exhibition hall issue 8 exhibition hall issue 8 - april 2010 chris garcia - editor, james bacon - london bureau chief ariane wolfe - fashion editor, cover artist: diana vick! What’s the most fine things. This is our at- Steampunk Museum in the tempt, and while they nev- world? The Science Muse- er seem to come up with um of London might have anything, why do I hold a claim with the fact that out hope this time? Be- they’ve got all that Babbage cause I think we’re differ- stuff and steam trains and ent in a way. We still have so on, but I’ll say that it’s the same problems, the the Victoria & Albert Mu- same dealings, but we also seum, just down the way have a bunch of advan- from the Science Museum. tages. We’re a fandom that It’s full of costumes, an- grew on the net. We’re also cient musical instruments, doing all of this earlier in beautiful art, the Hereford our cycle. Also, and maybe Screen, the Cast Courts, Metal work, wood I’m being naive, I think we’re more open stuffs, all sorts of things that the Steampunk and hard-thinking than many other groups might well go nuts over. I love the V&A, and that have tried. You can find the debate at now, a week and a half away from leaving for greatsteampunkdebate.com starting on May the Sceptered Isle of Britain, I’m all a-twitter 1. for the V&A and can’t wait until I make my You’ll read all about my experience at way there. Nova Albion, and there are so many other This issue is mostly about the Nova conventions coming up. I’m hoping that we Albion Steampunk Exhibition. There’s James manage to get a good call for future con- Bacon’s interview with Herr Doktor which I’m ventions. if you’re going to The Steampunk pleased to be able to run and there’s a piece World’s Fair or any of the myriad Steampunk from Nick Ottens that’s a good bit of interest cons in the next couple of months. There’s a when you think of our up-coming project. June 1st issue which would be great for re- There’s also an Op/Ed from Nick Ot- ports, ya know! tens. He’s the editor of Gatehouse Gazette, a It’s sadly a fact that the next of the fine magazine that I enjoy quite a bit. Starting Steampunk conventions I’ll actually be at May 1st, there’s going to be a project called is SteamCon II: The Quickening (No, it’s not the Great Steampunk Debate. The debate really called that. Yes, it would be cool if it will cover a lot of ground, everything from were!) It’s at a rough time of year, I’ve got the politics (or lack thereof) of Steampunk, to a con the very next weekend in LA, but it’s what we’re going to do in the future to wether good because it’s during a time of fun Seattle or not we’re a fandom or a scene or what. It’s weather! going to be a very different concept than most OK, the next issue will be more like forums that have sprung up and I’m happy to the rest of them, including a review of Gail say that I’m a part of it. Carriger’s Changeless and a look at my trip That isn’t to say that I’m sure what to England! Should be a good one. we’re going to come up with. Fandoms (and And we’re off! yes, I still believe we are a fandom) never seem to manage to agree on anything.Every fandom has a period where they try and de- comments? questions? [email protected] steampunkness: a new state of open mind Steampunk has come a long way in who feel that “their” steampunk is under recent years. No longer an obscure sub- threat. Such an approach hasn’t even to genre of speculative fiction, steampunk be that novel at all. The mere suspicion today encompasses besides literature and that someone intends to turn steampunk film, design, fashion and a community into something else, something previously that spans worldwide. Although firmly unheard of, can spark indignation. rooted in British Victorianism, steampunk The reaction is only natural. Steampunk enthusiasts hail from all nations with has been a hobby that some have been fascinating variations on the theme being indulging in for many years. It can challenge explored in France, Japan and the United one’s patience when another, relatively new States especially. to the scene, declares that they posses a As the steampunk movement superior grasp of the concept. continues to grow, it is only inevitable that We must remember however that the many people involved in it try to shape steampunk has no definitive meaning. Every it to their personal liking. There is no harm steampunk enthusiast will tell you that it’s in that. Steampunk is a versatile concept almost impossible to describe the genre in that can adapt to different times, different a single phrase. We all know steampunk places, different philosophies even. New when we see it, even if, at first, we don’t. interpretations of steampunk should always At the same time, steampunk is be welcomed as refreshing in the first place no free-for-all. Not everything has to be before we attempt to dissect or, eventually, steampunk’d. But a different perspective discard of them. that forces us to reconsider our premises; New ideas also breed conflict. A novel that demands that we continue to seek a approach can be controversial and invite definition, is always a valuable addition to vehement opposition from the old guard the debate. by nick ottens review: the nova albion steampunk exhibition I will start with a note about photos: There wasn’t much parking. In the I’ m terrible at taking them, and I have to rain, after having brought myself and Andy find ways to make my terrible photos into Trembley up from San Jose to Linda’s, something that’s acceptable. So, during and then headed off to Emeryville for the Nova Albion, I was coming up with ways convention. Linda and I have done two of like only taking pictures of people who these before, so we now one thing: get there were taking pictures of other people. I even early enough to get parking. This would managed to take a picture of someone taking prove to be a very good thing. We got to the a picture of someone taking a picture. It was Hilton Garden inn, a Brutalist structure awesome. Then I started taking four pictures that was once a Holiday Inn and not one of of people. The rules were simple: I asked if them that broke the mold. I could take four pictures, they’d say ‘sure, Walking in, we were greeted with the let me pose’ and I’d say “NO! Right here and registration tables even before we got in the stand perfectly still!’ and then I’d take four door! That’s the kind of thing that I like: no photos from various angles and distances way to miss it. Vanessa Applegate greeted and sometimes I’d even pose people who me warmly and less than a minute later we weren’t in the photos. ran into Chris Fisher, who we’re big fans So, before you write me saying of. We chatted, got our badges and then ‘Why don’t you use pictures by REAL headed in to the Dealer’s Room. The first PHOTOGRAPHERS.’ And I’ll say ‘Because, stop at any Steampunk convention after this is so much more fun!” you’ve gotten your badge should be the And away we go. dealers room. I was quite pleased to see that there were many familiar dealers in there, but there were a few other folks who were there that I’d not seen before. I was quite pleased to that there were a few book sellers. The big deficiency at SteamCon was the lack of book sellers. The dealers room had a table from The Lovely & Talented Linda’s friend Sally, and the Foglios and various wonderful other people. We wandered about, and Linda was feeling a bit worn out after having been headachy and sleepy all day and I was a bit frazzled from having driven an hour and a half for what should have been in a 45 minute trip in the driving rain. We went down to the lobby floating by and Linda managed to grab one of the program books. They didn’t have them at the Registration Desk when we got there for some reason, but I didn’t notice. Linda made a few points about the book: no map was the biggest problem. The hotel isn’t exactly the best marked place, so we had trouble finding some of the rooms at first. The 14th Floor was where most of the programming took place, but Linda could only find the names of the rooms and not what floor they were on. These things happen. Part of it was they also renamed some of the rooms, but and there the con really began. there weren’t enough signs around to guide You see, there is something wonderful folks. Facilities are always tricky. about hotel lobbies. I love them. I think We managed to run into just about they’re magical, in a way.