PhotoStatic 32: September 1988

http://psrf.detritus.net/volume/6/p32.html

Existentialism and the Illusion of Choice

The theme was probably chosen after reading Albert Camus’ L’Étranger for a French class, and deciding that at least the familiarity of the idea of existentialism would give most of my contributors a steady toehold upon which to improvise with their fruitful minds. In our view, they did not disappoint. Also, this issue was assembled in the middle of a period when our strongest and most reliable contributors were participating in the project, and many fragments seem part of continua of fragments found in previous and future issues. (The numbering at the end of each of the regular columns alludes to this.)

In addition to the graphics on the front and back cover, regular contributor Thomas Wiloch also offers up another installment of his “Codes and Chaos” column. A significant graphic series, which appears at the start of the issue, is the work of P. Petrisko, Jr, and frequent contributor Guy R. Beining also contributes a series of eight collages in his inimitable style. Christopher Erin, whose work in these pages is generally visual, here contributes the text “Dada: Suicide as an Art Form.” Another Important text, “Censorship: The Oldest of Suppressed Traditions” is penned by John Berndt.

Add to that the usual assortment of columns, their attendant graphics, reviews and listings, and this number appears, in retrospect, as one of the more classically proportioned numbers in the series.