Marc Fischer
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Marc Fischer
@marc-fischer.bsky.social
4.7K followers 1.2K following 2.9K posts
Artist publisher living in Chicago with Public Collectors, Half Letter Press, Temporary Services. Finds cultural voids; fills them. He/him www.publiccollectors.org, https://halfletterpress.com, www.temporaryservices.org, https://hardcorearchitecture.blog
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marc-fischer.bsky.social
After a full year of work, this book is out! Cooking in Maximum Security, compiled by Matteo Guidi, is our latest Half Letter Press book and it's beautiful. How do people in Italian prisons cook? This book will show you their recipes and tools used to make them. halfletterpress.com/cooking-in-m...
The cover of the book Cooking in Maximum Security by Matteo Guidi, with black ink on "Grout" paper. A pencil drawing by Mario Trudu shows a fantasy cooking device. From the back cover: Cooking in Maximum Security was compiled by Matteo Guidi, working with people detained in the high surveillance sections of Italian prisons, through a continuous exchange of letters between 2009 and 2013. This book explains the methods and strategies prisoners use to cook in their cells with few available resources. Making kitchen tools before one can even begin to gather ingredients is a priority in this cookbook. In addition to identifying the necessary utensils, this book also describes how to construct them. Simple objects acquire a whole new value. A broom handle becomes a rolling pin, shoelaces tie rolled bacon for curing, and the cupboard or stool becomes an oven. Even the heat from an old cathode ray tube television helps dough for pizza and bread to rise in the cold environment of a prison cell. The recipes themselves, for all kinds of classic Italian pasta dishes, sauces, meat preparations, and pastries, reveal a whole new level of skill and ingenuity when the reader learns how they are made in defiance of the discouraging experience of detention.
November 8, 2025 at 1:35 PM
marc-fischer.bsky.social
Another new zine from Public Collectors: WEALTH COACH BODIES CONTEST (a word salad). 28 pages. $7.00 from www.halfletterpress.com
A small edition booklet that shares a single epic 6,500 word found social media post. I’m calling this a word salad, but perhaps it’s more of a word smorgasbord? Intense!
The cover of WEALTH COACH BODIES CONTEST (a word salad) which is green text on a parchment background with a cropped crying emoji. By Marc Fischer / Public Collectors Public Collectors, Chicago, IL, 2025 Pages: 28 Dimensions: 5.5 in x 8.5 in Cover: Paper Binding: saddle stitched Process: Two-color RISO Color: Black and Green ink with either Natural or Aged parchment covers. Edition size: 125 ISBN: none A small edition booklet from Public Collectors (publication #108) that shares a single epic found social media post. This is one of ten booklets (so far) in a loose series focused on ephemeral texts from internet sources. These booklets are frequently created quickly and this one is no exception. The whole thing was designed and printed in a single day and assembled the next morning. This series showcases the more experimental and often wilder side of Public Collectors. It does something Rick Prelinger once described as "bringing the periphery to the foreground." Because this is a small run that probably won't be reprinted, copies are only available through this webstore or at book fairs and zine fests. The first page of the booklet with dense unedited text. Here's the back cover text for context: The text in this booklet came from a Facebook post that was inexplicably shared to the group Northwest Side Rapid Response Team, which describes itself as “a coalition of local elected officials, community organizations and leaders, and independent political organizations working to protect our immigrant neighbors on the northwest side of Chicago.” The moderators post verified ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) activity for an area that includes my neighborhood. I noticed this text on November 2, 2025, copied and pasted it into a new doc, saved it, and by the next morning the Facebook post had been deleted. The author of this text—assuming they wrote it themselves and their account was not hacked—is based in Mozambique. In their Facebook intro, they describe themselves in one word: “Complex.” With the exception of removing a string of crying face emojis, I have printed this nearly 6,500 word text in its entirety with no editing. I’m calling this a word salad, but perhaps it’s more of a word smorgasbord, with enough jarring juxtapositions to satisfy the hungriest of appetites. You don’t have to consume all of this in one sitting though. Feel free to nibble on any parts of it until your brain feels full. As one person commented on the original post (translated from Tswana), “What is the wind blowing in? What is the enemy saying to the child?” Or, as another commenter wrote, “Fuck.” — Marc Fischer / Public Collectors, November 2025 PP 12-13 from the booklet, filled with dense unedited text. Here's the back cover text for context: The text in this booklet came from a Facebook post that was inexplicably shared to the group Northwest Side Rapid Response Team, which describes itself as “a coalition of local elected officials, community organizations and leaders, and independent political organizations working to protect our immigrant neighbors on the northwest side of Chicago.” The moderators post verified ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) activity for an area that includes my neighborhood. I noticed this text on November 2, 2025, copied and pasted it into a new doc, saved it, and by the next morning the Facebook post had been deleted. The author of this text—assuming they wrote it themselves and their account was not hacked—is based in Mozambique. In their Facebook intro, they describe themselves in one word: “Complex.” With the exception of removing a string of crying face emojis, I have printed this nearly 6,500 word text in its entirety with no editing. I’m calling this a word salad, but perhaps it’s more of a word smorgasbord, with enough jarring juxtapositions to satisfy the hungriest of appetites. You don’t have to consume all of this in one sitting though. Feel free to nibble on any parts of it until your brain feels full. As one person commented on the original post (translated from Tswana), “What is the wind blowing in? What is the enemy saying to the child?” Or, as another commenter wrote, “Fuck.” — Marc Fischer / Public Collectors, November 2025 PP 18-19 from the booklet, filled with dense unedited text. Here's the back cover text for context: The text in this booklet came from a Facebook post that was inexplicably shared to the group Northwest Side Rapid Response Team, which describes itself as “a coalition of local elected officials, community organizations and leaders, and independent political organizations working to protect our immigrant neighbors on the northwest side of Chicago.” The moderators post verified ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) activity for an area that includes my neighborhood. I noticed this text on November 2, 2025, copied and pasted it into a new doc, saved it, and by the next morning the Facebook post had been deleted. The author of this text—assuming they wrote it themselves and their account was not hacked—is based in Mozambique. In their Facebook intro, they describe themselves in one word: “Complex.” With the exception of removing a string of crying face emojis, I have printed this nearly 6,500 word text in its entirety with no editing. I’m calling this a word salad, but perhaps it’s more of a word smorgasbord, with enough jarring juxtapositions to satisfy the hungriest of appetites. You don’t have to consume all of this in one sitting though. Feel free to nibble on any parts of it until your brain feels full. As one person commented on the original post (translated from Tswana), “What is the wind blowing in? What is the enemy saying to the child?” Or, as another commenter wrote, “Fuck.” — Marc Fischer / Public Collectors, November 2025
November 7, 2025 at 10:25 PM
marc-fischer.bsky.social
Give it up for drummer/beat beast Jonathan Giralt tearing it up at the Empty Bottle last night with Stress Positions.
November 7, 2025 at 3:41 PM
marc-fischer.bsky.social
We'll make a proper announcement soon but yesterday this happened: the delivery of 1,649 copies of the newest 144 page book that Half Letter Press has published. The delivery guy and I had a great conversation and I gave him the first book. I inscribed it to him, by request. www.halfletterpress.com
A shipping pallet containing many boxes filled with exactly 1649 freshly-printed 144 page books being pulled down my sidewalk.
November 7, 2025 at 2:58 AM
marc-fischer.bsky.social
Another sample photo from my booklet "Another Century of Chemical Warfare." People driving gas out of trenches using what appear to be makeshift fans. halfletterpress.com/another-cent...
Two people using what appear to be makeshift fans showing a method of driving gas from a trench. The photo is mounted on a printed card and dated as having been received by the Chemical Warfare Service in Washington DC in 1919.
November 6, 2025 at 2:59 AM
marc-fischer.bsky.social
This is one of the many striking-looking WWI era gas masks in the booklet—a French artillery mask.
A printed card with a photo of a French Tissot type gas mask mounted to it. The card is noted as having been received on 4/2/1919, Chemical Warfare Service. The mask seems to have been made from rubber and metal.
November 6, 2025 at 2:35 AM
marc-fischer.bsky.social
This is the first page of a four page essay that frames the 25 photos in Another Century of Chemical Warfare.
ANOTHER CENTURY OF CHEMICAL WARFARE It’s mid-October 2025 in Chicago. ICE agents are showing up in neighborhoods all over the city and suburbs. Sometimes helicopters and drones scope out an area a couple days before and then the ground goons arrive. Every day they grab fresh victims and shove them into vans, trucks and SUVs and take them to detention centers. At one now-infamous raid on an apartment building, ICE zip-tied naked children and a witness told ABC that they heard an agent say, “Fuck them kids.” Elected officials including senators have tried to inspect the detention center in suburban Broadview. Thus far they’ve been prohibited from seeing conditions, which one detainee described as suffocating and inhumane. People are organizing against ICE in increasing numbers. They take and share photos, blow whistles, yell to get the attention of others, honk horns, follow them in their own cars, trucks and bikes, and block ICE vehicles in. We already knew a lot of our neighbors. Now we are meeting more. These connections and relationships will become something we can activate for years and emergencies to come. We stand on corners looking for ICE. Every car seems to have tinted windows now. What does the enemy look like? Every large vehicle feels suspect. Are the license plates from Texas? Are there plates at all? Is that driver ICE, or is it just a big white guy with a crew cut wearing an olive green shirt because that color looks good on him? Is he wearing shades to hide his eyes or just protecting them from UV rays? How long before ICE start wearing whistles that, for the moment, are helpful indicators of an ally in the field—someone walking the neighborhood, or someone monitoring the schools and spots where undocumented day laborers hang out, hoping for an opportunity to work. Earlier this month the group Belmont Cragin United hosted seven Whistlemania events at locally owned restaurants and shops in six neighborhoods: Austin, Avondale, Belmont Cragin, Her…
November 5, 2025 at 12:21 PM
marc-fischer.bsky.social
Earth playing their entire album Hex last night at Sleeping Village was about as perfect as live music gets. They sounded so incredible I almost cried a few times.
November 1, 2025 at 2:32 PM
marc-fischer.bsky.social
Squirrel scene report: Lil friend working hard to crack some kinda nut, while also eyeing my dog at the base of the tree (who isn't super interested in the squirrel but would probably also like a nut).
October 26, 2025 at 3:03 PM
marc-fischer.bsky.social
My dog Rusty in his super happy place, on the couch, mushed against my thigh. It should stay like this forever.
A reddish brown Chihuahua Dachshund mix, stretched oout long and mushed against a thigh on the couch.
October 26, 2025 at 1:39 PM
marc-fischer.bsky.social
1/2 a small pumpkin, 1 1/3 cups of polenta mix, about a cup of grated sharp cheddar, water, salt and pepper. It was delicious. Baked at 375 for about 25 minutes after being cooked on the stovetop in a pot most of the way.
Baked pumpkin cheese polenta in an 8” square pan.
October 25, 2025 at 12:31 PM
marc-fischer.bsky.social
There is a person in my neighborhood in Chicago that writes these flyers by hand. There must be at least 10 copies that I've seen. This is self-publishing without a printer. Publishing under fascism may begin to look like this for some people.
A flyer for a room for rent, taped to a pole in Chicago. It was written by hand using a marker and a ruler for all of the straight lines in the text. Second variation: A flyer for a room for rent, taped to a pole in Chicago. It was written by hand using a marker and a ruler for all of the straight lines in the text. Third variation: A flyer for a room for rent, taped to a pole in Chicago. It was written by hand using a marker and a ruler for all of the straight lines in the text.
October 22, 2025 at 12:33 PM
marc-fischer.bsky.social
Someone in my neighborhood went full Robert Gober for their Halloween decorations.
A plastic lower leg and gray pants jutting out from a fence. The foot is white and the pants have a little blood on them. Taken in Chicago’s Avondale neighborhood.
October 21, 2025 at 12:54 PM
marc-fischer.bsky.social
In a day or two the 107th Public Collectors publication will go to the printer. The title is Another Century of Chemical Warfare. It presents World War I era archive materials about chemical weapons protection alongside an essay on the use of chemical weapons by ICE in Chicago. Here's the cover.
The cover design of a landscape format booklet titled ANOTHER CENTURY OF CHEMICAL WARFACE. It shows a sepia tone photo of a man with combed back hair in a military uniform. His nose and mouth are covered by a folded piece of cloth with a strip of cloth tied around his head to hold the cloth tight against his face.
October 21, 2025 at 1:49 AM
marc-fischer.bsky.social
My spouse planted sorghum thinking we’d eat it but instead it’s a kinetic smorgasbord for sparrows and finches and we are fine with that.
October 19, 2025 at 11:25 PM
marc-fischer.bsky.social
Good to see Chucky shares my values.
Chucky expressing his Fuck ICE feelings at #NOKINGS in Chicago today.
October 18, 2025 at 7:03 PM
marc-fischer.bsky.social
When it comes to Halloween decorations in Chicago, you will find out quickly that my neighborhood (Avondale) does not fuck around. This situation is my favorite so far.
A group of girl doll figures, dressed in matching black garb transporting a human scale body bag made from black plastic. A group of girl doll figures, dressed in matching black garb transporting a human scale body bag made from black plastic. Detail from a group of girl doll figures, dressed in matching black garb transporting a human scale body bag made from black plastic. Detail of a group of girl doll figures, dressed in matching black garb transporting a human scale body bag made from black plastic.
October 15, 2025 at 6:37 PM
marc-fischer.bsky.social
With ICE continuing to waste everyone’s time with their bullshit in Chicago, it seemed worthwhile to print more of these flyers. If you order something from www.halfletterpress.com you will get at least one variation of these with your order, if not multiple flyers.
October 15, 2025 at 2:05 AM
marc-fischer.bsky.social
The absolutely incandescent rage of the band Stress Positions, playing in a church in Rogers Park tonight, after the most awful week of ICE bullshit (in that neighborhood especially), was EXACTLY what I needed. What an incredible band. So cathartic.
October 13, 2025 at 3:32 AM
marc-fischer.bsky.social
Chicago: Avondale! 60618! A neighbor has created a community altar at the Shell station on the south east corner of Belmont and Milwaukee - a memorial to human rights and victims of ICE. I added to it and you should too. Let's make it massive and impossible to miss. Bring your offerings.
A community altar by a Shell gas station on the south east corner of Belmont and Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago. Signs read: "Stop Ice Abductions" and "Stop Terrorizing our Communities. Abolish ICE!" There are also candles, and various offerings, as well as sidewalk chalk. A detail of altar offerings - dolls, a stuffed frog holding a "Send ICE Home!" sign, and candles - some lit. A pair of flyers inspired by those used by Chicago contractors who are often undocumented - both insulting ICE in various ways. Memorial candles and a sign reading "We remember our neighbors, kidnapped by ICE at this gas station on Wednesday, October 8, 2025" hand written in black marker on blue paper.
October 11, 2025 at 9:18 PM
marc-fischer.bsky.social
What a scene! Everybody in the neighborhood is trying to dig into this squirrel’s plastic bag of snacks.
October 10, 2025 at 8:53 PM
marc-fischer.bsky.social
How it's going in my neighborhood: El Gallo Bravo on 3909 W Belmont Ave now has to keep their door locked during open hours. I need to eat there. They should not lose business because hateful people voted for a Nazi who told them in advance about the Nazi shit he was going to do, and is now doing.
A handwritten sign in Spanish and English in the front door window of a Mexican restaurant in Chicago's Avondale neighborhood: El Gallo Bravo. It explains that for the safety of customers, the door will remain closed during working hours. Customers should knock and someone will open the door. This place has really good freshly made tortilla chips, by the way. They aren't my go-to but I remember having some great breakfasts there. I need to go back soon.
October 9, 2025 at 8:32 PM
marc-fischer.bsky.social
At the end of a very intense day, I treated myself to an intense meal - the Spicy Squid at Joong Boo on 3333 N. Kimball. It was HOT today! So satisfying and just $13.00 for everything.
Water, a bowl of soup, and a metal tray with spicy squid, white rice, and three kinds of kimchi/sides including fish cake, cabbage, and cucumber.
October 9, 2025 at 2:44 AM
marc-fischer.bsky.social
Emergency Protest Today, 10/8/2025 in Chicago: 5:30 PM at Michigan and Ida B. Wells. We're demanding that ICE and the National Guard get out of our city. I'll attend this.
A flyer credited to Coalition Against the Trump Agenda announcing an Emergency Protest Today, 10/8/2025 in Chicago: 5:30 PM at Michigan and Ida B. Wells, demanding that ICE and the National Guard leave Chicago. A large crowd is shown marching in downtown Chicago.
October 8, 2025 at 1:58 PM
marc-fischer.bsky.social
Watching my dog fumbling around, acting like he doesn’t know that there are a ton of french fries on the ground, after he had already snagged one or two earlier this morning.
October 8, 2025 at 1:19 PM