Kilometer Zero is a collective of international artists and writers that produces magazines, theatre, and artistic performances. It was founded in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...
, France, at the
Shakespeare and Company bookstore in 2000. The group operates as an association under the French laws of 1901. The name derives from '
Kilometre Zero
In many countries, kilometre zero (also written ''km 0'') or similar terms in other languages (also known as zero mile marker, zero milepost, control stations or control points) denote a particular location (usually in the nation's capital cit ...
', the point in front of
Notre Dame cathedral.
The ''Kilometer Zero'' magazine was created as an advertising free creative and political platform. Contributors have included
Noam Chomsky
Avram Noam Chomsky (born December 7, 1928) is an American public intellectual: a linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, historian, social critic, and political activist. Sometimes called "the father of modern linguistics", Chomsky i ...
,
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader (; born February 27, 1934) is an American political activist, author, lecturer, and attorney noted for his involvement in consumer protection, environmentalism, and government reform causes.
The son of Lebanese immigrants to the Un ...
,
Dennis Cooper
Dennis Cooper (born January 10, 1953) is an American novelist, poet, critic, editor and performance artist. He is best known for the ''George Miles Cycle'', a series of five semi-autobiographical novels published between 1989 and 2000 and describe ...
,
Tom Tomorrow
Tom Tomorrow is the pen name of editorial cartoonist Dan Perkins (born April 5, 1961, in Wichita, Kansas). His weekly comic strip, '' This Modern World'', which comments on current events, appears regularly in more than 80 newspapers across th ...
,
Daniel Stedman
Daniel Stedman is an American entrepreneur and multi-award-winning short film, film film director, director, film producer, producer and screenwriter, writer and publisher. Stedman is the founder of Pressto. Stedman was the owner and president o ...
, CD Wright, and
Sparkle Hayter. Kilometer Zero has produced performances in Paris, London, Brooklyn, Amsterdam, Marseille, and Beijing.
The founding of ''Kilometer Zero'' is documented in
Jeremy Mercer
Jeremy Mercer (born 1971) is an author and journalist whose books include ''Time Was Soft There'' ( St. Martin's Press, New York, 2005) and ''When the Guillotine Fell'' ( St. Martin's Press, New York, 2008). He has also translated Robert Badinter's ...
's novel ''Time Was Soft There'', published in 2005 by
St. Martin's Press.
Notable Kilometer Zero projects
* ''Th
Robin Hood Project' (Summer 2002): A product placement sting where major designer labels were duped into donating their goods to French charities.
*
Lysistrata' (March 2003): Kilometer Zero produced an adaption of
Lysistrata
''Lysistrata'' ( or ; Attic Greek: , ''Lysistrátē'', "Army Disbander") is an ancient Greek comedy by Aristophanes, originally performed in classical Athens in 411 BC. It is a comic account of a woman's extraordinary mission to end the Peloponne ...
as part of an anti-war statement made by theaters around the world.
*
Pssst... America'' (October 2004): A seven city political barnstorming tour emphasizing social inequity in America in advance of the 2004 presidential elections.
*
The Short Step' (May 2005): (pictured) Kilometer Zero opened the Dashanzi International Arts Festival in
Beijing
}
Beijing ( ; ; ), Chinese postal romanization, alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the Capital city, capital of the China, People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's Li ...
by grouping together 400 westerners dressed in traditional Chinese factory uniforms.
Review of The Short Step
by Garbo Garboson The performance was interrupted by Chinese officials.
References
{{Reflist
External links
Kilometer Zero official site
Kilometer Zero blog
Advertising-free magazines
Literary magazines published in France
Political magazines published in France
Magazines established in 2000
Magazines published in Paris
2000 establishments in France