By Art Hazelwood
Richmond, California: Art Hazelwood, 2021. Edition of 15.
19 x 12.5"; 23 prints. Screenprint,. Various French Paper Company papers. Folded portfolio printed inside and out. Le Charivari #52 cover and spread. Back is #66 Interior spread #52. Twenty three prints laid in printed portfolio.
Art Hazelwood: "2020 unleashed the apocalypse on the world in the form Covid-19, fascist leaders, climate disaster. It removed the veil from the face of racism, inequity, and economic injustice. As we came face to face with so much disaster both personal and global my response was to reach for satire. Using an array of historical satirical magazine mastheads I created a running commentary on the state of our pandemic pandemonium. Starting with ‘Gaceta Callejera’ the magazines included ‘Charivari’, well known as the vehicle for Daumier's satirical lithographs, and on to ‘Harper's Weekly’, ‘Le Rire’, ‘Die Aktion’, ‘Simplicissimus’, ‘Die Pleite’, the ‘New Masses’.
“The covers were designed somewhat in the spirit of the historical period. They were sent by email on the date of each publication. So the January 6, 2021 magazine cover with ‘New Masses’ masthead was sent out on that day. The use of historical magazines was done in part to give perspective on the ‘great times’ we are living through, in part to enjoy the way satirical art history plays an ongoing role after its ostensible subject has withered away. Later these images were screenprinted on French Paper and made into a portfolio.“