Underground Ink

by John Vettese

exhibition

"D.I.Y." and "zine" are two terms often associated with punk rock, even though both have broader applications. Sure, many of us hoarded copies of Maximumrocknroll growing up. But did you read Beer Frame, the late '80s guy's-guy's journal detailing the finer points of drinking and bowling? How about the more popular Ben Is Dead, SoCal publisher Darby Romeo's culture-mongering and ranting outlet? "D.I.Y. Revolution," opening tonight at Philadelphia University's Design Center, is a veritable celebration of the scotch tape and Xerox machine subculture that thrived across two decades — up until the Internet came along. "This is the kind of stuff that exists as blogs now," says Sean Carton, dean of the University's design school and curator of the exhibit along with fellow writers and collectors Gareth Branwyn and Scott Huffines. "People think this stuff online is new, that it's never been done before. But it's actually been going on for years."

Some publications presented as zines later evolved into full-on glossy mags, like the hacker's quarterly 2600 (a 1989 issue measures about 5 inches by 7 inches, is held together by staples and mostly contains phone numbers for every central office in New York State). Others, like AMERICAN LIVING/XEROLAGE — 20 pages of nothing but xeroxed collages — never got that far but are intriguing all the same. The more common pubs will be placed out in a "living room" for perusal, while dozens of collectible issues are draped from the ceiling in slipcases and framed on the wall as enlargements. Anchoring the exhibit's central room is a computer, giving visitors an opportunity to choose their preference — zine culture or blog culture. Carton's is obvious. "There's such a beautiful, organic quality to this hand-produced stuff," he says. "You don't get that online. It's just you and a screen."

"D.I.Y. Revolution," opening reception Thu., April 7, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., through June 10, free, The Design Center at Philadelphia University, 4200 Henry Ave., 215-951-2860, www.designphiladelphia.org.