Monday, March 11, 2013

Zine Review: Galatea's Pants 2000-2010


Galatea’s Pants 2000-2010

Lauren has been publishing Galatea’s Pants for over a decade. Previous issues that I’ve read were brimming with progressive thought, a panacea for consumerist / capitalist / fucked up culture. This issue, not so much.

Much of this issue is taken up with interviews. First, Lauren interviews Nishta Mehra about her food oriented blog. Then Aisha Sloan discusses her Detroit based artists colony. Here’s an except from Lauren’s interview with Melanie Cervantes, an artist / activist / printmaker: “…from 6:30 pm until about midnight we read and respond to email, do some social networking, write blogs, read multiple online newspapers, websites … on a good day we’ll get some time to draw or work on a design.” . This is followed up with an interview with Anna Pulley who, when asked about her writing process, explains “Usually I’ll write a few sentences then go check Facebook. Then I’ll read a blog post …and write another sentence before deciding to browse OK Cupid…”

It feels like what is being celebrated here is the shallow end of the pool … not what unites us in any real, tangible way. I’m unconvinced that the internet and social networking are contributing to the social well-being of community, in fact, Facebook, etc may be fracturing our attention and our relationships. As we become more insular, we actually communicate less and create less change … we become hypnotized by screens, complacent and comfortable with our cliques and cocoons. Even you are reading this blog, I am always considering unplugging completely from the internet to focus on reality – not virtual reality. These interviews didn't speak to me in any way, though I’m sure that my “demographic” is not the intended audience.

The opening and closing articles are the real substance and heart of Galatea’s Pants 2000-2010 in which Lauren not only bares her process of approaching this anniversary interview, but also has a dialogue with her wise and inspired 16 year old self. It’s these moments that make Lauren’s zine a joy to read, and the rest found me yawning. 

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