GRAPHIC REVOLT! SCANDINAVIAN ARTISTS' WORKSHOPS, 1968-1975 RØDE MOR, FOLKETS ATELJÉ AND GRAS Anna Sandaker Glomm A Thesis Submitted for the Degree of PhD at the University of St Andrews 2012 Full metadata for this thesis is available in St Andrews Research Repository at: http://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/ Please use this identifier to cite or link to this thesis: http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3171 This item is protected by original copyright This item is licensed under a Creative Commons Licence Graphic Revolt! Scandinavian Artists’ Workshops 1968-1975 Røde Mor, Folkets Ateljé and GRAS Volume 1 Anna Sandaker Glomm Submitted in application of the degree of Ph.D in the University of St Andrews, 5 September 2011 I, Anna Sandaker Glomm, hereby certify that this thesis, which is approximately 85,000 words in length, has been written by me, that it is the record of work carried out by me and that it has not been submitted in any previous application for a higher degree. I was admitted as a research student in September 2004 and as a candidate for the degree of Ph.D in September 2005; the higher study for which this is a record was carried out in the University of St Andrews between 2004 and 2010. date ………. signature of candidate …………………. I hereby certify that the candidate has fulfilled the conditions of the Resolution and Regulations appropriate for the degree of Ph.D in the University of St Andrews and that the candidate is qualified to submit this thesis in application for that degree. date ………. signature of supervisor ………………… In submitting this thesis to the University of St Andrews we understand that we are giving permission for it to be made available for use in accordance with the regulations of the University Library for the time being in force, subject to any copyright vested in the work not being affected thereby. We also understand that the title and the abstract will be published, and that a copy of the work may be made and supplied to any bona fide library or research worker, that my thesis will be electronically accessible for personal or research use unless exempt by award of an embargo as requested below, and that the library has the right to migrate my thesis into new electronic forms as required to ensure continued access to the thesis. We have obtained any third-party copyright permissions that may be required in order to allow such access and migration, or have requested the appropriate embargo below. The following is an agreed request by candidate and supervisor regarding the electronic publication of this thesis: Embargo on both printed copy and electronic copy for the same fixed period of five years on the following ground: publication would preclude future publication; publication would be in breach of law or ethics Permanent embargo of part of electronic copy of thesis on the grounds that the Appendices contain copyrighted material, such as reproductions of prints, paintings, sculpture and photographs, and interviews with living artists which were given in confidence that these would not be published electronically. date ……… signature of candidate ……………… signature of supervisor …………….. CONTENTS Abstract Acknowledgements 1. INTRODUCTION 1 2. RØDE MOR 2.1. The Development of Modern Art pre-Røde Mor 13 2.2. The Political Climate 16 2.3. Røde Mor – Mother of the Revolution 18 2.4. The Style must be Easily Understood 21 2.5. The Development of Røde Mor 28 2.6. The End of the Collective Poster 39 3. FOLKETS ATELJÉ 3.1. The Swedish Art Milieu 41 3.2. International Artistic Approaches 44 3.3. The Protagonists 45 3.4. The Great Art Debate 47 3.5. Graphic Revolt in the Streets – Folkets Ateljé 51 3.6. The Posters by Folkets Ateljé 57 3.7. Unconfirmed Posters 65 3.8. LKAB – the final people’s poster 68 4. GRAS 4.1. Norwegian Late Modernism 70 4.2. The Manifestation of Serigraphy 71 4.3. A New Style is in the Air 73 4.4. Pop Art in Norway 76 4.5. Vietnambildet and the Move to Political Pop 79 4.6. The Cooperative way Forward – Together we are stronger 84 4.7. Precursory Exhibitions 90 4.8. The Collectively grown Serigraphy – GRAS 92 4.9. Silkscreen Manifesto – the GRAS Graphic Folder 96 4.9.1 Stylisation, Abstraction and Non-figuration 98 4.2.2 Figuration 105 4.10 The End is Near 121 4.11 GRAS and the Political Poster 123 5. THE WORLD IS AWAKE AND SO IS SCANDINAVIA 5.1 Introduction to comparative study 128 5.2 A Scandinavian 1968 – Local Protest 129 5.2.1 The red sun rises in the North 131 5.2.2 Solidarity with the Workers’ Struggle 136 5.2.3 Clashes with authorities 147 5.2.4 The European Economic Community membership issue 149 5.3 The International Struggle 156 5.3.1 The Anti-Vietnam War posters 156 5.3.2 Scandinavia against the United States of America 160 5.3.3 The freedom fighter and the Third World 163 6 CONCLUSION 170 BIBLIOGRAPHY 176 7 APPENDIX I 184 8 APPENDIX II 188 9 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 257 10 ILLUSTRATIONS 267 ABSTRACT This thesis examines the relationship between the three artists’ workshops Røde Mor (Red Mother), Folkets Ateljé (The People’s Studio) and GRAS, who worked between 1968 and 1975 in Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Røde Mor was from the outset an articulated Communist graphic workshop loosely organised around collective exhibitions. It developed into a highly productive and professionalised group of artists that made posters by commission for political and social movements. Its artists developed a familiar and popular artistic language characterised by imaginative realism and socialist imagery. Folkets Ateljé, which has never been studied before, was a close knit underground group which created quick and immediate responses to concurrent political issues. This group was founded on the example of Atelier Populaire in France and is strongly related to its practices. Within this comparative study it is the group that comes closest to collective practises around 1968 outside Scandinavia, namely the democratic assembly. The silkscreen workshop GRAS stemmed from the idea of economic and artistic freedom, although socially motivated and politically involved, the group never implemented any doctrine for participation. The aim of this transnational study is to reveal common denominators to the three groups’ poster art as it was produced in connection with a Scandinavian experience of 1968. By ‘1968’ it is meant the period from the late 1960s till the end of the 1970s. It examines the socio-political conditions under which the groups flourished and shows how these groups operated in conjunction with the political environment of 1968. The thesis explores the relationship between political movements and the collective art making process as it appeared in Scandinavia. To present a comprehensible picture of the impact of 1968 on these groups, their artworks, manifestos, and activities outside of the collective space have been discussed. The argument has presented itself that even though these groups had very similar ideological stances, their posters and techniques differ. This has impacted the artists involved to different degrees, yet made it possible to express the same political goals. It is suggested to be linked with the Scandinavian social democracies and common experience of the radicalisation that took place mostly in the aftermath of 1968 proper. By comparing these three groups’ it has been uncovered that even with the same socio-political circumstances and ideological stance divergent styles did develop to embrace these issue. Acknowledgements In loving memory of Gerda Jensen who inspired me with her stories of art and artists as I was growing up and without whom I would never have thought of studying art history. This thesis is for you, farmor. Firstly I would like to thank Anders Kjær, Per Kleiva, Victor Lind, Morten Krohg, Thomas Kruse, Tommy Flugt, Yukari Ochiai, Ola Nyberg, Håkan Nyberg, Marja Ruta, Ulla Wennberg, Bengt Albons, Channa Bankier, Stefan Teleman and Cilla Ericson all of whom made it possible for me to write this thesis, without your consultation, guidance and kindness I would not have been able to complete this thesis. You all opened your minds and your homes so that I could try to figure out what it was like back then. I want to thank my supervisor, Dr Jeremy Howard, for putting up with me for all this time, in St Andrews or away. Annette Carruthers, Dr Natalie Adamson and Dr Alistair Rider have also provided helpful comments and guidance at different stages of the process. I want to thank the School of Art History for providing me with an income and a good, stable work environment for the last stages of my thesis. The postgraduate community deserves a hand, particularly Kate, Liz and Dr Maria Halkias. Furthermore, Professor Andrew Hemmingway’s comments during and after the viva have proved inspirational, thank you. During my research I have visited collections such as those in Gøteborg Konstmuseum, Moderna Museet and Kungliga Biblioteket where I met some wonderful people. In connection with my travels I would like to thank the Elizabeth Gilmore Scholarship and the Wilhemina Barns Graham Trust for enabling me to travel back and forth to Scandinavia to complete the interviews and visit collections. To my parents, Margit and Peter, I am forever grateful. Thank you for enabling me to finish without going bankrupt or losing my mind. I love you. Sofie, thank you for always having time and wanting to help – I am so proud of you too! Those that deserve the most praise often don’t get enough, Yannis I definitely wouldn’t have made it without you taking care of my nourishment, so thank you for feeding me, both intellectually and bodily.