Printed Matter is pleased to announce there is xerox on the insides of your eyelids, an exhibition surveying American underground skate culture zines from the 1980s, curated by Rich Jacobs. The exhibition will open on Saturday, November 8th and run through November 22nd. Printed Matter is located in New York City at 195 Tenth Avenue (between 21st and 22nd Streets).

there is xerox on the insides of your eyelids is a survey of the aesthetics and visual contribution of skateboard zines in the 1980s. Touching on youthful self-publishing and the do-it-yourself-because-no-one-else-will enthusiasm of punk rock, the exhibition explores the raw, cut-and-paste style of the medium while documenting a vibrant youth culture that thrived through word of mouth and conventional (i.e. pre-digital) distribution networks.

The communities showcased in the exhibition were small—typically, circles of friends traded these much sought-after and very limited (often in editions of less than 30) journals and magazines hand to hand or through the post. Over a hundred titles will be included in the exhibition by artists such as James Alder, Rob Ben, Brian Brannon, Randy Burke and Ray Stevens, Rodger Bridges, J. Grant Brittain, Bucket, Steve Cabelerro, Ron Cameron, Thomas Campbell, Mark Canohan, Phread Conrad, Bill Daniel, Garry Davis, Wes Dean, John Dettman-Lytle, Pete Diantoni, Dan Estabrook, Phil Franklin, John Freeborn, Mark Gonzales, Wes Hall, Garielle Holley, Rich Jacobs, Andrew Jefferey Wright, Andy Jenkins, Chris Johanson, Tim Kerr, Randy Kiliwag, Bryce Knaights, Susan Lapper, Mark Lewman, Benie McGinn, Mofo, Lance Mountain & Neil Blender, Corey & Gaviin O’Brien, ’ O ’, Phil.e, Britt Parrott, Dennis Remsing, Chris Shary, Ed Templeton, Randy Biscuit Turner, Miki Vucovich, Adam Wallacavage, Mark Waters, Pat Weakland, Kevin Wilkins, Bryan Wendzel & Alberto Kroeger, Jocko Weyland, Tobin Yelland & Earl Parker, and Jeff Winterberg.

Rich Jacobs (b. 1972) is an artist/curator who spends much of his time gathering unusual information, collecting recorded raw music(s), and books on things that he finds compelling and moving. there is xerox on the insides of your eyelids is drawn largely from his own collection. For the last 10 years or so, Jacobs has curated a series of large group art exhibitions under the “move” moniker both here and abroad. Having recently left New York, he now lives and works in San Francisco.

A book with the same title is forthcoming and a special limited edition zine will be made for this exhibition.