'Underground - Resistance in Comix' at the library

Underground
Resistance in Comix

16/01/12 — 01/02/12
at the library

Opening: Tuesday January 15, 16h00-18h00
Reading sessions: Tuesday January 22 and 29, 17h00-20h00

Around the early 1950s, concern rose in the United States about the increasingly explicit content of comic books published at that time, caused by the impact of World War II. The comic book industry avoided a censorship law by self-regulating the content of the comic books through the Comics Code Authority (CCA). Since that moment the use of explicit sex, violence, political criticism was banned and approved by the Comic Code Seal, the code being comparable to the Parental Advisory Label that was used by the Hip Hop industry in the 90s.
Due to political, social and sexual engagement and liberation of the youth movement in the late 60s, new comics were illegally published and circulated within a widespread Underground movement. This resulted into a huge production of comics and other publications which connected to the international network of resistance movements.

Henk Groenendijk, now a teacher at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy, as a student worked in the Amsterdam anarchist bookshop Real Free Press, where these American Underground Comics were imported and distributed throughout Europe. The exhibition at the Rietveld Library showcases the large collection of comics and other Underground material he accumulated in that period with material from Robert Crumb (Mr. Natural), Art Siegelman (Maus), Victor Moscoso (The Grateful Dead album cover) and many others.

The comics on display at the library can be read on specially organized reading sessions on Tuesdays 22 and 29th of January from 17h00 till 20h00. Henk will be also present to give a short introduction to the comics.