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1966 American flag burning as art ?...
1966 American flag burning as art ?...
Item # 718430
April 14, 1966
THE VILLAGE VOICE (weekly), Greenwich Village, New York, April 14, 1966
* American flag burning in theater performance
* Puerto Rican artist Jose Rodriquez-Soltero
* Timothy Leary appearance ad - Andy Warhol
Page 7 has a heading: "American Flag Burned In Theatre Spectacle" with lead-in: "Closing Threatened" and 2 related photos. (see images)
AI notes: In 1966, José Rodriguez-Soltero staged a controversial and politically charged performance at New York City's Bridge Theater in which he burned an American flag as part of a screening of his film LBJ, a psychedelic and satirical critique of President Lyndon B. Johnson and U.S. imperialism. The act of flag burning—then still legal but deeply provocative—was a bold protest against the Vietnam War, American colonialism (particularly in Puerto Rico), and the oppressive values of mainstream society, especially as they affected queer and marginalized communities. Rodriguez-Soltero, a key figure in the queer avant-garde art scene, used this shocking gesture to fuse radical politics with experimental art, challenging audiences to confront the violence and hypocrisy of the American state. Featuring flamboyant performances, including by drag icon Mario Montez, LBJ merged camp aesthetics with revolutionary zeal, making the flag burning both a symbolic and literal rejection of the patriotic narratives upheld by the government. This performance solidified Rodriguez-Soltero’s role as a transgressive artist who weaponized spectacle to assert dissent and queer visibility in a time of intense social and political repression.
Page 19 has a 6 x 5 1/2 inch notice for a "TIMOTHY LEARY" engagement.
Page 31 has a notice for a Andy Warhol performance.
I suspect this to be an extremely rare item because there was really no reason to save it at the time.
It is worth noting that "The Village Voice" was an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955, the Voice began as a platform for the creative community of New York City.
Complete with 40 pages, tabloid-size, one crease across the center, nice condition.
Provenance note: This issue comes from The Village Voice's own archives, part of their in-house collection used to create their digital archive. Rare as such.
Alert: Many issues of The Village Voice contain articles and/or photos which some consider offensive, and are certainly inappropriate for children. Please purchase with discretion.
Category: The 20th Century
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$52.00
