Catalogue Number
NMLH.2025.37.63
Object Name
Poster
Title
Stop Police Repression of Clowns and Street Performers
Place
Paddington Printshop, London; Portobello
People
John Phillips (designer); Paddington Printshop; Daniel Rovai
Date
1976
Description
Screenprinted poster, "Stop Police Repression of Clowns and Street Performers" in red text made up of stick figures in contorted shapes to make the letters. A whole page illustration shows a policeman with blue skin, yellow eyes, and a silver grin of pointed teeth, pitching a clown by the nose. The clown has white face paint, exaggerated red lips, cheeks and eyebrows, and round red nose. They wear a red and white polka dot outfit. The clown is laying horizontally, with the policeman looming over them. In a yellow text bubble in the bottom left, green text reads "Capitalism represses the desire to love, the desire to live, laugh and accept love given freely. Daniel Rovai, Clown, was arrested and brutally beaten up by the police on Feb. 21 '76, his crime - miming and juggling to a Portobello crowd."
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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