BA Fine Art Graduates, Jasmin Zuzanna and Wan Yee Sin, have launched their latest publication as part of their collections, Silly Dogs Brunch Club. We speak to them about the launch of their publication which focuses on Mind in Camden, a charity shop serving the local community.
How did you come together as a collective?
W: We formed our collective during our final year at CSM on the BA Fine Art (BAFA) course. Fine Art students were given the opportunity to make a graduation publication, celebrating our year group and all the things around BAFA, such as workshops and studio spaces.
J: We had already been friends since first year, and we made a publication together during Unit 4, a cross-pathway unit. It is interesting to see how we started out making a publication together, and within the three years at CSM, we diverted our attention into different practices, only to come back in third year to start making publications again.
How did you come across Mind in Camden?
W: I met the ex-manager, Phene’s mother, at another fair a few months ago and was advised to follow her daughter’s Instagram account. It was during a faithful night that we were partaking in a fair in the church opposite the shop. Phene saw our poster on Instagram and popped in to say hello, inviting us to visit Mind in Camden and potentially make some artwork in the shop. The shop had an atmosphere, as if the purple walls were playing blues under the dimmed artificial light. I couldn’t wait to tell Jasmin about this place.
J: I was unfortunately ill for this fair in the church, so the first time I came across Mind in Camden was after Wendy and I had discussed making a publication about the shop. I came into the shop ready with my camera equipment, not knowing what to expect, except what Wendy had described to me. I had expected a ‘Camden-fied’ charity shop, clean and sterile – that was not the case. It was organised and chaotic all at once, a friendly team and warm lighting during the darker months was a pleasure to work in and experience.
What’s the inspiration for this publication?
W: I was inspired by the people when I first walked in, it felt almost like I interrupted a family gathering, though it was only Mos (an ex-volunteer), Phene, and a regular there. The regular was really excited about this hourglass… the way Phene talked to him like they’d known each other for a long time… and how Mos was just sitting there with the shop cat. It was a dynamic that I don’t often see in shops in London.
J: The inspiration for this publication was initially the clothing aspect of a charity shop, dressing people in the clothes from the shop. However, after meeting the regulars and the volunteers, I was more inspired by their community and the shop itself. I wanted to capture their personalities and the warmth that came from their community.
What did you learn while working on this project?
W: As someone who’s thousands of miles away from home, I’m always conscious of myself, and cautious of others. I’m freaked out by anything that is unfamiliar, and I was more isolated than ever. Yet I felt accepted in Mind in Camden, or to be more specific, it accepts everyone. Because the shop is linked to the mental health charity Mind, different people in different life stages come in for someone to talk to, or just for company. The way they accommodated everyone who came across the shop really humbled me. You don’t need to understand to be compassionate and, more importantly, be kind. Especially at times like now, we need to be together to give each other support.
J: I learnt many things during this project, but something that stands out was the patience I learnt during a music workshop that Lord Eric held in the shop; he taught me how to listen. Steve taught me how to have fun during our interview with him, which inspired me while I was editing my photos to play with theatrical lighting. It’s a place that taught me what community really is and why it is important. Some people used the Mind services (a mental health charity), some were volunteers, some were curious customers, some were regulars who came in to see who was behind the desk to have a chat, they all taught me a lot about how much we need community.
How can people get their hands on the publication?
W&J: You can buy this publication at our book launch at the Platform Bar on Thursday 5 June (5.30-8pm), or you can go to our website, where we have our entire catalogue of publications
About Silly Dogs Brunch Club
Silly Dogs Brunch Club is a publication collective that specialises in affordable and experimental published items like zines, books, prints, and stickers. We started our publication by creating the 2024 edition of the Graduate Publication for the graduating students of 2024. We continue to make zines and publications as graduates, with publications being among the most accessible forms of art, ensuring that creativity isn't confined to elite spaces but is shared, celebrated, and enjoyed by all.
Instagram: @sillydogsbrunchclub
Email: sillydogsbrunchclub@gmail.com
Website: www.sillydogsbrunchclub.com