Kerry Ann Lee of Red Letter Distro is an artist, designer and scholar, known for her work in independent publishing with zines over the past two decades. In “Anywhere but here: transmissions from another island,” Kerry Ann Lee will present her creative practice and collaborations, and discuss how D-I-Y independent publishing facilitates a range of self-expression and cross-cultural connection in Aotearoa New Zealand.

London based graphic designer and publisher Rose Nordin (OOMK collective and Rabbits Road Press) will present a short artist talk based on her creative practice and more specifically focussed on A Study of Malaysian Publishing practices: KL,Penang and Ipoh.  The publication documents a month-long research trip in Malaysia focussed on collective research-based publishing projects. The research and publication production was undertaken by OOMK Collective (Rose Nordin, Heiba Lemara and Sofia Niazi) supported by the Arts Council England British Council in 2017.  The archive of publications will be available to view alongside the artist talk.

Kerry Ann Lee is a visual artist, designer and scholar from Wellington, New Zealand. Lee has been involved with diverse communities through public art commissions, exhibitions, workshops and art education programmes. Lee’s work has explored urban settlement and culture clash occurring in the Asia-Pacific region. Lee has undertaken international residencies in China, Taiwan, US, Mexico and Australia and exhibits regularly in New Zealand. Lee is also known for her work in independent publishing with zines such as Help, My Snowman’s Burning, Celebretard and Permanent Vacation enjoying international exposure and readership over the past two decades. Permanent Vacation is an independent arts-based publication that is imaginative by nature and collaborative in spirit while her project Alternating Currents, is an ‘open source’ collaborative print publication that gives voice to unsung stories and experiences in cities. In 2001, Lee founded the Red Letter Zine Distro, a mail-order catalogue built on late nights, letters, punk rock, D-I-Y activities, hopefulness and friendships. Red Letter Distro now exists as an ‘occasional distro’ operating in real life by sharing a curated selection of independent publishing from Aotearoa New Zealand with the world. 

Rose Nordin is an artist and graphic designer based in London with a focus on print and publishing as social practice. She is a co founder and graphic designer for OOMK zine and art publishing collective. Rose co-runs Rabbits Road Press a Risograph community press in East London focused on producing small press publications through collaboration. Rose is currently an Artist in Residence at Somerset House Studios and Serpentine Galleries. Recent publishing design projects include The Place is Here — The Work of Black Artists in 1980s Britain (Sternberg Press), Still I Rise: Feminism, Gender and Residence (Nottingham Contemporary) and Shy Radicals (Book Works).

One of My Kind (OOMK) is a collaborative publishing practice led by Rose Nordin, Sofia Niazi and Heiba Lamara. Working together since 2013, they design, publish and distribute books and printed works which arise from self-initiated projects. OOMK functions as an annual publication on women, creative practice and activism. OOMK also commission new works by artists and co-curate DIY Cultures, one of the UK’s largest annual independent publishing fairs. Together OOMK founded and run community risograph printing studio, Rabbits Road Press.

Rabbits Road Press is a community risograph print studio and publishing press founded and run by OOMK. The project was commissioned by Create London and is based at Old Manor Park former Carnegie Library. The small-scale publishing press provides printing and book binding services for artists and community groups in Newham in East London and beyond. A responsive programme of workshops and events explore a contemporary model for community publishing, bringing together artists, designers, writers and neighbours.

Heesun Seo is a graphic designer from Seoul running a design studio called Studio Hik. She holds a BFA degree of Visual Communication Design from Kookmin University in Seoul, and an MFA degree in Graphic Design from Yale University. She is currently teaching graphic design at Academy of Visual Arts, Hong Kong Baptist University, and is the art director at ArtAsiaPacific magazine.