Punk and Hippie

The artists Ben Jones and Christopher CF Forgues, working under the pseudonym
Paper Radio, were two of the most influential cartoonists of the New England underground in the
early 2000s. Their narrative art style bordered on abstraction, with an appeal that was both
personal to its creators and spoke to the middle class experience common to the members of the
subtly influential creative underground. Artists before them became part of the creative works
that emerged from a warehouse in Providence, Rhode Island, called Fort Thunder. It was an
unconventional silkscreen studio plastered with art inspired by pop-culture such as Saturday
morning cartoons, 1980s video games, and science fiction films. Though the settings and
imagery were fantastic, the subjects and dialogues were often mundane. Jones and Forgues both
grew up in Massachusetts in areas where distinctions between suburb, urban, and rural areas
blurred. With this juxtaposition of environments, as well as the areas Puritan history, the
resulting feelings of rebellion and isolation were expressed in their art. The mediums they used
reflected this too, the nebulous format of photocopied zine rather than proper paint and canvas
being another form of expression. By distributing these art books for free they hoped to gain a
loyal fan base quickly.
There is a certain kind of skill in spontaneity, the unrehearsed and raw outpouring of an
idea in as few materials as possible. By leaving some areas blank, it invites the reader to
complete the picture. No form of art is done without and audience in mind. Though the
anonymous distribution prevented fans from connecting directly with the artists, this only left
them the freedom to create without criticism.

Nadel, D. (2016, May). Punk and hippie. Art in America, May 2016, 128-135.