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Provide Zine showcases the juxtapositions occurring in a single day in Birmingham

Two of Us has created the Provide Zine's seventh issue, a photography-based publication that "celebrates Birmingham's diversity and the beauty that can be found within juxtaposition."

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Flat lay of printed zines and design materials on cork backing, including covers with text "WHOLESALE" and "MADE TO MEASURE

The agency's two founders, Ash O'Brien and Ian are based in Birmingham and Brighton respectively, and the studio usually works on projects including identities, websites, print, digital platforms, illustration and typography; and it previously rebranded the zine's parent company, Provide, in 2016.

The main purpose of all Provide Zines is to celebrate Birmingham as an affordable and accessible piece of print, and Two of Us's zine was designed according to an inherited template to ensure that all zines are part of a coherent set. "The main thing that changes between them is the imagery/photographic content, which is dependent on the collaborator," the duo explains.

The layout of the imagery is also left open so that each collaborator can decide how best to present the content they're putting into the publication. "As our theme was 'juxtaposition', we decided to mirror the majority of the spreads, allowing for a direct comparison of the photographic content to be made," Two of Us explains.

"It was great to have the opportunity to collaborate with Provide on this and be able to do something a bit different. We're big supporters of what Provide do for the Birmingham community and are always looking and thinking of ways to contribute and be involved."

Proving that the cliche that creativity flourishes in limitations exists for a reason; the team relished the fact that it had to work according to certain geographical constraints. "Ian was up from Brighton for around six hours, so we had to carefully map out areas of interest beforehand using Google Maps to make the best use of our time," O'Brien explains. "This did mean we ended up running around Birmingham in a panic to get enough content that we would be happy to use before Ian had to catch his train back to Brighton!"

The 32-page A5 zine is limited to 200 copies and costs £4.99.

Open pages of Provide Zine 007 showing minimalist layout with text on right page against black background
Provide Zine issue seven cover by Two of Us featuring contrasting photographs of brick wall and corrugated metal sections
Two of Us founders Ash O'Brien and Ian stand facing each other against a corrugated metal backdrop on an open spread of the Provide Zine, with descriptive text on the right page
Two of Us's design spreads for Provide Zine showing a red and white chevron symbol on the left page and a white arrow pointing right on a dark blue background with cityscape below on the right page
Two mirrored photographs showing a dark wooden cross mounted on a white wall on the left and a dark cross on a red brick wall against blue sky on the right
Two facing pages of the Provide Zine displaying justified text describing the publication's purpose and creative approach to celebrating Birmingham's diversity
Two facing pages from Provide Zine showing mirrored photographs of contrasting Birmingham architecture—a light brick wall on the left and dark vertical blinds on the right
Two-page spread from the Provide Zine showing diagonal striped pattern on left and "HAND WASH" text with yellow-black warning stripe on right page
Two of Us' Provide Zine spread with mirrored layouts showing a close-up of a black car part on the left and a green traffic cone on a road with striped sky above on the right
Two photographs side by side in a zine spread: a blue car against dark vertical lines on the left, and a red brick wall with a black pipe on the right
Two spreads from Provide Zine issue seven showing contrasting images: left page displays horizontal stripes in grey, yellow and red; right page features a yellow poster reading "We buy & sell second hand records
Two side-by-side zine spreads designed by Two of Us for Provide Zine issue seven, featuring mirrored photography juxtaposing urban scenes in Birmingham
Two side-by-side photographs showing a grey brutalist hotel facade on the left and a yellow textured wall with an "H" on the right, demonstrating visual juxtaposition
Provide Zine issue seven designed by Two of Us, showing a spread with "Made to Measure" text overlaid on mirrored photographs and a list of Birmingham hardware store items on the right page
Two of Us's Provide Zine spread showing a grid of dark window panes with blue reflections alongside vertical striped architectural detail
Cover of Provide Zine 007 by Two of Us, showing the title text on a white page with dramatic lighting
Black and white photograph of a person in formal attire against a corrugated metal backdrop, displayed in an open Provide Zine publication with text beneath the image
Weathered turquoise building facade with metal lettering reading "S, No & Compai Ltd" and "Wholesal Clothier" next to a white corrugated metal shutter
Provide Zine issue seven spread showing mirrored photographs of a blue car window and dark urban architecture on white pages
Printed pages from the Provide Zine featuring Two of Us's design work, including a gold page with an "H" mark and blue photographic spreads arranged on a wooden surface
Stack of printed Provide Zine issues fanned out on a cork surface, showing the publication's cover design with bold typography
Provide Zine issue seven cover with metallic lettering on turquoise paper, photographed at an angle on a textured surface
Open pages of Provide Zine showing mirrored layout with green traffic cone on striped road backdrop, demonstrating juxtaposition theme by Two of Us
Open pages of Provide Zine showing mirrored photographic spreads with geometric patterns and blue tile details demonstrating juxtaposition theme
Two of Us's Provide Zine issue seven displayed open on cork surface, showing spreads with mirrored photographic layouts and gold cover page with letter H
Multiple copies of Provide Zine issue seven spread across a cork surface, showing brick wall photography and black sections with white Provide branding
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