From April 7 through June 10, 2005, The Design Center at Philadelphia University presents D.I.Y. Revolution: Zines and other underground publications, a graphic cacophony of self-published materials that chronicle the golden age of zines in the 80’s and early 90’s. Curated by Philadelphia University Dean Sean Carton and writer Gareth Branwyn, and culled from the collections of Branwyn and Scott Huffines of Atomic Books, this show bombards viewers with hundreds of down and dirty graphics of this populist invention.

Before the Web transformed out mode of collective communication, self-published zines were the voice of the underground.

Served up by populations of visionaries, nuts, obsessives, and fans of everything from punk rock music to PEZ dispensers, zines went where commercial magazines wouldn’t (or couldn’t) go. Desktop-published, photocopied, mailed or distributed at shows, galleries, and local hang-outs, these limited-edition works were often rough, brash, funny, subversive, and epitomized the do-it-yourself ethic popularized by punk music and the counterculture. Titles include: “Thrift Score,” a shopping companion; “Shocked and Amazed,” highlighting carnival people; “Beer Frame – the journal of inconspicuous consumption;” and “Traveling Shoes – an eccentric journal of travel and entertainment.”

At its peak, an estimated 20,000 were in existence, a fact that makes it impossible to overlook the significance of these publications as part of America’s cultural landscape. Despite the disparity of subject matter, the majority emphasized autonomy and independence, often serving up a confrontational relationship to mainstream culture. “It was a time after desktop publishing technology first put publishing power into the hands of anyone with a computer, and it lasted until the Web made everyone famous to at least 15 people,” says Curator Sean Carton.

“The moment has crested,” remarks Arlington, Virginia-based Gareth Branwyn. “Most of the creative energy used to create zines has moved online. What we have in this exhibition is an analog version of Internet and digital publishing.”

From hand-written broadsheets to edgy comics, mail art, and even artifacts impossible to categorize, D.I.Y. Revolution shows what happens when people must be heard and take matters into their own hands.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The public opening for D.I.Y. Revolution is Thursday, April 7, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at The Design Center, Philadelphia University in the Goldie Paley House, 4200 Henry Avenue in the East Falls section of Philadelphia. D.I.Y. Revolution is free and open to the public.

Gallery Hours: Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Group tours for children, school groups and adults are available by appointment.

The Design Center at Philadelphia University (TDC) promotes the appreciation of design in everyday life. Addressing a broad audience, TDC furthers the awareness and understanding of design, both past and present, through exhibitions, research, education and the stewardship and interpretation of its collection.

This exhibition has been mounted in conjunction with DesignPhiladelphia, a citywide design celebration, taking place April 1-17. For more information, visit www.designphiladelphia.org