Off Work Every Month: A zine tour of China with Handowin He

Based in China, Handowin He is an artist with a fantastic portfolio of work – particularly in packaging and advertising – but it’s the zines she makes where you can see her creativity dialled up to 11. One of the finest among them is Off Work Every Month, which comprises a zine printed on 250gsm art paper with a 310gsm cover, bound with four coloured rings; a cassette-shaped audio card that plays sounds from 12 Chinese cities in a card case; a risograph printed bookmark; all stored in a clear vinyl box.

It’s the second in a series of projects under the Off Work moniker and was created in collaboration with city pop musician and DJ Rhythmix_shun. In Off Work Every Day, Handowin illustrated scenes in her favourite locations in Japan to complement tracks by Rhythmix, aiming to provide music and art for people to enjoy during lockdown. Off Work Every Month moves the project to China.

“For each month, I interviewed friends living in various cities across China, each represented by its own song and seven-inch vinyl cover. I visualised their narratives, integrating elements from their stories into the music production process. For instance, in Off Work in August, you’ll hear Cantonese bus announcements in the track, reflecting the interview behind the story,” Handowin explains.

The landmarks and ambience of each place are reflected in the location’s colour scheme and composition, as are the personalities of each character featured in the zine. Likewise, the mood and atmosphere carry through into the city pop tune for the location that Rhythmix_shun has composed. For April, the suggested destination is the Heavenly Palace in Yibin, an ancient city in Sichuan. The music is, therefore, exotic and ethereal.

While seven-inch singles aren’t included in the zine, Handowin has found a way of making audio part of the package. The zine comes with a card that is the same shape as and is printed to look like an old cassette tape from the 1980s. Pressing a button on the card plays a recording that gives the reader a taste of what the full musical package will offer when made available on Rhythmix_shun’s Spotify, Bandcamp or Apple Music (search @rhythmix) channels.

Much attention has gone into the reader experience – far more so than with most zines, magazines or books you’ll come across. Even though it uses the same technology as musical birthday cards, the audio cassette card surprises and delights everyone when Handowin exhibits at art fairs. Bound with plastic rings that coordinate with the colour palette used in the illustrations, the zine itself is weighty and is printed on art paper for creatives to savour.

“The initial plan was to use riso printing. However, binding the zine with rings required thicker paper than riso could accommodate, so I decided to print digitally on heavy art paper for a premium reading experience. Digital printing allows for clear and precise reproduction of images and text, while the thick art paper provides a sturdy and luxurious feel to the publication, making it more engaging and enjoyable and ensuring durability to leave a lasting impression on readers,” says Handowin.

Looking ahead, Handowin plans to extend the Off Work brand by releasing a vinyl album with Rhythmix_shun and is exploring ways to fund the production. She also aims to take the concept to new and imaginative settings, including Off Work on Mars. If you’d like to get your hands on a copy, look for Handowin at the Singapore Art Book Fair in October and the Seoul Art Book Fair in November, or contact her using the links below.