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70.
An original poster designed by John Sharkey announcing DIAS, which took place at the Africa Centre in Covent Garden between September 9-11, 1966.
Silkscreened in black and blue on white paper. 74.5x49.5cm.
Sharkey, then Gallery Manager at the ICA, helped with the organisation of the Symposium, and also designed the newsletters and other publications.
John Dunbar’s copy, with his signature in pencil to lower margin (it was after seeing Yoko Ono perform “Cut Piece” at the Africa Centre that Dunbar invited her to exhibit at Indica).
The Symposium’s Honorary Committee, led by Gustav Metzger (who unsuccessfully invited Pete Townshend and The Who to participate), included Roy Ascott, Mario Amaya, Bob Cobbing, Ivor Davies, Dom Sylvester Houédard, Enrico Baj, Barry Miles, Jim Haynes, Frank Popper, John Sharkey, and Wolf Vostell. More than a hundred artists, writers and composers contributed to the three-day event at the Africa Centre.
The poster also announces “Documentation Exhibition, Better Books, Sept-Oct”, a reference to the exhibition of the DIAS archive and writings in the basement of Better Books.
Some faint horizontal creasing; very small burn mark to lower right edge; o/w Very Good plus.
A limited edition of the poster, signed by several of the DIAS participants, was later offered for sale at £10. Copies in any state, signed or unsigned, are extremely rare. Provenance: John Dunbar.