Sporadic Critique of Culture 1989 — 1993

New. The simultaneous founding and dissolution of the Art Strike Action Committee – Alytus Chapter. Art Strike Conference held in Alytus, Lithuania, 27–30 June, 2008. Resolution proposed, official adoption pending. [pdf document] Watch this space.

Organ in Support of the Art Strike 1990-1993

THIS ARCHIVE is a historical document, but the reader is warned against looking upon it in conventionally rigorous historical terms, for the small history that it tells is at times a reconstructed and embellished one.

Much of the content of these documents consists of digital facsimile editions of the newsletter YAWN, the anonymous publication devoted to the Art Strike 1990-1993 and related issues. YAWN came out of several p.o. boxes in the period from 1989 to 1993, sporadic in response to the responses and additional submissions that it had received to the issue before. Subtitled “ A Sporadic Critique of Culture,” its scope was actually narrower than this would imply, if simply because its contributors came largely from the Mail Art, Neoist, and even more obscure networks which were internationally active at the time. The contents of this archive reflect this somewhat nairrow focus.

In retrospect, it is difficult to state with complete honesty the editorial position taken by their editor to these texts. Much of this work is difficult to take seriously; and in many cases it’s even difficult to tell if the author meant them to be taken seriously. It is in the spirit of play that many of the editorial decisions were made in producing YAWN but this does not mean that all of it can be taken lightly. By taking a light touch to these matters, the editor tried to keep the communication lines open and encourage further interaction.

No Forbidding

THESE FILES actually contain more documents than were released during the time of YAWN’s publication. We have taken the liberty of adding in other material from this period which, at the time, space and resources did not permit us to publish in broadsheet form. They have been inserted here and there and it is not been made evident which are the "real" YAWNs and which are the later additons. The issue numbers have been altered around these insertions to give a sense of continuity, and to transfigure the actual facts of history to serve our current needs, which we here undermine with this admission (this also suits our current needs).

Nonetheless, the reader will find much of amusement and interest, particularly if she is interested in tacit assumptions about culture which are rarely called into question, but to which we here frequently offer aggressive challenge. The charge might be levelled that some of the concepts brought forth in YAWN are ground into the mud, and this might be so. But this teaches us something, as well.

Most of the texts here presented appear relatively untouched by the editor’s hand. We freely admit that finely wrought well argued position statements appear side by side with muddled thinking and unrestrained polemical spewings. It may not be easy for some to wade through all of this. More than wanting to present a "case" for or against the Art Strike, we wished to lay bare the debate surrounding the topic. To that extent, all of the works included provide a perspective and betray the afiliations and passions of their authors, laying bare both their strengths, and their excesses.

The Files

Since these are back issues, they preserve the circumstances of their production. Please do not trust any of the mailing addresses given in them. Some of these addresses may still be in use, but it is difficult to predict and many have certainly been outdated. If you really want to contact someone mentioned in YAWN, you can send a request to the editor, who will make every effort to put you in touch with the party in question.

YAWN is currently available only on the internet.

The first item in the list comprises the entire YAWN series in a single file, except for number 38 (listed below in numeric sequence). Number 38 was the only issue of YAWN to be published in booklet form, as a supplement to Retrofuturism, and so remains a separate download. The remaining files comprise exactly the same content as The Collected YAWN, however in this case you can download the YAWN issues or supplements singly.

Any part of YAWN may be reproduced in any form whatsoever, even without acknowledgment.