You know when it comes to Molitor you are going to get something good, something odd, something a bit off but not like off in old milk ways I’m talking off in a way that makes you stop and wonder. What is happening here? This past year was a real neck punch for most of the world. Sure, the top one percent can wealth themselves into a comfy little quarantine but most of us were out in the muck, at least to some degree. What we DID during 2020 is entirely key. Did you produce? Did you sit and feel sorry? Each of us had to live our own private narrative.
2020 also brought creative angst. Thankfully. Personally, I believe there needs to be far more creative angst in the world and far less conforming to algorithms. Drive fast, take chances. “They call that the burnout factor cause only the good die young. Your body is gonna take a lot just trying to have some fun.” (April Wine, Harder Faster.) Andrew brings us this lo-tech volume of personal, print expression.
A poignant tale of emotion, history, visceral experience all veiled through current events. A reference to the razor bladed apple, the lore of anyone my age who dared to venture out on Halloween night. Angel dust-laced pixie sticks and bladed apples were high on the list of any danger-seeking child bored with tradition and friendliness. Yes, I want that apple.
With this small softcover you just dive in while protecting your head and body. Startling crops of unknown subjects, fragments of pain points and copy from the lost. This is why we self-publish, well, one reason anyway. Because who else would do this? When the commercial, artificial soul is sucked out and we are left with the marrow then we understand the point of all this, if there is one. Live, breath, prepare for the end.
Comments 21
That looks cool, where can you get one?
Seconding Chuck’s question!
Author
Scott,
See the comment below. Andrew sent instructions on how to acquire.
Author
Chuck,
Reach out to Andrew. He’ll get you one.
This -> “This is why we self-publish, well, one reason anyway. Because who else would do this?” … plus Molitor’s book looks awesome!!
Author
MC,
Exactly, who else? Him and us.
Aww, thanks Daniel! I made this super fast, it was just a single blaze of inspiration. Three days from concept to print, and I
did some other shit in there (kids, meals, chores). But it was very very fun to make. I had my neighbors scream for me while I shot
them with the 300mm from their lawn. Such great neighbors.
If you want a copy, there’s a PDF on google drive. I hereby grant you permission to print any reasonable number
for whatever reasons and purposes seem best to you:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FEJq2IGyX2EPgLkr7EOcGDf1ZCcuU7n6/view
Print it double-sided, flip-on-short-side, black and white is fine. Staple down the middle, trim as you see fit!
Or you can contact me and I’ll mail you one. amolitor@gmail.com
Author
AM,
Sorry, it took me so long to reply to this. It’s been a long few weeks.
I commented in more detail but it looks like it got caught in a spam filter (I had a link in it, maybe?)
Long story short, THANK YOU EVERYONE and if you email me at amolitor at gmail I will happily send you a link
to a downloadable PDF you can print yourself, or if you want to send a snailmail address I can pop a copy in the
mail, at least up some manageable number of copies. If it gets out of hand I’ll revisit, I guess, but I don’t think
that’s likely.
Done.
Andrew, I am definitely sending my snail mail but two questions. Any way to pay for it and will you be writing about how you made it? Digging the zine process and have loved hearing Dan and Chuck and others discuss how they make them.
It costs me $3 to put a copy into a fellow’s hands (printing, envelope, and postage — seriously, $3), which I am happy to absorb! The thing was specifically made to be given away, and to be very cheap. Giving thing away, mailing things to people, is literally an explicit part of my process. Normally it’s “I will make 3 and mail one to that person, keep one, and give the 3rd one to that other person” but this time I mentally cleared space for all comers (within reason).
I am thinking of writing up the entire process for my blog, and will send a link to anyone I’ve sent a copy to if I get to it.
Things are complicated by the fact that I committed to Not Talking About COVID on my blog for a time (just cuz everyone else was and I wanted to give my readers a place they could be sure to come to when they were sick of COVID) so I’m debating how and when it’s appropriate to break that embargo.
Author
Andrew,
you should. It’s a great technique, available to everyone and it’s impactful.
Author
AM,
Cool, well done lad.
Mister Molitor has some pretty idiosyncratic ideas about photography, and that’s a good thing! (full disclosure: I’m a drooling sycophant who has frequently sparred with M. on his notorious blog, “Photothunk,” which unaccountably allows comments by idiots like me).
Apparently this thing looks way better in print than it does displayed flat on a computer screen. A most interesting point to ponder.
Author
David,
Boy can write too.
It looks like handmade photocopied dogshit in print. Because it’s *supposed* to look like handmade photocopied dogshit!
Fun story: I have, basically, one real life friend who is actually cool. He described the zine as “dope” and then gave me shit for the fastidiuously exact trimming job I did on it. And he’s absolutely right, it looks like photocopied dogshit that some weirdo obsessively trimmed with great precision.
Yes! I am simpatico with your process, which should be evident when mine gets to you. Very much looking forward to yours arriving in my mailbox. Thanks for sharing.
Author
AM,
Who doesn’t love dog shit?
For those interested, I have written up The Story of The Zine here:
https://photothunk.blogspot.com/2021/06/a-zine.html
Author
AM,
If a Zine falls in the forest…..