Let’s Zine is our recurring workshop where we make our working process and 30 year archive of stuff and shit available for students to remix and remake to form new ideas with the content. This included: 90s riotgirl and 80s pop record covers, philosophy from Terrence McKenna, Guy Debord, David Icke, Bill Hicks, Freedom Press, Prince, quotes, song lyrics, postcards, anatomy reference books, tarot cards, medieval brass rubbings, stickers, postage stamps, patterns, etc… Much of this is created for the workshop and includes Studio GRRR’s: type play, typography, zine extracts, photography, objects, emoji designs, words, drawing and artwork, and much more.

Our most recent event was formed around the idea ‘AI IS DEAD.’ We began the workshop by talking about what our creative practice is underpinned by: a collection or nexus of personal data points. These are experiences of places, things and people and we described why this informs our work as designers and artists and how this provides a unique and authentic matrix of ideas only we own. 

It’s important for us to provide a robust critical methodology of how young (newly forming) creatives can develop their own insurance policy against AI SLOP by starting their own LLM – we have reframed this as a LIVING LANGUAGE MEMORY that AI training data cannot penetrate or steal from us because it is not shared or uploaded. This LLM is locked inside our bodies and derived from our senses: Sight, Hearing, Touch, Smell, and Taste (something AI can’t do) which our sophisticated living system turns into memories and knowledge. The beauty of this process is everybody has their own unique starting point for expressing themselves.

This is not intended to be an echo chamber of thought but a call for the REVOLUTIONARY PLEASURE OF THINKING FOR YOURSELF.

For this workshop we provided a list of of words and ideas that explored the meaning of ‘Artificial’ and it’s opposing idea ‘Natural’, alongside pictures of personal icons like George Micheal, Prince Rogers Nelson, Tori Amos, Betty Boo and Kurt Cobain who have inspired our personal lives and thrive in the analogues of time. 

In the workshop there was chat, play, silliness, deep discussions about the Death and Tower Tarot Cards. We shared music and listened to: Michael Jackson, Wet Leg, Prince, Elvis, Madeleine Peyroux, Quantic, Sharon Jones, Getdown Services, Moloko, Belleruche, Bee Gees and Tricky to name a few. There appeared to be a deep relief that a Creative Leader in their community was openly saying NO to AI and providing a counterpoint to the tsunami of pressure to accept ‘explore’ GEN AI before someone using AI takes away their future. 

It’s always amazing when a radiant bunch of creatives from @norwichuniarts attend our class and repeatedly come back: Actors, Photographers, Illustrators, Graphic Designers, Fine Artists, Games Designers, Animators, Fashion Marketers, User Experience Designers and Publishers.

Big Love to those who attended. WE BELIEVE IN YOU!

IN PICTURES – Let’s Zine Workshop Student Work