AG23 is a biannual zine collaboration designed to promote understanding through dialogue and art. AG23 was born from a conversation between Rick Elder, Director at Beyond Clothing, and Dan Milnor, Creative Evangelist from Blurb, Inc. Designed by Zoë Sadokierski, the zine works as a catalyst for ideas, stories and atypical points of view, a non-precious object meant to be consumed, pondered and passed along.
The Isthmus is a project that was spawned in 2004. It was a story about the administrator of the Panama Canal visiting an indigenous tribe of Indians that lived on a watershed of the Panama Canal that had piqued my interest. That summer I spent 30 days traveling the country.
Go is the oldest continuously played game in the history of our species. Invented in China nearly 3000 years ago, Go is played by approximately fifty million people, mostly in Asia. Exponentially more complex than chess, Go players use abstract strategy to place stones on vacant intersections of a 19×19 board grid while attempting to surround an opponent’s territory.
Iraq and Singapore are separated by a swathe of continent, generation, history and situation which are as different as can be. But fellas here are as particular about sculpting their hair into impressive constructions as the fellas there. Any older man is an uncle (although an older woman in Iraq is not necessarily an aunty). The fullness of a woman’s hair, an equal obsession (don’t even start with the horror that greets unusual hair fall), as is the fairness of her skin.
We are more alike than we know.
One of our goals at AG23 is to support the creative world and storytellers in general. One method of doing so is our plan to award micro-grants to contributors with an important story to tell. These awards, while modest, will potentially help to kick start a project, finalize a project, rent equipment, purchase an airline ticket or be used in any other way that helps the artist accomplish their mission. A large portion of the proceeds from AG23 merchandise will be used to help launch our grant program. Thank you for your support.
I lied. There are eleven words and photographers. But who is counting? I did this same film as a YouTube Live last week or the week before but I liked the idea enough to redo it here with more information.
This is a work in progress, and probably always will be, but the AG23 Zine collaboration is one of the best projects I've ever been involved in. Like many good projects, this one is somewhat complicated and somewhat unique and it takes a bit of explaining. My goal with this film, part one, is to give a little background on what AG23 is and how it came to be. The players, the parts, and the process. With a simple goal of promoting understanding through dialogue and art, AG23 is open to anyone with a story to tell. A twice-a-year, 2000 copy 6x9, softcover with #70 paper and a matte cover. (In a slipcase!) A non-precious object meant to educate, illuminate, and inspire.
I've known Andrew Kaufman for years. In fact, I traveled to Panama with Andrew in 2010 to see for myself what all the canal fuss was about. We drank ice cold beers, wrote in our journals, and spent DAYS making pictures. I knew Andrew's canal project was perfect for AG23 and was something that more people should be exposed to. The canal doesn't make headlines here in the states, but it should.
Good grief. If you watch this entire thing I'm nominating you for a humanitarian award. Part Two in all its glory. There are more specifics here but there is still a lot to cover in regard to doing long-term work. Each of us navigates photography in our own way but I've learned a thing or two that might be of benefit. Take my opinion for what it is, my opinion nothing more.
AG23 is open to any and all people with a story to tell. AG23 is both a printed zine and a digital storytelling platform. The zine works as a catalyst, driving readers from the print piece to the website where stories can be further detailed, explained and promoted.
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