When I began making zines back in 2023, my main goal was to share my poetry with as many people as possible: friends, attendees at poetry readings, fellow zine makers. I stocked them in bookshops across the world—Spain, Canada, the UK, the USA—and even received orders from as far as Mauritius.

However, I never imagined that these little creations, first My Men, and a year later My Women would be exhibited inside a vending machine! This is the premise of Volk Gallery, a non-institutional arts venue based in Dundee, Scotland. Consisting of a repurposed nappy vending machine, Volk Gallery is installed in a publicly accessible location and operates at all times. A rotation of products is dispensed at a set price of £3 each, with works completed by commissioned artists changing monthly.

Since its inception in 2021, Volk Gallery has showcased dozens of incredible creatives. I was thrilled to meet Lizzie and Luke, Volk’s curators, and collaborate on the themes and artist statement for this exhibition, which premiered on 4th April and ran until 2nd May. As a poet, considering my written work within an art setting was a fresh and exciting experience. I aimed to highlight the visual and tactile qualities of my zines while ensuring that the weight and vulnerability of some of the poems were met with the right expectations.