Thing Magazine at the Brooklyn Museum

Our very own THING Magazine is included in a special exhibition dedicated to zines produced in North America.

Copy Machine Manifestos features nearly one thousand zines and artworks, from punk and street culture to conceptual, queer, and feminist art. The extensive exhibition covers 50 years of American-made zines from the 1970s to the 2020s.

A reception for Copy Machine Manifestos was held at the museum on Wednesday, November 15, 2023. A massive number of folks came out to see the exhibit and to share their experiences while hobnobbing in the lobby.

On Friday, November 17, 2023 the exhibition officially opened to the public on what would have been Robert T. Ford’s 62nd birthday. THING is prominently featured in the exhibition alongside its contemporaries, continuing the buzz that Ford intended.

museum signage for copy machine manifestos

A second event, the Sunday Zine Fair, took place on Sunday, November 19. The crowds there were equally impressive, with throngs of folks gathered around every table, perusing the many zines available for purchase.

The popularity of zines is due to the fact that they give a voice and visibility to marginalized artists. Queer individuals and feminists have used zines to gain greater control over their own identities, and to share their unique stories and perspectives with others. Zines continue to be created today for those same reasons.

Here is a list with links to these contemporary zines: sundayzinefair.org/about-+-exhibitor-list.

This historic exhibition was made possible thanks to the Brooklyn Museum’s extensive curatorial team. This is another milestone for the artists who created America’s underground culture.