On any given day at Fluxus Chapel in Bandra, Mumbai, you will find a small crowd bent over zines—new and old—alongside curios and art by independent creators. Every couple of months, something new quietly slips onto the shelves, waiting to be discovered.
If this small nook is anything to go by, we are deep in the era of zines and independent publishing. But let’s widen the lens. Just last week, we came across a bunch of new titles and works that we are betting on. Phaidon released Blush: Contemporary Makeup Artists, spotlighting 75 makeup artists from 35 countries who are shaping the way we experience makeup, including Kritika Gill, who has many editorial covers to her name. Meanwhile, multimedia brand Sunnie is launching its first teen zine (launching in Target stores) with Kiernan Shipka on the cover. Expect personal essays, advice, quizzes and, of course, horoscopes. Then there is Ravenous, a new subscriber-led platform curating sharp, thoughtful writing from award-winning voices in food media.
Taken together, it all points at a renewed appetite for content and collectibles. Like some of these, recently released, beautifully documented art books that also double as decor.
Safe to say, there’s plenty to read—and even more to collect. Happy browsing.
