FANZINE CULTURE COMES TOGETHER IN ESKİŞEHİR

Organized in collaboration with Çekirdek Eskişehir and Bidon Collective, the Zine Seçki Exhibition opened at the Atatürk Cultural, Arts and Congress Center Exhibition Hall of Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality. Bringing together more than 50 independent fanzine and artbook creators from various cities across Türkiye, the exhibition will be open to visitors until October 12, 2025.

Emphasizing the independent, direct, and unfiltered expressive power of fanzine culture, Zine Seçki aims to make both individual and collective artistic productions visible. Usually produced through photocopy or other low-cost printing methods, fanzines stand out as independent publications offering unique content on literature, art, music, and social issues. Free from censorship and characterized by an authentic and straightforward tone, these publications serve as an important creative outlet, especially for young artists and those working in alternative production fields. In addition to the displayed fanzines, the exhibition also features artbooks--artist's books that reflect another form of personal artistic expression.

The exhibition's manifesto highlights that painting existed as a form of expression long before writing, and that writing complements visual narration by strengthening the transmission of ideas. Fanzines unite these two powerful languages, offering creators an unlimited field of expression.

With the invention of the printing press, writing and imagery gained the opportunity to reach wider audiences. Through the medium of fanzines, they have once again taken on a new form--becoming both a means of production and sharing for independent artists. With its ease of creation and direct style, the fanzine remains one of the freest artistic forms of expression today.

Through the Zine Seçki Exhibition, Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality invites everyone who wishes to experience a pluralistic creative space to explore the alternative expressive pathways opened by paper and ink.