If you’re passionately nostalgic for the British anarchist scene in this era of law-abiding conservatism, the Boo-Hooray exhibit space is presenting “IN ALL OUR DECADENCE PEOPLE DIE,” an exhibition of fanzines presented to Crass, the UK anarchist punk band, between 1976 and 1984. Boo-Hooray is at 265 Canal St. #601, New York, and open from 11 am – 6 pm every single day.
The exhibition of fanzines and ephemera were collected at Dial House, home to Crass, active from 1977-1984. “Their influence on the lives of misfits, belongers, winners, losers, straights and visionaries across the globe reverberates to this day,” says Boo-Hooray.
Dial House has been running as a creative centre since the late 1960’s and was instigated by the poet, philosopher and Crass drummer/lyricist, Penny Rimbaud. The Crass/Dial House fanzine archive, saved by Gee Vaucher, consists of approximately 3000 fanzines, broadsides, pamphlets and flyers, as well as posters, manuscript and original artwork. The materials were sent or given to the anarcho-punk group Crass during the years 1977 to 1984 from all over the world. The archive also includes later publications mailed to Dial House during the 1980’s and 1990’s. The show illustrates and demonstrates the immediacy and potency of these grassroots activist punk artworks from an era which was pre-computer and, in some cases, pre-xerox. In addition, related original artworks by Gee from her ground-breaking “nihilist newspaper for the living,” International Anthem, are also included.
The images here (from top to bottom in order), mostly collages, are:
1. [Unknown artist.] “No Order.” Ca. 1980s. Originally spray-painted stencil on computer paper.
2. Gee Vaucher. Original art for cover image for International Anthem no.1. Ca. 1977. Collage.
3. Gee Vaucher. Original art for cover image to International Anthem no.2. Ca. 1979. Collage.
4. [Unknown artist.] “Margarine the Leaderine.” Ca. 1980-1986. Poster.
5. Paradox no. 2. The Epsilons, eds. Sheffield, UK, ca. 1981. Photocopied fanzine.
6. Gee Vaucher. “Domestic Violence.” Ca. 1977. Collage. Original artwork for interior page from International Anthem no. 2.
7. Gee Vaucher. “Education.” Gouache painting. Original artwork for an interior page from International Anthem no. 1.
8. Class War nn. [no. 18?]. London, UK, ca. 1985. Offset-printed periodical.
9. All the Poets no. 1. Mark Schlömburg, John Tottenham, and Billy Carless, eds. London, UK, Sept. 1979. Offset-printed fanzine.
10. Anarchy no. 34. London, UK, ca. 1982. Offset-printed periodical, saddle stapled.
11. Anarcho/Nihilist. Mr. Tree, ed. [London, UK?], ca. 1983. Photocopied fanzine with spray-painted stencil.
12. [Unknown artist.] “Hello Hero.” [1980]. Originally spray-painted stencil on computer paper.
13. Slug no. 4. Sydney, Australia, ca. 1979-1980. Photocopied fanzine with screen-printed cover.
14. The Impossible Dream no. 3. Lance d’Boyle and Vi Subversa, eds. London, UK, 1980. Offset-printed periodical.
15. U.K. Anarchists. “Who the fuck says the police have the right…” [Livingston, UK?], ca. 1980s. Photocopied handbill.
16. Situation 3, nn. Lofty Schweizkopf, ed. London, UK, ca. 1978-1981. Photocopied fanzine.
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