Zine Hamster

My Salvaged Stories

2011-12-11T12:19:00.001-08:00

Ka Yuk Tong's book "My Salvaged Stories" is a story of Tong's family and roots in Hong Kong. The book is available at Liefhertje en De Grote Witte Reus in the Hague or Boekie Woekie in Amsterdam.
You can look the video accompanying the book project in Vimeo. I like the way to mix the book format, drawing and storytelling in the video.

Miss Read 2011, Berlin

2011-11-29T06:59:00.000-08:00

Exhibition about the KW's own publications.

Publishers' tables in the big hall

Book exhibition going on the wall of the hall.

My blog has been a bit quiet because lately I have been working with my own artist book and it has taken all my free time. I also moved from Helsinki, Finland, to Berlin, Germany, few weeks ago.
Once I arrived here I noticed there was Miss Read happening at KW in Mitte. I spent Saturday there browsing the books and wondering everything I haven't seen before. More in the next post!

Kaleidoscope

2011-11-01T02:38:00.000-07:00

The latest Kaleidoscope has a good article about books as art form. This is something I have been waiting for awhile. You can get a copy from Motto.

Cats I Know

2011-10-04T05:27:00.001-07:00

I happened to get copies of Kaori Mitsushima's Cats I Know zines earlier this week. Kaori's zines have personal drawing style which feels very unique and fresh to me. Drawings are strong and by looking then it's possible to see how Kaori enjoys every stroke she makes. It's also refreshing to see how well the strong drawings work in simple black and white zines.

Papier Gaché Fanzine exhibition

2011-09-20T09:16:00.000-07:00

Papier Gaché has collected a good selection of zines for exhibition.

Salon Fanzines!
October 8-9, 2011
Médiathèque Marguerite Duras, Paris

Anna Sailamaa: The Shepherd

2011-09-15T08:07:00.000-07:00

Today is the book launch for Anna Sailamaa's new graphic novel "The Shepherd". The comic tells about worker class boys and their life in the North of Finland. I really admire Anna's way of drawing and her way to create characters who feel so real and honest.

You can get your copy by ordering from HuudaHuuda or contacting Anna. The book has English subtitles.

Blue Deer

2011-09-11T12:47:00.000-07:00

I managed to get two books by Clare Rojas on summer. Blue Deer and Red Fox is in away really modest and thin book but story inside is bigger than anything i've read for a while.

The another book "Everything Flowers" from Chronicle Books shows paintings of Rojas growing together with flowers of her garden.

Short documentary clip about Rojas:

Trophy Hunters

2011-09-11T12:18:00.003-07:00

Trophy Hunters by Jaakko Pallasvuo was a book I waited for a long time. And I read it twice immediately to enjoy the pictures and get most of the story. There is something weird in the sound of language (the book is in Finnish but has English subtitles) but I guess it works. Somehow it gives the feeling of distant story. The story is not happening here but somewhere elsewhere, far away in another world.

Kaugummi

2011-07-16T23:51:00.000-07:00

José Maria Gonzalez & Marine Pagès: Lineas

Paul Bonnet: 187 Bealiqui

Aidan Koch: Black Wall

Kaugummi Magazine VII

My last order from French Kaugummi arrived in June and I got new treasures. As you maybe have heard, Kaugummi is quitting publication. I've been enjoying their books a lot, especially zines with drawings. Remaining copies of Kaugummi zines and books are still available through their webstore.

Summer Holiday Readings

2011-07-16T12:00:00.000-07:00

Robert Hunter: The New Ghost

Jon McNaught: Pebble Island

On my holiday trip I visited Nobrow in London and got a few books which are really perfectly designed and printed. Nobrow is a bit more into illustration and graphic design than comics really, and I think it shows from the stories. The books are anyway wonderful examples of powerful illustration and visual skills.

My dream come true would be Nobrow illustrations combined with some talented novelist or storyteller, someone like Saramago or Auster.

Alexander Theroux: The Strange of Edward Gorey

Lately I've been reading more. A few months back I found Edward Gorey's biography written by Alexander Theroux. I didn't even know that it exists (which is not a surprise, I don't know much about book releases anyway). However, I'm happy to see little bits behind the mystery of Gorey's extreme creativity.

Umberto Eco: Confessions of a Young Novelist

Another book which stuck to my hand is Umberto Eco's Confessions of a Young Novelist which I happened to find from Tate Modern's museum shop. (I also read Jose Saramago's The Elephant's Journey and Sofi Oksanen's first novel.) I think everyone should read some Eco every now and then.

Our Little Sea

2011-06-02T23:18:00.000-07:00

Photos from my latest zine project.
Our Little Sea -zine represents the view of 20 illustrators and artists on the current state of the Baltic Sea.
Cover by me, other works (from up): Aleksandra Waliszewska, Anna Sailamaa, Sami Havia

Artists & Illustrators:
Johan Björkegren (Sweden), Daniel Dolz + Doris Freigofas (Germany), Christopher Golebiowski (Sweden), Emmi Jormalainen (Finland), Sami Havia (Finland), Eibatova Karina, Hanna Konola (Finland), Anna Emilia Laitinen (Finland), Heiko Müller (Germany), Minna Mäkipää (Finland), Reetta Niemensivu (Finland), Jaakko Pallasvuo (Finland), Ragnar Persson (Sweden), Anna Sailamaa (Finland), Sara Söderholm (Sweden), Elmeri Terho (Finland), Jenni Valo (Finland), Aleksandra Waliszewska (Poland), Emelie Östergren (Sweden)

Price 12 € + shipping. For each sold copy, 1 euro will be donated to the protection of the Baltic Sea. You can order your own copy in my online shop.

Alexa Kirsten Stroth

2011-06-02T13:22:00.000-07:00

I just got a copy of Alexa Kirsten Stroth's first photo book. I'm happy there is finally chance to see her works on paper. The book is beautifully printed on soft uncoated paper.
You can get your copy from her online shop.

Books from Canada

2011-05-22T11:09:00.000-07:00

Last week I visited Lucky's on Main Street in Vancouver B.C. and got two treasures, both published by Drawn & Quarterly.

Brecht Evens: The Wrong Place
The Wrong Place is not just wonderfully painted with watercolors, the story is supported by layered paintings and intense atmosphere.

Leanne Shapton: The Native Trees of Canada
This is the perfect book for anyone like me who loves the trees and forests of canada … or any place.

Satu Palander: Late Summer

2011-02-20T23:33:00.001-08:00

Satu Palander is Helsinki-based photographer. I've been following her works for a long time and always wanted to see her photos in a book. Last week I finally got Late Summer.
Satu's many photographic stories are often about everyday life and still moments in South Korea.
You can order your own copy from Blurb.
If you want to fall in love with Korea, check out Wowsan blog.

Uppercase 8

2011-02-20T13:28:00.000-08:00

If you haven't got your own copy of Uppercase yet, I think you should order it. It's all about visual inspirations and good mood. I also like how Uppercase works so well on paper but is still absolutely fluent with blog world and what happens online.

Visualizing

2011-02-20T10:10:00.001-08:00

I think it's sometimes good to look at things from another perspective.
Visual Editions creates books differ from tradiotional book publishing. Visual Editions writes: "we wondered why there is such a large divide between text-driven literary books on the one hand and picture-driven art and design books on the other."

Another aspect to books and the never-ending amount of information we are receiving can be found from Iraq War Wikipedia Historiography by James Bridle. Bridle's thoughts about literature, technology and book futurism can be found from his blog booktwo.

Linotype Film

2011-02-16T01:17:00.001-08:00

"Linotype: The Film" Official Trailer from Linotype: The Film on Vimeo.

Cathy Cullis zine

2011-02-10T13:40:00.000-08:00

Cathy Cullis' novembermoon zine no. 2. I found this beautiful delicate work of Cathy Cullis from her Etsy shop. I enjoy her style of creating female figures.

Rain Day

2011-02-08T02:28:00.000-08:00

I found Rain Day by Hannah Waldron from one of the little book shops of London. It's beautiful, almost abstract, story and visualization of ongoing rain. Book is published by independent publishing collective Duke Press who just published the second edition of the book.

Apartemento magazine

2011-01-22T06:16:00.001-08:00

At the moment, my very favorite magazine is Apartemento. I know the latest issue got out some time ago already, but it takes a little bit time to get it on this edge of the world. Today I finally found it. I'm fascinated how Apartemento is appreciating creative individuals and their life but doesn't hide people behind the polished interior photography.
(I have to say that I'm really into architecture and interior design and that's why my next book will be about houses.)

Ye Rin Mok's Yosemite

2011-01-12T14:34:00.001-08:00

Ye Rin Mok's Yosemite is a refreshing photographic zine about holidays in Yosemite National Park. I like how she is not afraid of showing photos on black and white and on green paper.

Gracia&Louise

2011-01-12T01:42:00.000-08:00

Package from Australian artists Gracia+Louise was so beautifully packed that I had to take a photo before I even opened the package itself.
Just the two of us: A fine pair

Postcards from... A key to help make your own world visible
While sometimes the web seems to be full of zine makers, Gracia+Louise take the zine making to the another level. They handle extremely well the choice of materials but also the content of these works is very well-thought-out.

I have followed their work for a year or two and still the first actual package I got was really positive surprise.

Ways of Seeing

2010-12-06T06:26:00.000-08:00

If you don't feel like reading Walter Benjamin's Art of Mechanical Reproduction today, you can instead watch Ways of Seeing by John Berger. (Continues in YouTube).
Found from Do you read me? Reading list.

Christmas Shopping

2010-12-05T02:56:00.001-08:00

I visited Napa Gallery's Christmas shop and got 3 little treasures. I think i bought some of them for presents before but this time I got them for myself.

My Forest by Jenni Rope

Jaakko Pallasvuo's book "How you should make cement for mending stones" has been on my wishlist for a long time. I had to get it finally because Jaakko made a window painting for our studio Panama last month.

I also got 3191Q-magazine and thanks for that we have spiced oatmeal raisin cookies for afternoon coffee.

Magazines

2010-12-05T01:37:00.000-08:00

I noticed the new issue of my favorite magazine Apartemento is out but it hadn't arrived to Papercut (Stockholm) or Napa (Helsinki) or anywhere I go so I have to live with the ones I found: Elephant and It's Nice That.

I also got the 2nd issue of Svart Konst magazine. It's almost 2 years old but I'm never so in that I would care if something is new or not. Well made things work for a long time.

Yeti Adventure

2010-12-04T12:43:00.001-08:00

Misaki Kawai's new wonderful zine mixes handmade style and printed image with creativity.

Tara Books' handmade wonders

2010-11-20T11:10:00.000-08:00

No matter how international the world is getting, my neighborhood, and even the internet communities i'm part of, are mostly focused on Western European and North American reality. That's why it's really refreshing to see books outside this dominating world view. One inspiring example is Tara Books from Chennai, India.

First time I got Night Life of Trees book in my hands, I simply couldn't believe it's actually handmade. Even if I did understand that you can't get that intense colors and look with any printing machine.

That's why I want you to see this video from Tara Books:

p.s. And I would love to see the video of how Fingerprints book is done.

Stella Mag

2010-11-09T05:07:00.001-08:00

Stella is new Danish magazine featuring woman who make things. I got the first issue and I enjoyed the attitude and typography a lot. You can find Stella's blog here.

Astra comic zine

2010-11-06T16:40:00.000-07:00

Astra is a story about a girl who moves to own flat for the first time in her life.

Covers on coloured paper (colour can be different than in the pic)
Black & white comic
10 pages + covers
7 € (10 usd) including shipping

Uppercase #7

2010-10-28T14:00:00.000-07:00

UPPERCASE is best known from their great magazine but they also publish very very well designed books.

I've been really enjoying their publications so I packed my graphic novel and sent it to Uppercase. It was fun to find the package from the latest issue's Postal Service.

Tango with Cows

2010-10-28T13:27:00.000-07:00

This summer I visited Berlin and one of it's really nice book store, ProQm where I found Breaking the Rules – The Printed Face of the European Avant Garde 1900-1937.

I don't buy often books about art history, but this was an exception.

The book has an interesting chapter about Russian Avant Garde books. While French books of the time where mostly deluxe editions with fine printing, Russian artists had a real DIY attitude. They used every material and printing technique which was available.

This way I ended up to Getty Center's website where is good collection of scanned Russian zines. One of the most beautiful style and type can be found from Vasily Kamensky's Tango with Cows (1914).

(photo from Getty Center)

Sourcebooks

2010-10-23T06:21:00.001-07:00

My curiosity towards books, visual storytelling, zines and self-publishing lead me finally to write thesis about "Reproduced Artists books in the early 21st Century".

At the moment, the best sourcebooks I have managed to find are these:
Cornelia Lauf: Artist/Author: Contemporary Artists' Books 1998
Daniel Baumann: Kiosk: Modes of Multiplication 2009
Johanna Drucker: The Century of Artists' Books 2004
Maria Fusco: Put About 2004
Simon Højbo: Zine soup: a collection of international zines and self-published art books 2009

Himaa

2010-10-15T00:48:00.000-07:00

One of the first zines which really got my attention is 1177 by Japanese artist Himaa. The zine creates a visual story made with extremely simply but well thought-out drawings about man who is looking at things.

The zine is published by Nieves which has made a big bunch of wonderful publication.

One day...

2010-10-13T11:55:00.000-07:00

One day I noticed the things I like most are books.

Pyramid Power magazine
Front magazine
Camilla Engman book
Art on Paper magazine (R.I.P.)
Peter Piller: Nijverdal / Hellendoorn book
Cranfield and Slade: 12 Sun Songs vinyl record
The Night Life of Trees book