2020 unleashed the apocalypse on the world in the form Covid-19, fascist leaders, climate disaster. It removed the veil from the face of racism, inequity, and economic injustice. As we came face to face with so much disaster both personal and global my response was to reach for satire. Using an array of historical satirical magazine mastheads I created a running commentary on the state of our pandemic pandemonium. Starting with Gaceta Callejera the magazines included Charivari, well known as the vehicle for Daumier's satirical lithographs, and on to Harper's Weekly, Le Rire, Die Aktion, Simplicissimus, Die Pleite, the New Masses.
The covers were designed somewhat in the spirit of the historical period. They were sent by email on the date of each publication. So the January 6, 2021 magazine cover with New Masses masthead was sent out on that day.
The use of historical magazines was done in part to give perspective on the "great times" we are living through, in part to enjoy the way satirical art history plays an ongoing role after its ostensible subject has withered away. Later these images were screenprinted on French Paper and made into a portfolio measuring 19 x 12 1/4". There are fifteen portfolio sets, with 23 screenprints plus the portfolio cover printed inside and out. The inside was created as a special insert to the "mask Issue #52": $750.
Charivari #52, Masque Publiér/The Mask Issue
Cover Une Fusillade Pour Trump, and spread, Mode de Masque Typique, both showing appropriate and inappropriate mask wear. Mode de Masque Typique/Typical Mask Fashions, Fusillade has a long history in journalism, not as commonly used today… but a broadside or barrage all with military origins. For a simple translation -
Le Martyr/The Martyr, Brumeux/Foggy, Dépassement/Exceeding, Enjoué/Playful, Contrainte/Constraint, De Défi/Defiance, Débauché/Debauchery, Manifestante/Protester, Couverture Totale/Total Coverage, Déchaîné/unleashed
Gaceta Callejera #42, Coronadista
And so the rampage begins
Le Rire #50, Zuckerberg leaves the world to its own devices
Mark Zuckerberg has transformed the world, bringing interactivity on a wide scale, can he be faulted for resting on his laurels? And yet he continues on undeterred by the success of his model.
Die Aktion #54, Auf Dem Scheiterhaufen 9/11
"On the Pyre", On the anniversary of 9/11 the coffins pile high and chaos rules.
Simplicissimus #58, Voting to Drive Away the Evil Spirits
Overcoming the obstacles to voting put in our way by anti-democratic forces.
Die Pleite #63 Amazon bedankt sich für das: grundlose Einkaufen!
Amazon thanks you for “Baseless Shopping!”, Jeff Bezos’ increases his wealth during the pandemic. He could give every employee $100,000 and still be as he was before the pandemic. Join the campaign www.makeamazonpay.com
Die Aktion #67, GOP Triple Alliance
As an actual trial for impeachment gets under way the GOP’s true colors stand out more clearly.
Die Aktion #70, Grimmiger Jäger, Grim Hunter, 500,000
The grim milestone of 500,000 dead.
Le Rire #72, Gubernatorial Neanderthal Sub-Types
Recently cited instances of “Neanderthal thinking” have prompted a new analysis of post-hominid developments among the gubernatorial subset of homo-politicos. Three sub-types here noted. Some overlap of lack of peripheral awareness seems to be common among these.
Gaceta Callejera #47, Cannibal Rats
The Center for Disease Control warns that rats exhibiting cannibalistic tendencies have been sighted scurrying up and down the world stage. Pest control experts are divided on whether the current Covid-19 pandemic will play a role in reducing their numbers or lead to further and more aggressive behavior.
Le Rire #51, Pandemic Al Fresco
Light summer outdoor dining in the cool of the evening - in San Francisco the fog comes in and the diners contend with the cold night wind and the humming undertone of the Golden Gate Bridge. But, another visitor threatens to disrupt the revelry.
Le Rire #55, Le nouveau monument, une évocation artistique
The new monument, an artistic interpretation.
The sky has a touch of blue in it in San Francisco today, a time to catch up on the recent items that seem to have fallen over the event horizon. Trump wanted to add himself to Mount Rushmore, but why not reimagine the entire façade!
Gaceta Callejera #60, Fiat Lux - Let there Be Light
It was worth the wait. It didn’t clear the air entirely but the piñata has been popped! It was popped by the people. All the creatures are falling out. This linocut inspired by Leopoldo Mendez.
New Masses #64, Last Tango
Today, the GOP in an assault on democracy takes the logic of decades of authoritarian impulses to its newest level of madness. Led by sycophants and opportunist collaborators the Grand Ole Party sinks into denial that any victory for Democrats can be legitimate, and eggs on conspiratorial fascists.
Charivari #69, Étude Morphologique de Souches Récemment Mutées, Morphological Study of Recently Mutated Strains
Despite the recent drop in cases due to reductions in the viral load spilling out from Twitter, there are worrying signs of recent mutations in the virus possibly more contagious and lethal. Along the top various field specimens and their collection sites - DOJ, Jeffrey Clark, Senate [sic] Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, Congress Lauren Boebert, Scott Perry.
Charivari #71, CPAC: A Dark Gathering in the Land of Make Believe
At the CPAC conference in Orlando, Florida a cartoon cut-out attempts to revive a fevered dream of hate. Along the bottom various and sundry traitors, including Jeffrey Clark of the DOJ, the Bartelby, the Scrivener of sedition. Others are elected, Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, Laurie Boebert, Scott Perry - PA representative. A small sampling from the swamp to look to for this gathering.
Charivari #48, Trump - Les Poire
Is this even new? It is unabashed… unapologetic, but is that even new? While we may be like boiling frogs in the stew of Trump’s racist ideology – while this may be merely a question of degree – nonetheless the transformation of the president has accelerated over the course of the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Step by step he has become a danger to the very survival of the country.
Charivari #53, The Shadow Cast - GOP Convention Summary
The GOP convention projects a long shadow, with a distinctive shape to it.
Le Rire #56, Laisse les Démons Hurler! Let the Demons Howl!
Overcoming the obstacles to voting put in our way by anti-democratic forces.
The GOP convention projects a long shadow, with a distinctive shape to it.
Simplicissimus #58, Blut im Wasser
The GOP elephant thrashing about in the water will only attract more attention. There is blood in the water.
Charivari #61, The Rage of Cyclops
The people have spoken, but the rage of the cyclops grows by the day, thrashing about in his blinded fury for anything close at hand to devour. The sycophants come easily to the creatures bottomless (but tiny) maw.
Charivari #66, Récolter le Tourbillon, Reaping the Whirlwind
Sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. The GOP waters the weeds with hatred. Along the bottom various and sundry traitors, including Jeffrey Clark of the DOJ, the Bartelby, the Scrivener of sedition. Others are elected, Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, Laurie Boebert, Scott Perry - PA representative who introduced Clark to Trump.
Le Rire #65, The Artist’s Occupation Gone "Great, But what am I to do now?"
A little self-indulgence on this inauguration day. A self portrait based on Thomas Nast’s ironic cartoon from Harper’s Weekly on the 1871 defeat of Boss Tweed, the corrupt leader of political power in New York. Perhaps no greater use of art to fight political corruption was ever so successful. Ironically the cover of the magazine here is not Harper’s Weekly but Le Rire, laughter. Satires, within satires, within irony… time to laugh, the witch is dead.
Simplicissimus #73, Den Vorsitz uber den Partei
He sits on top of the party
