Exploring identity through zines

Popularized by the punk scene of the 1970s, zines—small-circulation independent magazines—were adopted by a variety of alternative and underground subcultures as simple and cost-effective soapboxes. Today, they are a global phenomenon, with emerging scenes in China, Japan, and increasingly, India. This weekend, Gaysi Family, a platform dedicated to LGBTQ+ South Asians, brings together over 50 Indian zine-makers for the inaugural edition of the Gaysi Zine Bazaar in Mumbai.

“There’s no physical space where we can not just pick up zines, but also talk to other people and get feedback. So we felt that something like a zine bazaar was necessary," says Gaysi Family co-founder Sakshi. Their annual zine has been coming out since 2011.

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The exhibitors at the two-day event include collectives such as Kadak Collective, Art and Found and Shoebox Comix, as well as individual zine-makers, including Priyanka Paul and Lungshai Leisan. The event also features talks covering everything from the basics of zine-making to inclusive design practices.

The theme of the event is identity, with a special focus on Indian culture and narratives. “We’ve tried to get people on board who are looking at identity from a lot of diverse perspectives—gender, sexuality, religion, caste," says Sakshi.

The Gaysi Zine Bazaar is from 1-2 September at G5A Foundation in Mumbai. Tickets, ₹ 200, are available on Instamojo.in.