Sandwiched between the red-brick Georgian buildings of East Campus and the studious atmosphere of Lilly Library is a glass case housing brightly colored zines inviting students to stray from homework and soak in their creative offerings. Each tiny booklet in this exhibit is an issue of Future Fantasteek!, a bi-annual zine created by U.K. artist Jackie Batey.
Disgruntled by her five-hour work commute, Batey devised a way to remedy her traveling woes: doodling. She later observed trends in these sketchbook drawings and compiled many of her original works into the independent publication that is now five years old. The exhibition in Lilly offers an opportunity to view raw sketches side-by-side with their reproduced counterparts.
The publication featured in this exhibition exemplifies the format of zines, which are independently published magazines that generally focus on a specific subject and have a very small circulation. Batey prints only 50 copies of each issue of Future Fantasteek!, which was first published in July 2006.
The stereotypical zine is a piece of copy paper folded in two and covered with pen-and-ink doodles and artsy text. They are usually sold in independent bookstores or other “underground” establishments.
While Future Fantasteek! now resides in a library, an environment far removed from the grungy buildings and street corners where one would typically find a zine, it still manages to connect strongly with passersby. The zines’ vibrant covers shine through the glass case, entreating viewers to peek inside and examine the intricate sketches and witty humor.
The monsters and block letters scribbled on the covers of Future Fantasteek! are provocative promises of each issue. It almost seems unfair that each issue is encased in protective plastic. They demanded to be handled and loved, treated as companions during frustrating business meetings and commutes—whether via train or C-1 bus.
The opportunity to examine raw sketches alongside the published pages of the zines gives the viewer deeper insight into Batey’s real-world inspiration. One page features lime green lettering complaining about the artist’s upcoming “boring meeting.”
Batey’s work also draws inspiration from hot topics such as the environment, politics and business. Past issues have held titles like “The Carbon Footprint Issue” and “Deepwater Horizon Issue.” In general, this element of activism has become intertwined with the definition of a zine.
Future Fantasteek! celebrates nonsense and disorder while simultaneously offering commentary on current events. Zines such as Batey’s approach consequential topics in an unusual, cartoonish, grassroots manner, expanding discussion beyond the circuits of academia or mass media. As Future Fantasteek! demonstrates, even the form of the zine—creative, messy and nonsensical pieces of mixed media condensed into a portable booklet—holds relevance to the convoluted nature of everyday life.
Future Fantasteek! zines by Jackie Batey will be on display in the foyer of Lilly Library on East Campus until Oct. 7.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.