Retrofuturism 17: April 1993

http://psrf.detritus.net/volume/8/r17.html

Media / Countermedia

Coming as it does at the end of the Retrofuturism series in the (for us) uncertain year of 1993, there is ample evidence that our enthusiastic energy for this project was beginning to peter out. Nonetheless, the current issue contained a number of substantial contributions, including a nice piece from the Disdainists about a culture wallowing in a surfeit of modern art, and what they chose to do about it. Also noteworthy is a long text by the inimitable Al Ackerman, ostensibly a report from the ‘Southwest Decentralized Mail Art Congress and Rodeo’.

In addition, a number of works continued to dwell upon the outcome of the then recently-completed presidential elections, and how they left us feeling. Most notably among them, Stephen-Paul Martin weighs in with his meditation on the media’s role in all this in the lead article ‘Media — Countermedia’ and attempts to draw us in an alternative directions.

Graphics by Colin Ives and Nonlocal Variable, as well as a book review of Bob Black’s ‘Friendly Fire’ by Ed Lawrence, round out the issue.