Cover art of Harper's 1978 'Class War Comix'

Clifford Harper (born July 13, 1949) is an artist who describes himself as a "committed anarchist" and cartoonist. He was born in Chiswick, West London and was expelled from school at 13 and placed on probation at 14, after which he worked in a series of what he describes as "menial jobs". An activist in the London squatting and commune scene during the late 60s onwards, he became a self-taught artist. Throughout the 70s he was a prolific illustrator for many radical and alternative publications such as Undercurrents, Cienfuegos Press Anarchist Review, and his self-published Class War Comix project. This image is a book cover. ... This image is a book cover. ... July 13 is the 194th day (195th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 171 days remaining. ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) is a common year starting on Saturday. ... Artist is a descriptive term applied to a person who engages in an activity deemed to be an art. ... Anarchism is a generic term describing various political philosophies and social movements that advocate the elimination of hierarchy and imposed authority. ... A cartoonist at work. ... Chiswick [pronounced CHIZ-ick] is a high profile and extensive district of West London, currently located within the eastern extremity of the London Borough of Hounslow, some 5. ... London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England. ... The word squat has different meanings: Squatting is a term for inhabiting unused land without title, especially in a city. ... An intentional community is a planned residential community with a much higher degree of social interaction than other communities. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969, inclusive. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ... This article should be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. ... Self-publishing is the publishing of books or other media by those who have written them. ...

His distinctive line drawing style was perhaps most typically exemplified by his utopian 'Visions' series of posters, commissioned for the Undercurrents' 1974 published anthology Radical Technology. These illustrated scenes of post-revolutionary self-sufficiency in urban and rural settings, and were almost de rigueur decoration for the kitchen wall of any self-respecting radical's commune, squat or bedsit during the 1970s. Of these posters Harper writes: See Utopia (disambiguation) for other meanings of this word Utopia, in its most common and general meaning, refers to a hypothetical perfect society. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) is a common year starting on Tuesday (click on link for calendar). ... Autonomy is the condition of something that does not depend on anything else. ... A bedsit is a form of rented accommodation consisting of a single room with a shared bathroom and lavatory. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ...

Funnily enough they were particularly popular in Spain following the death of Franco and the liberalisation that followed that happy event. I think the reason for their success is that although they are utopian images they depict an existence that is immediately approachable -- all it would take is the seizing of a few empty buildings and the knocking down of a few meaningless walls... Francisco Franco Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco y Bahamonde (December 4, 1892 – November 20 (or possibly November 19 ) 1975), abbreviated Francisco Franco Bahamonde and sometimes known as Generalisimo Francisco Franco, was the dictator and Head of State of Spain (in parts of the country from 1936, totally from 1939... In general, liberalization refers to a relaxation of previous government restrictions, usually in areas of social or economic policy. ...

Heavily influenced by comic books, Eric Gill and the narrative woodcuts of Frans Masereel, Harper's style evolved in the 1980s into a bolder, more expressionist direction, with much of his later artwork resembling wood or lino cuts, although in fact he still mainly works in pen and ink. A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ... Arthur Eric Rowton Gill (February 22, 1882–November 17, 1940) was a British sculptor, typographer and engraver. ... Four horsemen of the Apocalypse by Albrecht Dürer. ... Frans Masereel (1889-1972) was a Belgian painter, one of the greatest woodcut artist of our time. ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... On White II by Wassily Kandinsky, 1923. ...

One of the series of Harper's 1970s 'Visions' posters, originally done for Undercurrents magazine.

In 1987 Harper's Anarchy, A Graphic Guide, which he both wrote and illustrated, was published by Camden Press. Arguably, this has become a definitive introduction to the subject, combining a thorough overview of anarchism with his distinctive graphic work. As well as being one of Britain's leading radical illustrators, Harper remains a committed and engaged anarchist activist by continuing his involvement with the organisation of the UK's annual Anarchist Bookfair, and small press publishing projects. His work regularly appears in the British newspaper The Guardian. File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Guardian is a British newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. ...

A book of Harper's collected illustrations for The Guardian's regular Country Diary column was published by Agraphia Press in 2003. Country Diary is a daily natural history column in the English newspaper The Guardian, first published in Novermber 1906. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

He has also designed anarchist postage stamps. This 1974 stamp from Japan depicts a Class 8620 steam locomotive. ...

Harper's poster for the 1996 Anarchist Bookfair, illustrating his evolution to a more expressionistic and woodcut-like style.

Graphic Anarchy, a free exhibition of his work, was held from 4 April until 30 May 2003 at the Newsroom Gallery, London. Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Four horsemen of the Apocalypse by Albrecht Dürer. ... April 4 is the 94th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (95th in leap years). ... May 30 is the 150th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (151st in leap years). ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also: Anarchism in the arts, libertarian socialism

Visual Art Freddie Baer André Breton Carlo Carrà Flavio Constantini Mike Flugennock Clifford Harper Jay Kinney (Anarchy Comics) Arthur Moyse Latuff Laura Norder Donald Rooum (Wildcat Comics, see Freedom newspaper) Franklin Rosemont Penelope Rosemont Mark Rothko Winston Smith Seth Tobocman Camille Pissarro Gee Vaucher John Yates Music A Silver Mt. ... Libertarian socialism is any one of a group of political philosophies dedicated to opposing coercive forms of authority and social hierarchy, in particular the institutions of capitalism and the state. ...

Books

• Radical Technology - includes 6 'Visions' and other drawings by Clifford Harper (edited by Peter Harper, Godfrey Boyle and the editors of Undercurrents Wildwood House, 1976)
• The Education Of Desire - The Anarchist Graphics Of Clifford Harper (Annares Press 1984)
• Anarchy, A Graphic Guide (Camden Press 1987)
• The Unknown Deserter - the Brief war of Private Aby Harris in Nine Drawings (Working Press, 1989)
• Visions of Poesy - an Anthology of Anarchist Poetry (co-edited with Dennis Gould, Freedom Press, 1990)
• Country Diary (Agraphia Press, 2003)

The Freedom Press premises in Angel Alley, Whitechapel, east London Freedom Press is the oldest surviving anarchist publishing house in the English speaking world and the largest in Britain. ...

External links

• An article about Harper's art appears in the Anarchist publication Organise! here

• Agraphia Clifford Harper's official website (Flash Media, with poor accessibility)