Origins Of Grunge Design : Art Chantry Pt. I
Mechanical Reproduction, Recycling, Collage and Protest.
‘’Grunge isn’t even a style: it’s a marketing term coined by Sub Pop’s Bruce Pavitt to sell punk music’’
- Art Chantry.
Arthur Samuel Wilbur Chantry II, known as Art Chantry, studied anthropology at Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA. Graduating in art history and moving to Seattle, WA, originally, wanting to be an anthropologist or an archaeologist. Chantry instead expressed and investigated American culture, and society through his graphic design work. Grant Alden observed about Chantry that he ‘’is the chronic advocate for the unpopular position, and he approaches graphic design as if he were a political fine artist’’ (Lasky, 2001, p.103). With the popularity of Nirvana`s Nevermind (1991), American mainstream media had turned their attention to grunge, specifically, Seattle. The musical scene with bands such as Soundgarden, Screaming Trees, Mudhoney, Pearl Jam and the mentioned Nirvana had advertised a new sense of community, environmental and political awareness. However, all of these values were integrated in the scene`s aesthetics and design.
Art Chantry had been hired by Seattle record label Sub Pop in order to create a unifying aesthetic across all their musicians which resulted in the style that is perceived as grunge. As a style, it is focused on rough textures, washed out colours and layers, resembling the Do It Yourself (DIY) approach. Whilst highlighting the importance of recycling. Art Chantry as a Seattle native who had designed for Sub Pop (which had been responsible for the releasing of grunge music to the public) was the originator of such style. He is known for using recycled material from 1950s newspapers to make social and political commentary through the recycling of American culture.
Graphic design in Art Chantry’s words is ‘’ not art at all. It's anthropology and politics and economics-almost ANYTHING except art'' (Chantry, 2015.p.6). Implying that graphic design of the grunge scene is beyond means of art, rather advertisement of political ideologies of the scene. This is something that this blog entry will examine through poster artwork of Chantry. With the emphasis on protest against conservatism; exploring how the design holds a greater function and importance in American society beyond means of advertisement. Grunge itself is political by protesting republicanism and similarly, grunge design (through the example of Art Chantry} indicates how political the style is.
Art critic John Berger argues that ‘’graphic design that is found in advertising is no different from art in so far as both use the same illustrative and persuasive techniques’’ (Barnard, 2005,p.166). He explains that such has not been recognized due to ‘cultural prestige’ which art holds. Malcolm Bernard has explained ‘’that graphic design is different from art because design is functional, and art is not. The argument is that graphic design is there to perform various jobs or functions, but that art has no function’’ (Barnard, 2005,p.172). The functions of graphic design are Information, Persuasion, Decoration, Magic, Metalinguistic and Phatic functions which art does not display.
Bernard explains that Information and Persuasion, provide basic information for the consumer whilst persuading that that the brand or product is worth purchasing, or considering. Decoration stresses the importance of design to have functions of enjoyment and pleasure. Whilst, Magic is concerned with ‘’making something different from what it truly is’’ (Bernard, 2005,p.16), enhancing the promise and expectation of the product/brand. Metalinguistics and Phatic functions are concerned with design codes as language and indicate where the spectator needs to look next.
Bernard explains that no graphic design example will only embody one of these functions, in contrast, graphic design examples will utilise more than one of these functions. (Bernard, 2005,p.17). The significance of graphic design has been highlighted by Stephen Heller and Karen Pomery (1997), as they explain that it has been ‘undervalued’ and some graphic production is not as ‘‘ephemeral as the paper it is printed on’’ (Barnard, 2005,p.166). Furthermore, explaining that graphic design ‘’production can be more artistic than art because it ‘speak[s] more about particular epochs . . . than fine art’...So, posters, packaging and logos on this account can be more expressive of an age or a culture than oil paintings and sculptures’’(Barnard, 2005,p.166).
As previously discussed in Art and Design of Raymond Pettibon & Grunge Developed With Intentions Of Staying Pure , Sub Pop`s graphic design and artistic vision which advertised left-wing politics and protests against 1980s consumerist republican society, became the mainstream in the 1990s. Chantry’s values and design that had been implemented and copied across the 1990s mainstream. It remarked a change of values in the American society, as the mainstream society had agreed on Chantry`s expressions. The mentioned functions of graphic design and Chantry`s own definition of graphic design indicate the politicised nature of grunge design. Before the designs are addressed individually, it is significant to state the importance of mechanical reproduction.
Walter Benjamin in The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction (1935) proposed a theoretical framework of the change of value in art and it`s politicisation with the progression of mechanical reproduction- favouring capitalism. His framework is central for this discussion, as graphic design through Benjamin`s theory-is the most political form of art. Walter Benjamin identified that the earliest artworks ‘’originated in the service of a ritual- first the magical, then the religious kind’’ (Benjamin, 2010,p.14). However, with mechanical reproduction, ‘’instead of being based on ritual, it begins to be based on another practice- politics’’(Benjamin, 2010,p.15). This means that all art which is reproduced mechanically is political. If its reproduced for consumer consumption it is serving capitalism. Likewise, Murray Edelman voiced that ‘’great art readily serves political purposes even when it is not itself explicitly political’’ (Edelman, 1995,p.35). Edelman explains that art is exploited not only by advertising and candidates, but in books, television, and magazines, it ‘’disseminates notions about which kinds of people, actions, and occupations are trustworthy and which suspect or underserving. In this way art may reinforce political repression’’ (Edelman, 1995,p.35). This means that art can serve the purpose of politics and not just by advertising certain ideas. Similarly, like Benjamin, Edelman suggests that art becomes political when mass production or mass exhibition is involved, as he mentions books and television.
Art`s primary function in the service of ritual is replaced by politics. However, with mechanical reproduction the artwork's aura is compromised. Benjamin highlights that paintings have an aura because the artist has physically touched them in their creation. He explains that ‘’even the most perfect reproductions of a work of art is lacking one element: Its presence in time and space, its unique existence at the place where it happens to be’’ (Weiss, 2020, p. 121). This means that the aura fades, as it becomes more detached from the ‘original’ work after each new version or copy. Even if the artwork has been protesting against capitalism or expresses anti-mainstream values, reproduction makes the artwork conform to capitalism, as its aura is lost to serve capitalism. Therefore, when examining Chantry`s designs and material, capitalism should be acknowledged and accented, as the loss of aura and mechanical reproduction does not make grunge design anti-capitalist, despite the musical scenes or designs vocalised protest.
The Night Gallery (1991) poster which Chantry refers to as the ‘tool poster’ (Fantagraphics, 2015).
Earlier, we had mentioned the importance of recycling as a political tool for grunge and this factor is significant for Art Chantry. He is known for recycling, deconstructing and using newspapers, magazines and flyers of the 1950s, one of the most famous examples is his poster for The Night Gallery exhibition and performance series at CoCA (1991). It exemplifies his trademark tool style. Chantry for the documentary The Rise Of American Rock Poster Art (2009) explained about the process:
‘’I took this ad apart. I literally blew it up on a stack camera and cut it all apart with every tool, every little box, every little shape of colour. Spread it out over my desk and put it back together with my own text. You know, instead of advertising a tool or a sprocket its advertising performance troop that uses fire or something like that. And then down here I didn’t put a coupon so you could actually you know mail in and order things not that it worked but it was just part of the game’’ (Amplified - Music & Pop Culture Documentaries, 2022).
Art Chantry in his book Art Chantry Speaks: A Heretic's History of 20th Century Graphic Design (2015) recalled that ‘’Steve Heller used it as a prime example in his famous essay “The Cult of the Ugly.” It won dozens of design awards and was collected by museum’’ (Chantry, 2015,p.25). What Chantry calls ‘part of the game’ is the Magic function which Barnard had addressed. The construction of the performance and exhibition event into a tool advertisement, transforms the product into something it is not. It was successfully constructed to the point that the ‘’piece was so convincing that patrons discarded the mailer, believing it was indeed an advertisement for tools’’ (What’s in Store, 2015).
Art Chantry`s Penis Cop poster (1997) for Washington State Department of Health and Social Services (AIGA Eye on Design, 2017).
The humour behind Chantry’s work and the Magic function can be identified likewise in Chantry`s ‘Penis Cop’ (1997). The poster was designed for Washington State Department of Health and Social Services in order to promote the use of condoms in the gay community. Both public service imagery and the police officer bring authority to the design and highlight the importance of the message. However, considering that the poster was intended for the gay community, the police officer which is symbolic of heterosexuality and masculinity makes the advert more humorous (in terms of breaking down the set masculinity stereotype, expectations of men’s roles within society and their sexuality). Especially as the design features the phrase ‘I take one everywhere I take my penis’ whilst the police officer holds up a condom.
The poster also explains that:
"Condoms are:
EQUALLY effective both DAY and NIGHT!
EASY to coordinate with ANY wardrobe!
Dramatically IMPROVED since your parents used them
(if they had sex, that is)!’’
(AIGA Eye on Design, 2017).
By informing that condoms are ‘easy to coordinate with any wardrobe’ , the design utilises the Magic function as it suggests that it is a fashion accessory. Whilst the whole exemplified text demonstrates Information and Persuasion functions of graphic design, as it is aiming to persuade the target audience to use condoms through the listed benefits. Just like the tool poster for the Night Gallery and the mailing in option which was just ‘part of the game’ as Chantry explained, the ’Pleasure Graph’ at the bottom of the design has the same function. It is crafting the designs and products' validity by providing statistics. Through the humorous design with the 1950s police cop, graph and comparison of the condom as a fashion accessory, the advert had won the bronze Lion award at Cannes festival for international advertising (Lasky, 2001,p.113).
It is worth noting that both exemplified poster designs utilise the 1950s newspaper imagery, collage and humour. Further engaging within the discussion the men’s roles, stereotypes during the 1950s and 1990s. These elements are important for Chantry and when analysing his designs. Both posters demonstrate how important collage is for Chantry. ‘’If Californian punk was all about recycling the detritus of American culture, then, to quote Ralph Steadman, ‘’college is the greatest recycling tool of the 20th century’’ (Lowey and Prince, 2014,p.142). Not only in punk but in grunge, as recycling was a protest against 1980s consumerist society. However, this technique originates for Chantry from one of his influences. The importance of Cal Schenkel was noted by Chantry who uses collage in his designs:
‘’Cal Schenkel I found at a delicate point in my creative development: the eighth grade. I had just been freaked out witnessing events of the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago. I saw Dan Rather getting beat up on TV. Soon after, I attended my first anti-war rally…I soon purchased my first Frank Zappa album, Uncle Meat and Captain Beefhearts,` Trout Mask Replica, both designed by Cal Schenkel. I was never the same again…Schenkel pointed me in the direction of graphic design. It eventually became my life’’
(Marks, 2009,p.45-47)
Chantry recalls going to the Democratic Convention (1968) which marked a change in politics, particularly where marginalised groups such as the youth were getting more politically active. In the convention the voting age had been addressed, as in 1968 the voting age was 21. Voting reform would expand the voting rights from 18 years of age for draft soldiers. Military involvement in the Vietnam War became the central point for the convention and after the assassination of John F. Kennedy`s brother Robert F. Kennedy, Democrats proposed Vice President Hubert Humphrey and Senator Edmund Muskie of Maine. However, both candidates were defeated by Republican candidate Richard Nixon in 1969. It is worth noting civil unrest and political riots not only intensified due to the Vietnam War, but due to the assassination of
Martin Luther King Jr on 4th of April 1968.
Chantry has always been a brisk supporter of the Democrat Party, especially significant has been John. F Kennedy, which the future posts will discuss in greater detail.
