Realising The Impossible: Art Against Authority ::: Josh Macphee and Erik Reuland (Editor’s) ::: AK Press

This is a rich and interesting, and at times humourous guide to the political philosophy of Anarchism, as rendered by artists. The book contains many chapters, covering the stencil art of Argentina, Political Satire and Modernist art, political art activities in Denmark, puppetry protest communications technology in Latin American grassroots politics and ‘queer’ art, to give you a flavour.

There are also several chapters on individual illustrators within the movement, one of which I particularly liked is on Clifford Harper. He talks about his “natural dislike of authoritarian socialists” and becoming converted to Anarchism in 1963 via “four six form girls all dressed in black and wearing anti-bomb badges”. He doesn’t like artists, who are “”hopelessly fucking with the state – fame, greed, wealth, prestige” and feels that in the last twenty five years, “most anarchists displayed an astoundingly philistine attitude to creative work”. He thinks that this is because

“Some anarchists are into control. Creativity does it’s thing. No matter how you try to direct it, it always suprises. I never know how a drawing will turn out. The drawing always, to a degree, draws itself; it pushes to where it wants to go. It’s kind of…anarchist. Some anarchists fear losing control, of going to places they’re not prepared for. It requires an open mind and a flexible approach. Some anarchists fear creativity contaminates the struggle. I think they think revolution is male, and creativity female, if the (male) revolution’s exposed to creativity (female) it won’t have a dick anymore. It won’t be able to overthrow the state, because you need a dick to do that. Revolution is a dick thing. Anyway you did ask.”