Late on Thursday the 25th, under the warm light of Sydney St in Marrickville, Honi walked into the side alley of Mothership studios to satiate their intellectual cravings at RAG’s zine and exhibition launch.
RAG is releasing their second edition, titled RIPE, following their successful maiden launch, ROUGH AS GUTS. Previously characterised by their frayed visuals and dare I say, grungey aesthetic, RAG’s second edition took on a bright, fruity and sensual palette.
Swimming in the froth of our gingerly caressed beers is the latest Inner West phenomenon, the ‘zine’. While zines are often released and showcased, RAG opted to accompany RIPE’s launch with an impressive display of portraiture, miniature sculptures, photography, moving image and graphic design. Notably, Alexander Wong’s sculpture installation titled ‘baby’, Nicholas Di Benedetto’s miniature sculptures titled ‘Lil Guys’ and Jacob Rendina’s video piece stationed at the front of the event were some of the diverse pieces on display.
RAG’s Founder and Director, Shea Donohoe in partnership with her co-editor Zoe Kemp and Designer Tamasin Stanton, told Honi that the theme took great inspiration from “poets like Wendy Cope and photographers like Elaine Constantine” to produce a zine that provides “everyone a bit of juicy, tender, unabashed warmth”.
The atmosphere of the event was friendly and curated. On entry, you are met with stalls selling the RIPE Zine and prints from exhibiting artists. Aptly situated next to the zine was a woven basket of lemons and mandarins, making for a personal and inviting touch. With zine’s selling for $10, anticipation for the publication’s quality was building amongst the crowd.
Familiar written contributors to the zine included Gus Mchue and his eclectic short stories along with Paris Huxley’s flagrant and striking prose amongst the mix of 14 other contributors.
Throughout the night groups of friends stood in different corners of the gallery, giggling and drinking to the Jazz stationed in the corner of the room performed by Dylfrogz, Cairn Peterson and Ruby Firmstone.
When asked what we can expect next from RAG, Donohoe revealed “we try to make each edition REALLY different from each other — each one a little pocket of a specific feeling. So I guess just expect something super different.”
Ultimately ticking all the criteria, the RAG event had the beverages and banter of another esoteric zine event entering the social ether.
