Release 1 : A Benefit for the John Giorno Defense Fund
  • poster
  • offset-printed
  • black-and-white
  • 71.5 x 55.5 cm.
  • [1] pp.
  • edition size unknown
  • unsigned and unnumbered

Release 1 : A Benefit for the John Giorno Defense Fund

John Giorno, Les Levine, Yvonne Rainer, Taylor Mead, Anne Waldman, Ultra Violet, Angus MacLise, Joyous Lake, Andy Warhol, Allen Ginsberg, Lennox Raphael, Brand X, Silver Apples

Release 1 : A Benefit for the John Giorno Defense Fund

description

Oversized poster, designed by Les Levine, published in conjunction with fundraising events held on November 21 and 22, 1969 in support of John Giorno. Poster centers on newspaper clipping of Margaret Mead testifying to senators on the use of marijuana. Participants at benefit included Levine, Yvonne Rainer, Taylor Mead, Anne Waldman, Ultra Violet, Angus MacLeish & Joyous Lake, Andy Warhol, Allen Ginsberg, Lennox Raphael, Brand X, Silver Apples and others.

"Mead''''s Congressional testimony on marijuana provoked controversy. The governor of Florida, Claude Kirk, called Mead a ‘dirty old lady.'''' Some members of the public included newspaper clippings on her testimony along with letters offering their opinions. … [One woman wrote to congress with] comments directly [written on a copy of] the newspaper article, concluding Mead ‘must be crazy [and] a dope fiend.'''' People reacted not just to Mead''''s testimony but also to some comments she made to the media afterwards, particularly her comment that marijuana should be legal at age sixteen. She subsequently issued a statement clarifying her views." — text from the Library of Congress'''' entry about the clipping.

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