In a time when everything looks so flawless and shiny on our backlit screens, an imperfect, experimental and raw aesthetic is on the rise again as a counterculture. Zines have retained this character since the 60s until today. The thin booklets in simple photocopy style are the original form of self-publishing – fast, selfmade and niche. Usually monothematic and with small print runs, they print the part of culture that is absent from mainstream publications. Because profit is not the goal, but representation and participation in shaping culture. Their simple, analogue charm leaves room for experimentation with visual language. And so they are and always have been an uncut a constant source of inspiration. No wonder, then, that they are making a comeback!
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So instead of the usual doom scrolling of perfected images, why not put your phone aside today and leaf through one of innen’s progressive zines.
Collaborating for each issue with one artist – from big names to yet unknown talents – the zines captivate through their homemade aesthetic. Instead of PR-perfect images with digitally enhanced colours, you get an informal glimpse into the mind of each artist. It’s precisely this intimate appeal that made us feel like we’re holding a real treasure in our hands and made us want to know more.
That is why we reached out to innen’s publisher and mastermind Aaron Fabian to ask about his process in a raw and unedited email conversation:
You founded innen in 2006. Can you tell us a bit about yourself first?
originally i am a graphic designer. i studied in budapest and geneva back in the days and ended up somehow as an editor / publisher.
i am from, if we can say, an artist family. my mom was a drawing / art history teacher. also an applied artist. she produced sculptures, paintings also designed her own leather bags and accessories. she was also into fashion etc. my father is an old school typesetter who also wrote poems. he got few books published by hungarian publishers. also he design books for others and his mom, one of my grandmothers, wrote short novels before and worked for a big publishing label in budapest. so i am just gluded in this story. i think we just got lot of books at home, all walls covered by books, like a library room or what.
ED RUSCHA – COUPLINGS
What is the concept of innen and why did you decide to publish zines in the first place?
first of all it was no decision to be a publisher. i just wanted to work with nice materials and i was surrounded with creative friends and people.
so i started to make zines with my friends’ images. the concept is very simple. it is just what i like, what i feel more close to me. about zines, i did many experimental other publications before, printed as dummies, before officially started innen. so about the zine topic – it just very easy and cheaper to produce. you dont need lot of money to print and it’s also a very quick process. you can have one copy in your hands in 5 minutes.
Dash Snow – Selected Works From 2001 To 2009
How do you bring one of your zines to life? Is there a process you go through or is it different for each issue?
yes. always different. usually i have lot of digitalised works. i select and edit all and put together the pages spreads. but few times i can dig in archives and scan works, talk more with the artist – usually it is a collaboration between the artist and me sometimes i talk with galleries museums etc and request high res works. always different situation. it is really unique when i get a publication ready to print by the contributor.
Nora Halpern & Zuni Halpern – Pillow Mountain
How do you choose the artists you would like to collaborate with?
many times when i see art or visuals i say is good, i want to do something with it. it is really simple – just what i like. but for sure i check the background, how, where, which gallery activity or what is the cv etc. i am just curious. but often, by the time, i know almost everyone in person or many times it’s a friend of a friend – like our E.G.G. team aka Exploded Generation Group founded by Matt Damhave and P.A.M. aka Misha & Shauna – i wanted to publish all the team members’ projects.
(f.l.t.r.) P.A.M.02 – “INNEN” An Interpretation; Sakura Kondo – Imaginary Crows; Nora Halpern & Zuni Halpern – Pillow Mountain
There are some really big names in your collection. How do you get an artist to create a zine?
to be honest no clue but it is really an honor and thank you so much for all and to everyone who supports the innen project. really no idea. and sometimes, to work with heroes, is just magic of course. but after all, how i see it, in our big family everyone is connected almost.
