For this project, we started from brainstorming.I did several mind maps on paper and two mind maps on the computer. I started with fields and topics I am interested in.And I connected different ideas to get a different and more specific topic. This is the mind map I made with Popplet, and it led me to my final topic:

As a result, my seminar final research is feminist zines. So my studio project is making a feminist zine.

For seminar research, my research emphasizes on riot grrrl zines. For studio project, it emphasizes on my own reflection on feminism.The research on seminar project influenced a lot on how I carried out my studio project because, firstly, it helped me gain a better understanding of zines and feminist zines culture so that I can think of what should I incorporate in my zine.

Initially, I didn’ t think of how research for my final paper can help me develop a zine.I had no idea what to do.I wanted to make drawings to make it artistic. So I stuck there for a long time because it took me a long time to finish one drawing.It’s a waste of time and made no sense.I was left behind then.After making no progress for two weeks at all, I thought about making a riot grrrl style zine that focuses more on writing.Then I started to research on contemporary women’s situation and combine my own experiences.

Then I started to research on contemporary women’s situation and combine my own experiences. There is a TED Talk called “We Should All be Feminists” given by Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_ngozi_adichie_we_should_all_be_feminists) that influenced me a lot.I was so inspired. I realized that I don’t have to be an American to talk about feminism in America.I can just talk about my country and relate to feminism in general like Adichie did.

Then I started writing. The first piece is titled “What Does Feminism Mean to Me?”. It’s not given a title until I finished all the writing.I talked about how I became interested in feminism and my own understanding of feminism.The second one is about sex education because I realized that the lack of proper sex education can lead to serious problems of the society.I also asked my Chinese friend what they think of feminism and how they are educated on sexual things so that I get to know more about young generation’s awareness of feminism in China.I wanted to write more about the topic such as film recommendations but I didn’t because I was running out of time.

(prototype)

I use my drawings in 100 drawings project so I don’t have to waste more time on drawing. And I also use works of my friends to enrich its content. If I had more time, I would draw illustrations by myself.

My roommate comes from multicultural background and she is a feminist who would go to the march and do artwork about feminism.So I interviewed her before she went back home and asked her if I can use her work and her photo.

 

(prototype)

() (prototype)

(protopype)

I have a Chinese friend from Smith College.She is the only Chinese feminist friend of mine.She came to visit me in New York last week.We talked a lot about our understanding of feminism, the dilemma of Chinese feminism, and related experiences.I invited her to write an essay that appears at the end of my zine:

 

Because I want to follow the style of riot grrrl zine, I cut and past elements onto papers and scanned them, and the final zine is in black and white.

One of the biggest problems I encountered was printing because it’s folded together and I designed in page order. I used Illustration to do the typography because I think it would be easier but I didn’t think about printing issue.I had to correct the order of each page on a letter size paper.It took me a lot of time and money to print out a successful one.

A Zine is a good platform to let my voice be heard. Different than an academic paper, I have totally control over the zine and I can freely express myself. I don’t really like writing,  but I do enjoy writing what I want to write spontaneously. It’s a good process of self-exploration and communication.

(I could only get an appointment at Learning Center to get grammar mistakes corrected the day after I handed out my zines…sorry about that…)

Final: