Tag Archives: many-sided community

Cojournal | North Carolina

This is a track of Cojournal for the North Carolina diaspora, if you know what I mean. As I’m from this place and many others are from here, too, who are in the regions where I wander in Southeast Asia (mostly), it seemed high time to interlink us as there’s something not quite ‘gettable’ if you’re not from here. And with so many people living away from home, creating a virtual sense of it through a shared sense of place, history, and vernacular seems like a way to design what I feel has always been missing for me abroad. ‘Home’ in NC. Let’s do that.

WHAT THIS IS. I’d like to connect us together for a ‘Cojournal,’ which is where we write, write together, and talk together sometimes about writing or whatever else we want. I’m always thinking up ways to get people together and to get us talking, if you know me. Here’s my website: http://dipikakohli.com, and here are reviews: http://dipikakohli.com/rv Relational art, I feel, at its finest will bring together a unique mix of perspectives and give us all pause to reflect and be, not just intellectualize or pursue ‘productivity’, but to explore ideas more roundly. I’m inspired by Governor’s School East and my experiences in Laurinburg, to be honest, quite a lot. In fact, the Area III Philosophy class precipitated many early versions of this project, Cojournal. Can expand on this if we get the opportunity to talk. NC is home for me, so I want to bring together the Tarheels who are far away from home and help us feel a little less far from it, in my own way. Experience it to know what that’s like…

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT. So, yeah. A place to hang out with people who get it about where you are from. Familiarity with the vernacular we all know and maybe miss, when we are far from North Carolina. Company and a place to write and share about our writing experiences, or maybe, our homes away from NC, and how things have been for us as we’ve built these other places and found the communities that approximate a feeling of hospitality and welcome that… the South (used to have?… )

HOW IT WORKS.

  • Cojournal is outlined here.
  • This track is a simplified version of our normal program.
  • Cojournal | North Carolina is a 5-month series, including prompts sent weekly over email to you that will be for ambient conversation 1:1, and a once-a-month Zoom call with our group [optional].
  • No recordings. No group chats. No notifications. No obligation to ‘produce.’ It’s a space for you to connect with Cojournal and write and journal with us as you wish, over email.
  • Starts with a Meet & Greet call, on the 17th. This is a chance for you to get to know us, and how it works to participate in our programs. Not required, but it’s an option.

FEE. The fee for participation in Cojournal | North Carolina is USD 48/mo. The monthly fee covers the costs of arranging meets, creating prompts that are relevant to the group’s emerging conversation and interest, and designing a curriculum to fit goals that you share with me through your applications.

NEXT START DATE. This group starts on the 17th of each month. Apply to be part of things through the link below.

HOW TO APPLY. To get started, please apply. Here is a link: kismuth.com/apply2026

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Cojournal | Cary

Make time to write, talk, meet others. Try new things, write new ways, explore. I send weekly prompts and we get together on zoom when not all in the same place, and we’ll meet in real life this summer in Cary, too. This is an afternoon event set to begin at 3.30PM in Cary at a *secret location*. Register to get the info. The topic is already determined so I can share the agenda, too, over email, along with the details about where we will be. Min 2, Max 4. The participation fee is USD 30. Payable via Venmo: venmo.com/dipikakohli

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Art & Copy

Art & Copy Zine Club | Make a Zine

Join us for an evening of zine-making, creative experimentation, and DIY publishing. This hands-on workshop invites you to explore the world of zines — small, self-made publications that have long been used to share stories, ideas, art, poetry, politics, personal reflections, fanfic and… anything goes, really.

Collage, drawing, writing, photocopy aesthetics, and simple bookbinding: that’s some of what we’ll cover. Create your own original zines in a relaxed setting. Make something funny, personal, chaotic, or completely experimental. This workshop is a space to try anything, and to play with form and expression.

No prior experience is necessary. All materials will be provided, though participants are encouraged to bring any magazines, photographs, scraps, stickers, writings, or found materials you’d like to incorporate into their work.

The workshop will include:
• An introduction to Art & Copy’s collection of zines and ethos
• Guided prompts and creative exercises
• Time to design, assemble, and make your own zine

Open to artists, writers, students, beginners, and anyone interested in making things by hand and sharing ideas outside traditional publishing spaces.

Come make something personal, strange, political, joyful, messy, thoughtful — or all of the above.

Tickets: USD 20 (includes materials).

Book your spot via credit card*: https://buy.stripe.com/3cI4gzbJC2QPbc50qTbZe0W

The event takes place at this location in TTP every week. You can find the next time and day when you message us. Message via Telegram @makezines

*Or, ABA. For ABA payment link, message via Telegram @makezines

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Art & Copy, cojournal

Zine Club 2026

A NEW ISSUE OF

A R T & C OP Y

I S

I N  P R O G R E S S

We are at work assembling the next issue of Art & Copy. The team is always working on various threads of writings and conversations emerge as we go, and the writing that falls together into the issues comes up as we are making it together. Using different platforms like groupchats, emails, and Zoom calls, we find our way together towards the next Art & Copy, in a fun, light way that I hope inspires us. To play, try things, and see what happens when we make space for those and meet new people who care about those things, too. Curious? You can be part of Art & Copy Zine Club when you apply to Cojournal and mention you’d like to try that track.

Art & Copy, ‘Notes from Elsewhere’
September, 2026
Made by members of Art & Copy Zine Club
Limited edition of 15
-in progress-
-join cojournal & co-create with us–
–pre-order–

Art & Copy ‘Notes from Elsewhere’ Zine Launch Miniparty
Last weekend in September in real life in Phnom Penh
book your spot via telegram @makezines
USD 7 via ABA

 

A R C H I V E S  2 0 2 6

4 Jan Miniparty at Aquarius in Phnom Penh

 

Art & Copy, ‘It’s Not a French Movie’
January 2026
Limited edition of 6
-in stock-


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Zine reading miniparty in Phnom Penh

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Art & Copy, ‘The Prospect of Beauty’ – Special Edition
January 2026
Limited edition of 20
A tie-in with Art Week events in Singapore
-in stock-

 

Making zines in Singapore

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Art & Copy – ‘From the Loud Side’
February 2026
A zine made in collaboration with Cojournal guests
Osnat Katz Moon
A.I.
Panharithykun Phat &
Saranit Vongkiatkajorn
Limited edition of 5 [Phnom Penh Edition]
-in stock-

 

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Art & Copy – ‘Slow is the Fastest Way’
March 2026
A zine made in collaboration with New Cojournals guests
Limited edition of 1

-1 in stock-
–order–

 

Phnom Penh Zine Club meets at rotating venues each week.

 

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Art & Copy – ‘Esoteric is Okay’
April 2026
A zine made in collaboration with New Cojournals guests
–Zine Release Miniparty – April 5–
Limited edition of 6
-3 in stock-
–order–

 

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Art & Copy – ‘A Change of Air’
May 2026
A zine made in collaboration with
Art & Copy Zine Club guest Panharithykun Phat

Currently on exhibit at The River Gallery, Siem Reap

Limited Edition of 5
-1 in stock-
–order–

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Art & Copy, ‘Esoteric is OK No. 2’, a limited edition of 1 to be shared at ‘Beauty’ at S’ra Art Gallery, 29 & 30 May, alongside our two-day atelier there.

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Art & Copy, ‘Esoteric is OK No. 2’
June 2026
A zine inspired by Phnom Penh ambient conversations
Limited Edition of 1
-in stock-
–order–

 

Celebration Miniparty
May 29 & May 30
at S’ra Art Gallery
alongside
‘Beauty,’ a conversation & zinemaking atelier
+

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Art & Copy, ‘Society of the Spectacle’
Special Edition made at ‘Beauty: What is it? Who gets to Decide?’
Limited Edition of 2
-1 in stock-
–order–

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Art & Copy, ‘The Amazing Motion of Here’
July 2026
Made by members of Art & Copy Zine Club
Osnat Katz Moon, Panharithykun Phat, Saranit Vongkiatkajorn
Limited edition of 2
-in stock-

Miniparty

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B R E AK

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Art & Copy, ‘Notes from Elsewhere’
September, 2026
Made by members of Art & Copy Zine Club
Limited edition of 15
-in progress-
–pre-order–

 

A R C H I V E S

See what we did in 2025

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Art & Copy Zine Club is a track of
>>> Cojournal <<<

If you’d like to apply to co-make zines with us[$], go here:
http://kismuth.com/apply2026

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Contact Design Kompany to get any of our in-stock issues.

Or, order through our crowdfunding page, here.

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When people ask me what these zines are about, or where I distribute them, I just let them flip through and tell them I only distribute them by hand to a few people who seem to resonate with them. It’s true, too. Limited editions of 1 to at the most 20. I imagine those who know me personally or through the internet for Cojournal all this time will know already that I like to draw line artworks, make collages, and write essays, hopefully inviting people to slow down, and see things that they mightn’t see. Reading the zines I hope is a way for others to make space to quietly reflect, read, consider in a low-key relaxed way. I’m Dipika Kohli, and I edit Art & Copy zines. Thank you for checking out this page.


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Art & Copy is supported by membership fees, workshop fees, and donations.
You can make a donation of any amount, here.

 

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Art & Copy, vignettes

Art & Copy Singapore | 22-31 January

Art & Copy will host a few popup fringe events around Singapore Art Week starting on Wednesday in person in that city.

It’s exciting and we hope to meet people who are curious, open, personable, creatively inclined, and ready to see what zines can be for making communities (Art & Copy Zine Club, Cojournals, things that others are engaging in and starting and hosting, too), that feel good to be part of and grow us.

Art can do that. ​

A full program of our events in January, is here.

Find details of each of these events posted at kismuth.com/upcoming.

 

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Art & Copy, vignettes

When lots of artists who use printmaking in their art get together, what will they say?

Bernar Venet, Collapse/Arcs, 2025, Polymer gravure with carborundum on Somerset textured white 300 gsm paper, 95.7 x 120.4 cm. Image courtesy of the artist.

 

Art & Copy will check out Singapore Art Week, and as part of it, head over to see what’s what at something that caught our eye. ‘The Print Show & Symposium Singapore.” An exhibition is free to attend, and the details are here:

The Print Show
22–31 January 2026
STPI, 41 Robertson Quay
Free admission
More info

The Print Show & Symposium, Singapore (22–31 Jan), will have 27 international artists who use printmaking in their practice. According to a press release, there’ll be representatives there from print publishers and galleries, too. Some of those are Ota Fine Arts (Japan, China), de Sarthe (Hong Kong), Two Palms and Crown Point Press (United States) and BORCH Editions (Denmark). Six panels will see 25 experts discuss the “history and future of print in contemporary art.” If invited, we’ll listen in to what people share in a symposium curated by Stephanie Bailey on the politics of print, too. See below. International Fine Prints & Drawings Association Executive Director Jenny Gibbs is amongst the speaker list, too.

The below piece, I feel, is relevant to us in Cambodia as per writing, designing, sharing ideas and putting them into our zine, Art & Copy. We are especially intrigued by this portion of the program:

10.30AM – 12.00PM | The Politics of Print. How political is print?, as the organizers. ‘This conversation looks at how print has shaped modern and contemporary art… from modern master Zao Wou-Ki’s revolutionary adoption of print and MoMA’s influence on print practices in Southeast Asian art in the 20th century, to how archives of printed matter—such as catalogues and zines—are re-tracing Asia’s evolving art histories today.’ Yo, zines. That got our attention. Speakers include: Wu Mo (Sigg Curator, M+); Kathleen Ditzig (Curator, National Gallery Singapore); Özge Ersoy (Executive Director, Asia Art Archive); and teh event is to be moderated by Stephanie Bailey.

Will let you know what happens. Will share in Art & Copy, for March issue, if something cool comes into shape.

 

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Readings from Breakfast in Cambodia

Breakfast in Cambodia / Kismuth Books 2016

 

Breakfast in Cambodia (Kismuth Books / 2016) is a book about landing in Cambodia after a year of travels through South and Southeast Asia. Pictured is the book launch in Phnom Penh in that yera of the launch, in those lively pre-covid days when it was fine to meet at a place called TINI.

More about it the book is here: http://kismuth.com/villagereport

Your ticket comes with an eCopy of Breakfast in Cambodia.

 

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Art & Copy

You say you want to be more creative, but you’re not getting to it. Want to change that? Meet your next friend circle, and co-make ‘zines’ with us.

What are zines? Zines are mini magazines. See this page for some resources I pulled together, to share with people who asked me this question. http://kismuth.com/zine-resources

Art & Copy Zine Club co-makes zines. See what we did in 2025 here: https://kismuth.com/art-copy-zine-page-by-page-line-by-line/

Art & Copy is a track of the weekly journaling and prompt-led dialogue in virtual spaces (mostly) called Cojournal.

Designed for the newcomer to zining, Art & Copy Editor Dipika Kohli will lead this ‘Page by Page, Line By Line’ event, which is a showcase of past works, and an ‘intro to the zine’. (Reviews at dipikakohli.com/rv.)

WHAT TO EXPECT. See how it works to produce our 24-page, A6 zine each month in a process both digital and hand-made. Yes, handmade. We even stitch the books shut, so there’s an element of patchy imperfection. Who says you have to be perfect? Ah, yes. Your parents. This is your chance to bust out of that mold. Guests can look forward to a mini zinemaking activity, on the spot, too.

ETHOS. People have many styles for making zines. Part of the fun of this is landing on something you like that works for you. Zines, like all creative making activities, is a process, so there is an element of spontaneity.When you join us, kindly come with an awareness that while you think you may have an idea in mind for making this or that, plans can change. Giving you an initial idea on where to launch from is the goal of this meetup, and even our plans could morph in real life if something interesting emerges that’s… more fun for the group to go into. Enjoying the uncertainty, while not being afraid of it, is a major outcome, a participant recently said.

Let’s discover. Let’s connect. Let’s make something.

Advance bookings only.

Location details to follow for registered guests. Thanks.

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Art & Copy

You say you want to be more creative, but you’re not getting to it. Want to change that? Meet your next friend circle, and co-make ‘zines’ with us.

What are zines? Zines are mini magazines. See this page for some resources I pulled together, to share with people who asked me this question. http://kismuth.com/zine-resources

Art & Copy Zine Club co-makes zines. See what we did in 2025 here: https://kismuth.com/art-copy-zine-page-by-page-line-by-line/

Art & Copy is a track of the weekly journaling and prompt-led dialogue in virtual spaces (mostly) called Cojournal.

Designed for the newcomer to zining, Art & Copy Editor Dipika Kohli will lead this ‘Page by Page, Line By Line’ event, which is a showcase of past works, and an ‘intro to the zine’. (Reviews at dipikakohli.com/rv.)

WHAT TO EXPECT. See how it works to produce our 24-page, A6 zine each month in a process both digital and hand-made. Yes, handmade. We even stitch the books shut, so there’s an element of patchy imperfection. Who says you have to be perfect? Ah, yes. Your parents. This is your chance to bust out of that mold. Guests can look forward to a mini zinemaking activity, on the spot, too.

ETHOS. People have many styles for making zines. Part of the fun of this is landing on something you like that works for you. Zines, like all creative making activities, is a process, so there is an element of spontaneity.When you join us, kindly come with an awareness that while you think you may have an idea in mind for making this or that, plans can change. Giving you an initial idea on where to launch from is the goal of this meetup, and even our plans could morph in real life if something interesting emerges that’s… more fun for the group to go into. Enjoying the uncertainty, while not being afraid of it, is a major outcome, a participant recently said.

Let’s discover. Let’s connect. Let’s make something.

Advance bookings only.

Location details to follow for registered guests. It will be somewhere not far from the venue for Art SG, we’re not affiliated, but we’ll be nearby! Thanks.

 

 

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Art & Copy, found

Osaka Zine Fest

Back to Japan we go. A fun, low-key zine fair for people who may be curious about zines.

If you’re looking to go to Osaka, or already near there, could be fun.

Art & Copy aims to be in the vicinity, too. You can join one of our popup workshops, and a showcase of our bilingual zines (English/Japanese) that we’ve made to date in S P A C E and Art & Copy conversations. Be a part of things when you get in touch through our new mailing list.

See http://kismuth.com/the-shape-of-space to find out how to get information, or join the LINE group where more will be shared closer to the time.

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Art & Copy, ‘It’s Not a French Movie’ | January issue release party #2

[Updated with a New Date]

Created in the conversations in Kampot over the holiday week, it’s a mixture of writing, drawing and bricolage. Line art in the signature style of Dipika Kohli from a December 2014 trip to Kampot is also included, and other surprising tidbits.

WHY THIS ISSUE. Something about crossing over past points on your travels inspired this issue, along with many, many conversations in person with new acquaintances we discovered in the bumping-along mode that is… low-key travel that those who have done it a long time can appreciate. See you at Institut Français du Cambodge. This issue is produced in a very limited edition, and as we already hosted a miniparty on 4 Jan, we only have a few left.

Advance bookings only. The first three guests to book will get a copy of the limited edition zine, ‘It’s Not a French Movie’, to keep.

Art & Copy tickets are USD 15.

Book here… https://buy.stripe.com/14A7sL6pigHF2FzehJbZe0z

ABA is also okay – ask for link.

Exact location meetpoint will only be shared with registering guests, thanks.

There is a French movie, too. A free movie will follow for those who wish to stay and enjoy it… it’s a separate event by the Institut. Le Ciné Pique-Nique // À bout de souffle (Breathless) – Séance en plein air, begins at 6.30pm on the same day). Details are on their site: https://www.ifcambodge.com/community/event-rsvp/?event_id=876

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Book Launch: The Year of the Composition

Ever feel like you can’t just go to an event now and enjoy yourself, organically? Just talk? Naturally without prompts or an agenda or a theme or a goal? I am feeling like there are fewer things now to try for just the pure meeting for the meetup’s sake. Myself included, it’s just not… required. Though it’s where so much can happen: at the edges of our comfort zones is where, of course, we grow. More about that, in a bit.

The Year of the Composition is my new release, I’m Dipika Kohli, and I publish here at Kismuth Books. I finished it in December 2025. Like Breakfast in Cambodia (Kismuth Books / 2016), Year is collection of essays previously published and gathered into one PDF.

WHY COMPOSITION? The essay series takes you through my philosphical encounters with the questions, ‘What is “the composition?” What makes it artful?’

To make an honest study of this, I made my best efforts to go outside of my box. To dive into a study of composition through the year.

In the summer, I went to artist residency in Japan to invite people to meet and talk and made Speaking in the Spaces, for example, a zine in Japanese and English.

After that, I started a zine club called Art & Copy (hybrid) to engage others in co-making in ways that weren’t  just us alone working on our art.

I started to finally learn to speak, read (and not quite yet write) in Khmer, the script that inspired me to stay a while in Cambodia because it and the symmetry of aesthetics here got me curious.

Most importantly, I showed up at other people’s events. Ones that got people together to connect, such as Nerd Night Phnom Penh (after 10 years!), a retiree community’s meetup in Siem Reap, several book club meetups in Bangkok, and a ‘FIKA’ meetup event in Tokyo, too.

How were other people doing this? Gathering us. Curating some form of something that some of them called communities. I saw these as compositions. Some were more artful than others. I found out quite a lot about what works, and what I feel doesn’t, for me. (Those things aren’t in the book but I can talk about them in person, at the book launch party.) What is composition, really? What makes it good?

LAUNCH PARTY. I was on the fence about hosting another meetup, or miniparty, or book launch. It’s quite a lot of effort and I noticed there is way more social anxiety even amongst my peer group, which grew up without internet, about meeting and talking in person. The big idea for me for hosting this launch event is to share. The moments of discovery, the found and not quite solidified sparks of some reflections, by reading and talking with others together. That’s why this is an open discussion, for guests who want to talk, talk together, and meet others who care about real life exchanges and share a love for the written word.

Read more about The Year of Composition (Kismuth Books / 2025) and book your spot for the event here: USD 12. You can join from 5.30pm-7.15pm, or you can join from 6.30-7.45pm. There will be easy points of entry and exit designed around those timeframes so you can feel relaxed coming and going. Note: A virtual program will be held at 9pm ICT, too, so some can join it, virtually.

 

Read more about The Year of Composition (Kismuth Books / 2025) and book your spot for the event here: USD 12.

Questions? Ask us anything.

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Sunset Miniparty

Let’s talk about the year and what may happen in the year ahead. A light conversation salon in a relaxing airy space to connect with new people and low-key process 2025. Guided conversation hosted by Dipika Kohli.

Artmaking. Part of the conversation will be a continuation of the previous day, to take us further towards understanding, learning, co-learning, where we have come from and where we’re headed next with our creative practice. Talking can open up worlds. Let’s discover. Let’s connect.

Advance bookings only. Tickets are 15$. Exact location to be shared with registering guests only.

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