Icteric. Nos. 1 - 4. (All Published).

Newcastle upon Tyne.: Published for the Fine Art Society of the University of Newcastle by Icteric / Ron Hunt., 1967 - 2018.. 4 volumes. Original printed wrappers, stapled (nos. 1-3); fourth issue consists of cards and poster loose in an envelope.. (21 x 15 cm).. pp. (40; 60; 30). A complete set of this radical Situationist student magazine, which took its name from the clinical term for both jaundice and its remedy. Ron Hunt, then the Fine Art Librarian at Newcastle University (he had originally been invited up to Newcastle by Richard Hamilton in 1963), helped form a collective of dissenting students which called themselves Icteric. The group was to include the twins David and Stuart Wise, who would go on to form the underground Situationist faction King Mob. The Icteric group set about working against the art school elitism encountered within the art department in Newcastle. The group’s anti-art stance in Newcastle-upon-Tyne fed into active subversion, as the influence of the International Situationists began to make a big impact in student circles. The first issue of the Icteric magazine came out in January 1967. The magazine’s cover features a ‘sculpture’ by the Wise twins, and they also contributed a text ‘Notes on Butterflies’. Ron Hunt’s contribution was an interview with Rotraut, Yves Klein’s widow. The second issue of the magazine came out in June ’67. The cover - like the first a jaundiced yellow - shows a mountain range with the names of ‘heroes’ scattered across it: Breton, Tatlin, Picabia, Satie, De Chirico, Flaherty, Sartre, etc. The issue includes a group interview with John Cage. The third number of Icteric, a themetic number on Death, was due to be published in 1968, but due to the student events of May 68, its publication was cancelled. Ron Hunt was to finally publish a third issue in 2008 entitled “…as play: On the supersession of art”, marking forty years since May ’68, and a final fourth issue in 2018 marking the 50th anniversary.