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current Monday
Report below!
This week's report by Kyle Bravo, Hot Iron Press
Katrina's Impact on the New Orleans Arts Community
Everyone I knew of that ran in "underground" circles, some zinesters, some
not, have spread out across the country. I really hope they all come back
after the city opens back up. As far as I can tell from emails from various
parties, everyone in that small subcultural world survived ok. I haven't
heard any news about the situation at the Iron Rail - our local anarchist
collective infoshop that sold zines. All I know is that before the storm hit a
few people moved some of the stuff in the store to the second floor.
As for Hot Iron Press and the New Orleans Bookfair, here's a couple letters
I've sent out recently to our mailing lists that contain pertinent info you
could probably use:
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Hot Iron Press Friends and Family,
Many of you have offered to send money to help rebuild Hot Iron Press and
the New Orleans Bookfair in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. At first I wasn't
exactly sure what to say to offers of money. I felt uncomfortable accepting it
considering how Jenny and I are in such better shape (as privileged, middle
class, white kids) than so many other people. However, I'm now starting to
think about the rebuilding process and how important it's going to be to
ensure that grassroots or "non-mainstream" groups and people are
represented in the rebuilding activities in New Orleans. So I'm starting a
“fund” where people can donate money that will go specifically to the
rebuilding of grassroots cultural, subcultural, and countercultural activities in
New Orleans (like Hot Iron Press and the New Orleans Bookfair, but also it
would go to other awesome small businesses, artists,
collectives, zinesters, musicians, etc. affected by the hurricane).
This “fund” is totally unofficial. Basically, if anyone feels so obliged, they
can write a check to “Hot Iron Press” or just send cash. We will collect the
money and distribute it as we see fit. Undoubtedly, we will retain some of
the money for Hot Iron Press and the New Orleans Bookfair, but we also will
freely distribute a good portion of it to other people and projects in New
Orleans. The main point is, Jenny and I don't want to be the sole recipients
of everyone's generosity, so I figured this would be a way to accept money,
but then also share the wealth. If anyone wants to give money, but feels
uncomfortable with the unofficial nature of this so called “fund,” I encourage
you to give to other, more “legit” organizations like the Red Cross.
You can send donations, kind letters, or anything else to us here:
Kyle Bravo, c/o UNT SOVA, Denton, TX 76203.
Our phone # for the next few months: 318-446-2774
Kyle Bravo
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Attention all Bookfair friends and family,
Due to the hurricane, the Bookfair is still "officially" not going to happen this
year, at least not as it has in past years. However, there has been interest
from a few parties in still holding an informal gathering at Barrister's on
October 29th, to mark the date, keep the bookfair alive, and to continue to
celebrate the amazingly vibrant spirit of New Orleans'
culture/subculture/counterculture that refuses to die. It's uncertain at this
point if people will legally be allowed back in the city by October 29th, but
word has it that many people have already returned, and undoubtedly by
late October it will be even easier to get into the city. So anyone who wants
to attempt to make it to the Informal Unofficial Possibly Illegal 4th Annual
New Orleans Bookfair on October 29th, please do. Jenny and I will do our
best to be there, though we don't know for sure yet if we'll be able to make
it. GK and Myrtle are planning to be there as well as many other die hards.
All are welcome.
LONG LIVE THE NOLA BOOKFAIR!
Kyle Bravo
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Hot Iron Press friends,
I'm sure most of you have heard about the hurricane by now. New Orleans is
destroyed.
Jenny and I are safe. We left for Alexandria, which is NW of New
Orleans, before the storm hit. But we've had limited contact with
people from the city since we left. Phones are out, so we can't call anyone.
The city is underwater and blown apart, so we won't be able to get back in
for quite some time - the latest I've heard is 3 or 4 months. In the meantime,
we're worried and scared about everyone we know who we haven't heard
from. If anyone knows anything about anyone, please let us know.
People we've heard evacuated and are ok:
Kyle Bravo, Jenny LeBlanc, "almost everyone" from Nowe Miasto (Andy
Allen, Cassandra, Brice White, and Shaena), Bryan Funck, Kate (from the
Iron Rail) and her partner, Abram Himelstein, Shana Sassoon, Brice White,
Shana Griffin, Rachel Breunlin, Dan (? Rachel's fiance), Eve Troeh, Darin.
People that I can think of off the top of my head that I still haven't heard
anything about. If anyone knows their whereabouts let us know:
Hope Amico, Ammi Emergency, Jordan Blanton, Robb Romershauser, Okra
Dingle, Andy Antipas, the 3 ladies at the Big Top gallery, Daniel Hammer,
Jennifer Schumaker, Princess Ramona, Rene from the Zeitgeist.
As for Hot Iron Press - more than likely we will cease to function for quite
some time, if not for good. It is almost certain that our house/studio and all of
our equipment - presses, type, paper, tools, all of our artwork, and
everything else we own - are under 10 - 20 feet of water, if the building is
even still standing at all.
Unfortunately, all of the distro stuff - artists' books, zines, etc - were also all
left behind and are most likely destroyed as well.
The last couple days have been a blur of anxiety, sleeplessness, and
national news coverage. I'm just now starting to shake off the initial shock of
the whole thing and start to think about what we're going to do next. Jenny
and I don't plan to stay in Alexandria for long. We're looking to hopefully
leave within the next few days, but we have no idea where to go. Despite
our house being inaccessible and probably destroyed we still have a
mortgage to pay and only a very small amount of savings, so wherever we
go we'll need to find work ASAP. If anyone has any leads for any jobs
anywhere please let us know.
At this point we're open to any ideas. We're willing to relocate
anywhere, at least temporarily - Baton Rouge, Athens, Richmond, Texas,
Boston, Philly, the moon? If anyone has an extra room or needs 2 refugee
roommates let us know. The one catch - we also have a dog.
Please keep us in your thoughts, and if you're so inclined, your
prayers,
Kyle Bravo
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Email Kyle Bravo at hotironpress@hotmail.com
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