11 April 2017

Breen/Muñoz Poster on the cover of
Penguin Classics: Why Are We 'Artists?' 100 World Art Manifestos


'Why Are We Artists?' 100 World Art Manifestos
Selected by Jessica Lack

Penguin Press, London, March 2017.

Cover image from an original poster by Len Breen & Juan Muñoz, designed and produced in London in 1978.

From the publication:

Cover: The Culture of Fear © Juan Muñoz and Len Breen (1978). Reproduced by kind permission of Len Breen, the Estate of Juan Muñoz anf Marian Goodman Gallery.

Most unfortunately, the quality of the finished cover was absolutely dreadful.

10 April 2017

Original Breen/Muñoz Poster, 1978

The Culture of Fear

Len Breen & Juan Muñoz

Everything that can be used to resist the culture of fear is a sign of out living culture.

Screen-print, Gouache and Letraset,
830mm x 600mm,
London, UK, 1978

The basic collage (finished as a serigraph) of a typewriter, retrieved by Juan from the refuse/pile of discarded images at the Central School of Art annex and 'a revolutionary', from the 1968 student demonstrations in Paris, from Len's archive, was compiled by Len. In the final design I switched the handing in a hand-drawn version into the design.

The quote and slogan, reproduced with 'Letraset', was chosen from popular texts/slogans of the time. I produced the final design which was finished in gouache.

I later entered the poster for the Baghdad International Poster Competition/Exhibition 1979.

Although the work was originally a cooperative collaboration and so entered into the competition in both our names, it was, for 'political reasons', and since another of my posters had already been given a 'Special Award', and in a begging request from the press officer of the Iraqi Cultural Centre (ICC), Kate Aldridge, to widen the international profile, credited solely to Juan. It was awarded a distinction and printed in a 10000 (estimated) offset run and as a postcard by the ICC in London. I (well) represented Juan on the trip to Baghdad!

It was exhibited in London, Baghdad and touring in Europe and the Middle East. The original poster was later presented by me to the Iraq Museum of Modern Art through the Iraqi Cultural Centre in London.

As I have discussed elsewhere, the 'imperialist invasion' destroyed much of the contents of the museum, probably all our posters included - in a major statement of irony. See:

The Iraq Museum of Modern Art

FROM MY ARCHIVE

Juan Muñoz (1952-2001)


Juan at the Central School of Art Studios, London (1977). Photo by Len. 		Juan Muñoz who tragically died at the end of August 2001 was a friend and colleague. We met at the Central School of Art and Design in the late 70's and worked together through the early 80's. We partied somewhat in those days but more significantly collaborated on some important political poster productions of the times.

This work included the design and production for Latin American Solidarity, Chilean Solidarity and various issues focusing on the Chilean struggles around Salvadore Allende. With David Dahlson we also created all the visual propaganda for the Central School Occupations - part of the protests by art colleges against fee increases for foreign students.

Juan was a gregarious person, always good fun to be with, but he had a great sense of purpose in his art and an infectious intellectual spirit. He went on to make a significant impact. See:

BBC News    and    The Juan Muñoz Estate


COLLABORATIONS:

To see the a collection of posters that were designed and produced by myself and Juan during the period in London, go to (click):

Collaborations: Len Breen & Juan Muñoz
2012

Len Breen, Juan Muñoz & David Dahlson

'British Posters - Advertising, Art and Activism', Victoria and Albert Museum Publications
Catherine Flood

Victoria and Albert Museum Publications,
London, 2012.
ISBN 9781 85177 676 4



(Page 67)

Len Breen, Juan Muñoz & David Dahlson
Capitalism and Educatiion (#770304)
V&A: E.929-1977

From the publication.

"The message of this poster is framed in the language of Marxism. The subversive use of comic-strip speech bubbles was a visual tactic associated with the Situationists, a group of radical French social and cultural theorists who were an influence on the student revoluionaries in Paris in 1968."