Report: Pagemasters Zine Fair – South London Gallery, 14.09.24

On perhaps the last kick of the summer, TheNeverPress took a bright and breezy stroll through our lovely neighbourhood to head to the Pagemasters Zine Fair at the South London Gallery.

Set-up by Lewisham-based Risograph printers, Pagemasters , the zine fair was a two day event where over 100 fantastic artists, creatives and independent presses gathered to show their work, make some connections and host zine-making workshops. It was busy. It was noisy. It was messy.

We loved every second.

It helped that the weather was glorious and TheNeverPress, as is our way, took a moment en-route to take stock of the sunshine and breathe in all the goodness that life was proffering. By this we mean we stopped for a pint at the Victoria Inn on Bellenden Road on the way. There was no rush, it was beaming and we were in a fizzy mood, so why the hell not, eh?

We supped and basked but nothing lasts forever (even warm September sun) so we banged the pint and moved on, trekking a full kilometre to our afternoon’s true destination.

The fair was situated inside the beautiful South London Gallery on Peckham Road. A stunning 200+ year old building in top nick – maintained and loved as a public gallery with mucky corporate fingers kept well away. We think it’s South-facing, because there are a ton of people outside, bleached by the rays as they mill about. There are a lot of tote bags bulging with stuff. We are reminded of the entrance to summer jumble sales at the school hall, back in the day. We know the layout of what’s to come without even stepping foot inside. What a warm and welcoming feeling.

And yep, we’re not wrong – the classic jumble sale formation is in full swing. Inside the great gallery space, two concentric rings of tables circling the hall – an outer ring against the wall, and in the centre of the room an oblong of tables. Behind each table stand producers, sellers and artists at post, armed with Zettles and enthusiasm. Between them and us are stacks and stacks of books, pamphlets, comics, zines… just galaxies of creations; printed, bound, folded, stapled. The jumble sale reference ends here because we don’t remember them being quite so pulsating. In the corner a Soundsystem is thumping tunes that ride the fader between ‘oh yes,’ and ‘what? I can’t hear you’ (we’re old). We enter and peel right to walk anti-clockwise around the hall, eager fishes brought along by the current.

The work on display in the hall is so brilliantly varied that it all feels like beautiful chaos as we move from table to table. Al Yamaniah greet us warmly and take us through the new edition of their art magazine “created by a collective of Yemeni women passionate about art and culture.” The new edition is dedicated to home – with submissions for hundreds of artists reflecting on the theme presented in a thick, glossy, coffee table book. As we move through the pages image after image bursts forward. It’s vibrant and powerful. It has a kinda defiant punk energy to it that goes down well. We know we are in the right place.

From there, colour spots in our eyes, we move around the room completing multiple laps and visiting every table. Penge-based Colossive stand out to us immediately because their manifesto tractor-beams us in. In amongst the noise, the energy, the colour and life, a simple postcard of black text on white is louder than bombs. It’s both affirming and a wake-up call. Please see the image at the end of this article, and take in every word. Colossive press are the real deal. We buy a wonderful zine from them about the ill-fated attempt by Croydon council to build a spaceport in the 70s (this is non-fiction). On we go.

Intoart are here with a showcase of the inspiring and brilliant work that they help facilitate. Established in 2000 Intoart is an art and design studio based in Peckham that works inclusively with people with learning disabilities. In their own words ‘Intorart vision is for people with learning disabilities to be visible, equal and established artists’ The table is stacked with premium quality ‘Taschen style’ art books and, my word, the work on display is staggering. Please check out the gallery below because we’ve tried to get across how brilliant the work is but, frankly, our words are pants.

Kaiya Waerea and Sophie Paul’s Sticky Fingers Publishing intra-dependent press are in amongst the thrum. Feminist, queer, disabled-led publishers, Sticky Fingers Publishing's anthologies, essays and assorted commissions (printed on their own Risograph RP3700, no less) are piled high. Experimental non-fiction at ‘the intersection of academia, visual culture, art, design and performance’ seem intimidating to us at first glance. It’s a quick first glance because the second glance grabs us by the hand and pulls us in. The wealth of ideas, perspectives and challenges bursting from this press is as inspiring as it is magnetic – they are so deep into what they are into that the energy fills us with devious curiosity to put aside our dream-worlds and academically dive into the real-world. Brilliantly, we also discover that Sticky Fingers Publishing also have a monthly podcast which we’re getting stickily stuck into.

But the fair wasn’t only a showcase for the various talents in the gallery – there was a chance to get stuck in with creating something for ourselves. Taking over a side room and spilling out into the leafy courtyard, dozens of people went at magazines and newspapers with scissors and glue – collaging their own publications in the sun. The whole space was aswarm with that lovely buzz of industry and chatter of people bonding over art, creation and UHU.

And we feel that the workshop is a perfect exemplar of the spirit within the halls. There is boundless creativity out there – people are dreaming, thinking, creating, talking, examining, presenting and publishing. They are arriving from countless places of unknown origins, with a kabillion stories to tell in their own way and on their own terms. It was happening, it is happening – and standing in the midst of it all, in this chaotic marketplace was to be ‘in the scene’. It was immediate and we deemed it to be good.

With over 100 exhibitors in the hall, it would take an age to report on every single one of them – but we hope to get in touch with them and see if we can write about their work. Meet them. Learn about their visions, and their artistry. Share stories. We wish to learn it all and report it back to you. And to connect you with them, so you may also be inspired to publish.

Hey, wouldn’t it be cool if there was some sort of listings or directory that housed all these publishers and creators in one place? A place where you could explore new work, new perspectives, new ideas and connect directly with creators? A forever zine fair? Wouldn’t that be something? Now… if only there was an organisation out there with the elan and the mettle to put something like that together, what a world it would be…

This report was fully independent and the views expressed within, regarding our thoughts and feelings of this event are our own. Other views are available in other publications. x