British Library aims to trace writers, photographers and artists whose work appeared in magazine from 1972 to 1993It was radical, out there, with covers shouting from the news stands on subjects ranging from "Liberating Orgasm" to "Kitchen sink racism" and the prevalence of "disturbing images of women".Spare Rib charted the grassroots feminist movement through 239 editions from its 1972 launch to the magazine's demise in 1993.Its pages, produced after lengthy and challenging debate by the collective that ran it, reflected an era when, to quote co-founding editor Marsha Rowe, women were "changing the way we used language, the way we talked and dressed and lived".Now the British Library is embarking on one of its most ambitious projects, which it is hoped will result in the complete run of the magazine being digitised and accessible free on its website.It is ambitious because of the very ethos of a magazine run by a collective that accepted work from thousands of contributors – mainly women but also men – during its 21 years.Copyright laws demand the British Library locate and gain permission from the majority of them for the dream to become reality, so the call-out has been made to anyone who contributed to its design, illustration, words or photographs to get in touch. Although it is a feasibility study at this stage, the library needs as many contributors as possible to contact it by the end of January."It's such an iconic magazine of the women's liberation movement, and... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2013-12-14 00:00:00 UTC ]