Zine fair held to fight martial law revisionism

MANILA, Philippines — In a bid to combat disinformation and historical revisionism in the age of social media, an independent book store held a zine fair in Makati City yesterday. 

Independent bookstore Kwago and event space Warehouse Eight launched Komura: Black and White Zine Fair in time for the 47th anniversary of the declaration of martial law by the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos. 

Zines are do-it-yourself books, magazines and publications which are usually photocopied. The fair featured at least 42 zine artists.

During the event, JL Burgos’ Portraits of Mosquito Press, a documentary that highlighted the situation of press freedom in the Philippines during the Marcos presidency, was shown.

Komura co-founder Kayla Dionisio told The STAR during the event that the zine is a way for artists to address an issue on a specific topic. 

She said the fair was a space to “feature stories in a creative way” and that it is a medium for “democratizing creation.”

Komura co-founder Czyka Tumaliuan added that the zine fair is not just a way to give space for the artists to sell their creations but also to give the artists and their customers a space to intimately talk and make a connection. 

This is a thing missing in the age of social media, she said.

“In this time, we are attached to our screens and that can be used to brainwash and control what people are thinking,” Tumaliuan said.

“We have to look at real stuff. I think it is so important right now, not just because of the political atmosphere but because of the technology,” she added.