In the 1970s, Portland writers, designers, and illustrators shaped the counterculture movement through their use of independent publishing. Scrappy newspapers such as the Portland Scribe were launched as a reaction to the Vietnam War and echoed the counterculture movement from the 1960s, while publications like One Dollar experimented with sleek design and a highlight on the arts. In the 1980s, Just Out united and amplified the LGBTQ+ community and Clinton Street Quarterly proved that independent journalism could be an exquisitely designed work of art!

The event features a vibrant talk about the design, people, technologies and cultural forces that powered these independent publications of the 70s and 80s by Portland Design History’s Melissa Delzio.

Before and after the talk, a Publication Fair exhibits over a hundred works for hands-on browsing while DJ Slouch spins music from Portland’s 70s & 80s scene.

Underground Pressis an event hosted by Portland Design History and PNCA Design as a part of AIGA Portland’s Design Month.

This event is free for PNCA students, be prepared to show student ID, and check in at registration. Others can get tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/underground-press-portlands-counterculture-publications-of-the-70s-80s-tickets-999631985177?aff=oddtdtcreator

Portland Design History is a design & illustration archive for the Rose City.

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