Posted by Jesse Freeman | Apr 8, 2025 | Featured | 0 |
Shanghai Stories by Mi Lu
Who?
MI LU, a photographer from China, has been documenting Shanghai’s underground club scene and subcultures, including drag performers, through his photography. He explains that many of these performances are sometimes forcibly shut down, and many of the clubs he photographed have already closed due to economic challenges.
What?
A zine about the Chinese youth culture. It is a publication by FAR EAST DARKROOM, which is rather new ran by Yusuke “Nuts Tokyo” Nagata (the other zine below) as a way to give an ISBN to his friends who’s work he likes. Just a really cool and positive thing to do for the community. Here is the publications statement about the zine:
“Due to media restrictions in China, all publications must be submitted for government approval, and naturally, zines are no exception.
At FAR EAST DARKROOM, we wanted to help bring Chinese youth culture to a wider global audience, which is why we offered to publish his zine. Through this zine, we hope you can experience the current nightlife scene in Shanghai and hear the voices of those who live through its nights.”
Why?
In the photographer’s own words:
“In China, where access to media platforms we interact with daily—like Instagram, YouTube, and, of course, Google—is fundamentally restricted, those of us outside China have very limited opportunities to see what daily life there is really like.
When I first stepped into this world, it felt like entering a parallel universe—drag performers, subcultures, and queer communities coexisting in ways unimaginable in everyday life.
The more I photographed, the more I realized how these communities struggle with visibility and acceptance.”
Details.
- W148 × H210mm(A5)
- 48 pages
- Published in 2025
- Printed in Japan
- Published by FAR EAST DARKROOM
- ISBN 978-4-911140-05-5
Where?
The book can be purchased from the Far East Darkroom website here for 18 USD with shipping calculated at check out. It also includes a free 5 X 7 print!
Stolen Walls of Tokyo by Yusuke “Nuts Tokyo” Nagata
Who?
Yusuke Nagata is a Tokyo based Japanese photographer. He does a lot in the street photography community from darkroom workshops to zines. He is the founder of Tokyo SPC and has done a visual interview with us as well.
What?
Perhaps his most playful photo book to date! A zine capturing the raw, ever-changing landscape of Tokyo’s sticker bombing scene.
“The streets of Tokyo are filled with hidden messages—stickers slapped onto walls, poles, and signs, creating an unfiltered dialogue between artists, rebels, and passersby. Sticker bombing isn’t just decoration; it’s an act of claiming space, a form of expression that exists in a constant cycle of layering, peeling, and renewal.”
Why?
First in the photographer’s own words, “This zine documents these ephemeral street interventions, showcasing the textures, chaos, and creativity that define Tokyo’s underground sticker culture. Each page reveals a city that speaks through its walls—until they’re stolen, repainted, or covered once again.”
We do get a lot of this sort of zines that focus on on subject. You don’t have to go too far back in archives to see. The problem with them aside from the obvious tediousness is that you typically get the sense the photographer not only needed more time but also really didn’t believe the idea interesting. Then they compensate with photos that don’t fit or worse explanations over explaining why the concept isn’t as boring as it is…which should be felt intuitively without over explanation.
This zine bypasses all of it, as the subtle compositions and multitude of subject matter in the stickers themselves make it interesting. Then with no title no explanation nothing…at all…it feel more like a pop art object then a concerted zine. It really is special and refreshing to write about a zine from someone who just gets it.
Details.
- Photos byYusuke Nagata
- W140 × H198mm (about A5 size)
- 32 pages
- Published in Jan 2025
- Printed in Japan
Where?
This zine can be purchased directly from his website (same as the above zine) for 12 USD plus shipping. A really good deal and really again as an object just looks great on a coffee table.
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Thanks to our guests for their submissions, it is a really cool thing to be able to share zines with you all. And remember, this is open to everyone. If you would like to have your zines or books featured then all you have to do is mail me. Hopefully there will be plenty more of you who want to get your books and zines out there to the world. Another installment will be coming soon.
Thanks,
JCH
