Workshop fanzine: How to create an image-based publication – materials, sequences, publishing

Welcome to a four-day workshop focusing on the fanzine. Artists Alberto Rossi and Stefano Conti will guide you through the process of selection, sequencing, production, financing, and distribution.

The workshop will be in English and Swedish and is a collaboration with Göteborgs bildverkstad and will be held on-site at their premises in Gothenburg.

The workshop is open to visual artists who are interested in conveying their projects through the publication form. Participants are asked to bring an ongoing or completed project to be developed during the workshop. During the days, Albert and Stefano will give practical examples of how to structure sequences, choose materials, and understand the technical, economic, and marketing aspects of bookmaking. The workshop includes both lectures and collaborative exercises to develop the participants’ projects. To get the most out of the workshop, independent work between sessions is also encouraged.

Schedule

Day 1: Present each other and understand the workshop’s overview

-Brief introduction of ourselves and each participant, who will be invited to briefly present their artistic practice.

-Detailed presentation of the workshop’s structure, followed by a lecture about the book-making and publishing terminology.

-Division in two groups. Each participant presents their project and tries to formulate what they need and at what step of the process they are.

Day 2: Material and production choices

-In-depth look into all the various aspects of book-making: paper choice, printing techniques, binding, and other possible forms a book can take. Practical advice on where to buy material and where to print.

-Alberto and Stefano will bring various books that will be shown and discussed together.

-Division in two groups. Further discussions on the participants’ projects with a focus on how to apply the presented topics to their work.

Day 3: Sequencing theory and practical examples

-Lecture on sequencing. How to structure it; different approaches; the use of text.

-Alberto and Stefano will bring various books that will be shown and discussed together.

-Division in two groups. Discussion of the developments of the participant’s projects and practical application of the concepts about sequencing presented earlier.

Day 4: Funding, publishing, distributing

-Understanding the professional figures constituting the publishing world. Printers, designers, editors, distributors, writers, etc.

-Presentation of different Swedish and international opportunities, foundations, grants, and other ways of funding publications.

-Self-publish or publish? Explore different ways of distributing one’s work and understanding one’s audience. How to reach out to a publishing house.

-Collective final discussion of everyone’s project, and their plan for future developments.

Registration is binding

When: November 7, 14, 21, 28, 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Where: Göteborgs Bildverkstad, Klippan 6, 414 51 Gothenburg

How: Register by sending an email to: info@goteborgsbildverkstad.se. Write “Sequences in focus: ways to assembling and publishing your image publication” in the subject line. Also mention if you are a member of Göteborgs Bildverkstad or CFF – Centrum för fotografi. Registration is binding (Max 12 participants)
Language: English and Swedish when needed (Stefano speaks Swedish)
Price: SEK 800
Organized by: Göteborgs Bildverkstad in collaboration with CFF – Centrum för fotografi with support from KKV – Riks and Kulturakademin.

Stefano Conti is a visual artist based in Gothenburg. By intertwining photography, text, and installation, his practice explores topics related to historiography and humans’ relationship to objects. In 2022 he founded SWIT, the platform for contemporary photography bridging Sweden and Italy. Stefano holds an MA in Photography from HDK-Valand and a BA in Photography from Brescia, Italy.

Alberto Rossi is a multimedia artist based in Gothenburg. His artistic practice observes the intersections between the biological and cultural realms, often inspired by the urban environment. He primarily works with digital images, analog collages, serial works, notes, and book-making. In 2022, he founded Take 10 Press, a collective and itinerant photo-zine library based in Gothenburg. Alberto holds an MA in Photography from HDK-Valand and a BA in Multimedia Arts from IUAV University of Venice.

Photographer: Stefano Conti & Leonardo Taddei