Heads Together. Weed and the Underground Press Syndicate 1965 – 1973
This extensive collection of magazine cuttings from the 1960s and 1970s on the subject of cannabis offers a high-energy homage to the illustrations, typefaces and design styles of the era. The reproductions generally stand one to a book page, frequently cropped and almost always printed full bleed. They are thematically grouped into chapters, occasionally accompanied by captions that have been ’stuck in’ using the cut-out technique typical of the time. The effect is less like prepared archive material and more of a stream of consciousness. The quantity and diversity can at times become disorientating, as the collection and the design are intentionally overwhelming. Direct reproduction of historical material is not a new design technique, but here it has an almost timeless feel in its simplicity. The few text elements are an introductory essay by the editor and some voices of contemporary witnesses; these, along with the contents page, picture credits, publishing details, and so on, allow for some wonderful moments of expressive, playful typography.
