Author: playhaus2015

Flashback: Article on National Glamour Archives in Washington City Paper

city paper-art amsie

That time my article on pin up painting collector Art Amsie’s National Glamour Archives appeared in Washington City Paper (February 16, 2001). The “archives” was an informal room in Amsie’s condo with a brag wall of oil paintings by many of the major figures of vintage pin up art. Think Gil Elvgren, Alberto Vargas, Joyce Ballantyne. The kind of stuff you see in calendars and coffee table books. Amsie had another claim to fame in that he had been an amateur club photographer who snapped shots of Bettie Page. Rather good shots, actually. Amsie passed away in 2006; I don’t know where his collection resides today. You can read the full article here.

Gonchlog at 400

IMG_3996Progress Report

The Gonchlog documents the discovery of “gonch” in commercial and consumer magazines. Letters that spell the word “gonch” are clipped and pasted onto accounting paper; the magazine title, date and volume number is then noted. The intention is to draw out that key nonsense word from these commercial propaganda vehicles in order to find a way forward. Or something like that.

As of this point, the Gonchlog has reached Volume 9 and over 400 entries, most of them unique magazine titles. Some of the latest examples are shown here.

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Flashback: Article on Anarchist women’s collective published in Washington City Paper

city paper-tute nere

That time Washington City Paper published my article on Tute Nere, a DC-area anarchist women’s collective. You can read the full text here.

Somehow I learned that Tute Nere was publishing their own fanzine to promote women’s participation in radical anarchist activity in the area. That was the hook I needed to get City Paper to accept a short piece on the group, a part of my effort to document the more unusual underground activity in the region.