Zé Kielwagen - CCCPUSA

CCCPUSA, independent magazine and editorial project, since 2025

An independent magazine brings together spirituality, U.S. folk culture, socialism, art, and political agitation through inexpensive print production and open circulation.

Conceived as a space for artistic, spiritual, and political agitation—tempered with humor—the publication brings together contributions by artists and activists across disciplines.

New issues are released biannually (January and July), each organized as a platform for experimentation in text, image, and graphic form. The project operates as both editorial practice and distribution system, foregrounding circulation as a core component of the work.

Each issue is produced as a limited edition of 50 monochrome copies, distributed through the Clarence Ward Art Library at Oberlin College, with one copy entering the library’s permanent zine collection. Additional copies are printed in Joinville, Brazil, and distributed through Ambiente Arejado library, establishing a parallel circulation between the United States and Brazil.

All issues are freely available as PDFs, encouraging reproduction, redistribution, and informal economies of exchange. A limited color-cover edition is also produced on demand.

#1 — January 2025

#2 — July 2025

#3 — January 2026

#4 — July 2026

Printing and assembly
CCCPUSA is designed for fast and inexpensive reproduction on any copier or printer. Each copy requires 4 sheets of paper, 1 fold and 1 or 2 staples, producing a 16-page booklet. Follow these steps to make your own copies:
Print with black toner or ink on letter-size paper (8.5 x 11 inches or 215.9 x 279.4 mm); use white or pastel-colored paper for optimum results.
Adjust print settings: use landscape orientation; make sure to check the options "print on both sides of paper" and "flip on short side". Different printers may have different settings, so print a test copy before you send a lot of copies.
You should be able to fold each stack of 4 sheets as they come out of the printer, with the cover page on top, to produce a booklet with the 16 pages in the correct order.
Use a long-reach stapler to add 1 or 2 staples - or use another binding technique of your choice.
Enjoy! Pass it around, gift it to friends, leave it at a library, church or cafe, or try and sell it if you like.

Participation

Contact me at zekielwagen@gmail.com if you're interested in having your work on the next issue.

Many artists and scholars, friends and strangers, have contributed to the project: Anita Waters, Larry Burks II and Morrigan Hersey, from the CPUSA (www.cpusa.org); art students and alumni from Oberlin College; and some anonymous artists using pen names.