ART OF RESISTANCE: Artery magazine and the anti-capitalist movement
Artery banner, designed by Jeff Sawtell, at a protest march in London; inset, and below, two of the magazine covers
Published: 24 May, 2012
by JEFF SAWTELL
As the current capitalist crisis continues to create chaos, there have been many attempts to recall the art and culture of resistance that marked the 1970s and early 1980s.
In 1971 the Tory government introduced the Industrial Relations Act as a prelude to destroying manufacturing, cutting social welfare and creating mass unemployment.
Resistance to the Act resulted in a massive TUC march, the fight to free the Pentonville Five shop stewards, the occupation of the Upper Clyde Shipyards and the miners’ strikes, symbolised by the Battle of Saltley Gates.
Simultaneously, it inspired a new impetus to women’s liberation, anti-racist organisations, gay liberation and diverse cultural groups combatting capitalism’s ideological hegemony.
To the fore of the movement was Artery magazine, founded at a Communist University meeting at University College, in Malet Street in 1971, and later published in Camden Town.
Originally intended to provide a forum for discussion, Artery quickly established a platform for art and culture, promoting resistance to the inhumanity of capitalism and imperialism.
The reason? Much of the heritage of Marxist and social art here had been lost due to the Cold War, with abstract art being hailed as a symbol of US freedom of expression.
Artery avoided this false dichotomy by emphasising that communist artists like Picasso, Léger and Magritte stated that, just as their art created a “new reality”, we could build a new society.
These artists followed the Marxist dictum – as long as class struggle continues, it will promote a variety of secondary combative cultures that express the aspirations of working people.
Its initial print run of 100 copies grew to 5,000 by 1984.
It was reliant on alternative bookshops like Compendium, though it was also sold in work places and colleges and was distributed in the US.
To ensure its commitment to class-conscious art, the editorial board included practising cultural workers alongside trade union activists, and it created local readers’ and supporters’ groups.
Artery promoted the Public Art Workshop, responsible for the murals at Royal Oak, Ironmonger Row and the Battle of Cable Sreet, which was recently restored after years of attacks by fascists.
Photo-montage artists like Peter Kennard were featured, as were the photo-documents of Jo Spence and the Hackney Flashers.
Social realists like Peter de Francia, Alice Neel and Leon Golub were joined by painters Conrad Atkinson, Andrew Turner and John Yeadon producing banners.
Along with veterans like Ken Sprague, there was a new generation of poster designers like Michal Boncza, Peter Dunn and Lorraine Leeson.
The poetry of Bernie Steer of the Pentonville Five and Camden building worker Vic Heath complemented stalwarts like Adrian Mitchell, Bob Dixon, Keith Armstrong, Chris Searle, Ed Mackinnon and Andy Croft.
Artery Theatre pioneered “alternative” comedy with Clifford Cocker, Bill Monks and Alexei Sayle and it developed a band, choir and cabaret shows. There were contributions on record too from Robert Wyatt.
Artery artists were involved in The Other Picture (Nottingham), Art for Whom? (Serpentine), The State of British Art (ICA), and Art for Society (Whitechapel) in 1978.
The current show at Rob Tufnell Gallery in Victoria is by no means comprehensive, simply providing an illustration of those involved in Artery.
It is, however, a fitting complement to contemporary guerillas of the imagination.
• Artery 1971-1984 is at Rob Tufnell Gallery, 83 Page Street, SW1P 4HA, until June 23. 12-6pm, Thursday-Saturday and by appointment, mail@robtufnell.com, www.robtufnell.com