who tries to make a difference through consumer’s choice. I personally find the idea that you can save the world by buying something eco-friendly quite ridiculous. Miss Green Consumer goes through a series of accidental adventures, it is actually really funny.

monsters 1

Tell us about some of your favorite zines…

Monsters by Ken Dahl is one of those zines that has a great story and really nice drawings. I highly recommend it.

– Carla

We talk with Wellington Zinefest organiser Kim Gruschow

Stephanie

Kim from the Wellington Zinefest Committee 2010 (also Lady Fest co-organiser) very kindly answered some of our questions about all things zinefest.

How did Wellington Zinefest get started?

In New Zealand there had been zine events, such as Auckland’s Small Print, Zinefestbut never much in Wellington. In  2007  Kylie Buck was working at the Wellington City Library, they had just started their zine collection and she and I organised the first Wellington Zinefest, which was also a nice welcome platform for the Library Zine Collection.

What is most challenging about organising an event like Zinefest?

There hasn’t been any notable struggles this year really, there are four of us on the team this year, three of us have organised Zinefest in previous years, so we know or at least sort-of know what to do now. The first time round was the hardest probably because everyting was new

What are zine people like to work with?

Zinemakers are all kinds of people, there are nice reserved thoughtful types, but there are also those who got into zines through punk music like me….

What cool things will be happening on the day?

There is a workshop about interesting zine construction methods and a chat about the history of zine events, distros and people in New Zealand over the last few years. The Comics Show, which is a documentary about comics in New Zealand will also be screening throughout the day, and once again the lovely folk of Wellington City Libraries will be present with some of their zine collection. There is also an afterparty at Watusi with bands Teen Hygiene, Widows, Paper Ghost & Natural Glow all of whom have close ties with zine-making and self-publishing.

Why do you think there has been such a revival of zine culture?

I think there has been a real turn towards DIY culture in general, particularly with crafts but also with music production and other creative arts. People realize that it is an easy and empowering and inexpensive way of sharing what they do. I think the presence of zines in Wellington, through the library collection, the annual Zinefest, and shops in New Zealand like the High Seas (sadly about to close ) must be very encouraging too.

Are there any zines you are hanging out to see/buy at the Fest?

I’m looking forward to the third Book, a comic made here in Wellington which is being unleashed at Zinefest. Infinity Bag has new work that I am really excited about seeing too.

Thanks Kim!

Wellington Zinefest Committee 2010. Left to right: Matt Whitwell, Bryce Galloway, Claire Harris and Kim Gruschow
Wellington Zinefest Committee 2010. Left to right: Matt Whitwell, Bryce Galloway, Claire Harris and Kim Gruschow