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180.
THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF ECSTASY Volume 1 (London: c. June 1983).
4to. Wrps., 16pp. (incl. cover). Printed on semi-glossy paper stock in different colour inks, reproducing original magic marker artwork, collaged illustrations and cut-and-paste headlines and texts.
The rare first issue (of three) of Alistair Livingston's self-published magazine, filled with the spirit of Blakean rebellion, forebodings over new technology and warnings of ecological destruction: "I guess this is about change, the process of transformation of this culture, of myself, of my friends. The age of patriarchy, technology, hierarchy (etc!) is ending. A new dark age dawns. Our schizoid sickness is becoming heard & … who can fortell? 3 paths - 1. Nuclear Extinction; 2. The Creation of a Man/Machine & the triumph of science & logic at the expense of our humanity… 3. Or the left hand path of darkness, or re-membering/healing our damaged selves, the earth we have wounded. Through this volume the images alter, the visions change - from destruction & despair to creation & hope. They reflect my feelings & also the feelings around me."
Livingston was an associate of the anarchist collective/zine Kill Your Pet Puppy (1979 to 1984), as well as being active in the Anarchy Centre, Centro Iberico and the Black Sheep Housing co-op, and a leading light of what his friend Tom Vague termed the "anarcho-psychedelic-occult-glam punk rock scene" in '80s London.
Very Good plus.
