⧉ Dispatches from the NYABF
Welcome to the twenty-first issue of OVERLAP ⧉
Dispatches from the NYABF
Last Saturday, I made a pilgrimage across the East River for Printed Matter’s New York Art Book Fair, held every September at MoMA PS1.
The trip started off on a harmonious note, with mariachi musicians serenading the 7 train. It’s not often you see someone playing an accordion on the subway. I gave them $2.
I planned my trip so I’d arrive when the doors opened. Apparently I wasn’t the only person with that idea; the line was long, but it moved quickly.
First stop: the courtyard, where I talked with a librarian from the NYPL Picture Collection. I had no idea you can browse, copy, and borrow printed images from this archive. Definitely need to plan a weekend visit soon. And I made my second donation of the day at The Free Black Women’s Library next door.
I knew from my last trip to the NYABF that it’s crowded and overwhelming — and I knew I would never be able to see everything. So I made the zine tent a priority. That’s where I found Homie House Press — recommended by Rachel, who met them recently at a zine fest in D.C. — and so many other thoughtful artists. It’s tempting to believe no one makes anything weird and creative and pure anymore, but these folks prove us all wrong … thank goodness.
From there, I made my way inside, through several floors of labyrinthine exhibit spaces. I checked out the photobook tables on the second and third floors; after the vibrant friendliness of the zine tent, the photographers seemed standoffish and stale. But maybe it was just me — my energy was flagging and my backpack was heavy with zine loot.
On the way out, I made one last stop at MoMA’s Artbook store, where I found a tantalizing selection of niche international magazines. Here’s a look at my NYABF haul:
- Top left: a small print from The Free Black Women’s Library
- Bottom left: The Shadow Means It’s Real from Homie House Press
- Top right: Saguaro from Ivy Zheyu Chen’s Upon Studio
- Bottom right: Homesteading for the Urban Coyote from “pamphleteer” Sarah Nicholls
- Top left: Beside, a publication “bridging the gap between humans and nature” (Montréal)
- Bottom left: It’s Freezing in LA, “an independent magazine about climate change” (London)
- Top right: Science of the Secondary, a series of publications about everyday objects (Singapore)
- Bottom right: Ginger, a feminist zine mapping creative networks (Brooklyn)
- Not pictured: a couple issues of Anorak magazine and a cute zine activity book for my nieces and nephew.
I went to NYABF in search of inspiration for my own print projects — more on that soon — and came away with renewed energy. The wide array of exhibits showed nearly infinite possibilities, but I kept stopping at tables with a few similar characteristics. These are the things that caught my attention:
Simple, uncluttered designs — not necessarily minimalist, but thoughtful layouts created with impact and attention in mind.
Physical textures — the imperfect grain of risograph printing, the soft grit of uncoated paper.
Consistent tone — a considered, cohesive visual style, applied across multiple offerings from a single press or publication.
Intersecting ideas — distinctive perspectives and a spirit of curiosity, looking for insightful connections between different topics.
Beyond discovering new people and publications, gatherings like the NYABF help me imagine different ways of being. I’ve been feeling like I don’t really fit into the “photographer” or “writer” scenes, and it was refreshing to spend a few hours with people who seem less concerned with labels or titles and more focused on making something.
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Auntie Jess recommends:
NYABF, online. Explore all the NY Art Book Fair exhibitors, sorted by location.
CASA Magazines. A tiny West Village magazine stand with an oversized Instagram personality.
Basement browsing at Kinokuniya. I don’t read Japanese, but still love looking at magazines in this store across from Bryant Park.
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Thanks for reading. I’d love to hear from you — hit reply or send a note through my website to share your favorite zines, bookstores, events, or anything else that’s on your mind. If you missed a previous issue, all the archives are online.
Until next time,
Jessica
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