Dana Jazayeri makes primarily photography and illustration zines about visual art via photocopying, screenprinting, digital, and risograph. His zines run the gamut of binding, including folded, stapled, saddlestitched, hand-stitched and perfect-bound. He is also passionate about art and books, which is evident at “as issued”, his gallery and bookstore in Orange County that opened in 2001. as issued’s table will feature various zine collectives from across the globe and self-published zines.
When did you start making zines … and why?
1998. Because the internet wasn’t so evolved as it is today. It was a method of interacting with each other through small printed bits of matter.
Why do you make zines?
I believe in the tangible interaction through art. Be it in person with the art or a documentation of that art. The digital platform has opened our doors to what is available out there but it lacks that personal connection. A zine or a book is a piece of that person.
What do you like about your local zine community?
Zine communities are always small and bonded by paper. Which is cool. The almost archaic approach to sharing information via folded pieces of paper.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start making zines?
Educate yourself on how you can produce zines by your own hands. Learning about paper weights and qualities, size formats, printing methods and binding techniques.
Why are you tabling at Long Beach Zine Fest?
I am a store that produces our own zines and carries zines from collectives across the globe. The opportunity to display these zines from people that wouldn’t be able to attend continues the idea of sharing knowledge and awareness of not only your local community but global as well.