Next, we shift our focus to the West Coast, and ask Aaron Moran of Smoke Signals Press why he makes his breathtaking art zines.
Based in: Vancouver, BC
Bio: Aaron Moran, the man behind self-publishing collective Smoke Signals Press, creates heartstoppingly beautiful art zines. An accomplished visual artist who has conducted shows in Vancouver, Moran’s work spans an impressive range of mediums, from print-making to digital art (check it out! http://badgeometry.tumblr.com/)
“I make zines because I think they are one of the best ways to compile ideas, drawings, words, and other random visual explorations that might not fit ‘neatly’ into my art practice. It seems that there is a lot of pressure in the arts to find your niche and stick with that idea until you ride it into the ground – and then what? For me, zines are an escape from that way of thinking. While I explore certain themes in my non-zine work, they are certainly not the only ideas I wish to explore.
“The printed zine is a magical thing. I can hold it in my hands, keep it on my shelf and never have to worry about it disappearing like all the files on my computer. People don’t back up their bookshelves…
“In short, zines allow me to explore anything I want without the pressures of the ‘high art’ world. A printed book has power – as soon as something is printed it seems official, and by extension is generally taken more seriously. I will always zine because I will always have strange and exciting ideas to explore!”
Check out a recent zine of Aaron’s, ‘Attack:’ http://www.blackbudgiezines.com/2010/04/zines-attack.html
For more of Aaron’s work: http://aaronmoran.tumblr.com
I love this!