Catalogue Number
NMLH.2025.37.23
Object Name
Poster
Title
Join Meanwhile Gardens Community Assoc
Place
Paddington Printshop, London
People
Meanwhile Gardens; John Phillips (designer); Paddington Printshop
Description
Screenprinted poster, âJoin Meanwhile Gardens Community Assoc[iation]â, below an illustration of a green Christmas tree with multi-coloured flowers all over the branches. The pot the tree is planted in says âMeanwhile Gardensâ on. In the bottom left, reads âeverywhere in London behind corrugated iron there is there derelict land. Use it for - allotments, flowers, trees, mazes, playgrounds, bicycle & skateboard tracks, fish ponds & anything else you can think of.â The background is white.
This poster was made by Paddington Printshop, a community graphic design and print workshop in West London, co-founded by John Phillips and Pippa Smith. Between 1975-1991, the centre printed over 400 designs for left-wing community organisations. These publicised local political campaigns such as housing rights and food co-ops, to social gatherings including play days, gardening clubs, gigs and festivals. Their do-it-yourself style was part of the proto-punk ethos.
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