Berlin: Martin-Gropius Bau, 1988 21 x 10cm, 6pp (single folded sheet). A posthumous retrospective with three works in colour on the front and internally another in b/w. Some ink writing on the inside of the leaflet else VG. ...
Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1988
8.4 x 13cm, 1pp. Artist's card attacking the Guardian art critic Januszczak. The text "Reader, be warned that within this thicket there lurks a name" is a jibe at the Polish name and a slight hint that Finlay regards Januszczak as a thicko. As with some of Finlay's attacks, this might well have been better not published as it hints at a xenophobia (which may have seemed less in 1988) although knowing Finlay he probably saw the profuse use of consonants in the name and thought of nothing else but that is being generous.
Finlay's ire was not to be fired up and a majority of the cards he published in the late 80s were attacks on his enemies. While sometimes amusing, and sometimes well aimed at people who had criticised him mostly unfairly, many are little more than slight barbs and this period of artist card production was not that artistically valid. VG+
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Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1988
10.1 x 14.8cm, 1pp. Artist's card attacking Michel Blum. The three lines read: "League fo Rights", "League of Bookts" and "League of Whips". VG+.
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Dijon: Association pour la diffusion de l'art Contemporain, 1988
21 x 14cm, 24pp plus card covers and printed grey dustjacket. First edition of this artist's book which claims to reproduce nine sepia-toned portraits of Harly "found in a cigar box by the artist". Geo Harly was a pre-war entertainer it seems and a man who loved his mother. One of 300 numbered copies. VG+.
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Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1988
10.1 x 14.8cm, 1pp. Artist's card with a declaration that mirrors those of the Committee of Public Safety during the French Revolution where (here) Michel Blum) is referred to the Committee of General Security, for his various crimes and asking anyone wishing to offer evidence for or against Blum to write to Finlay. Dull and probably produced in the hope that some dirt on Blum might actually arise from someone reading the card.VG+.
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Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1988
10.1 x 12.7cm, 1pp. Artist's card with a quotation - "Racism of the anti-racists, terrorism of the anti-terrorists: the 1980's are the 1930's stood on their head." (sic) Typographically the two dates are set above in large font size with the 1930 upside down to make a visual correspondence to the each other and the text. Another attack card here without naming criticising Millet and her cohorts. Interestingly Finlay makes one of his rare mistakes in the text and incorrectly adds a " to the years. VG+.
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Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1988
10.3 x 15cm, 1pp. Artist's card with an amusing adaption of the much loved children's first line of learnt French - taken from a song - here altered to become:
Le Pen est dans le jardin avec ma tante."
and dedicated to Catherine Millet. The "Le Pen" refers to the French leader of the fascist Front Nationale and one assumes the "aunt" is Millet. Nicely barbed. A monostich is a one line poem integral to itself. VG+
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Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1988
10.3 x 14.2cm, 1pp. Artist's card with a quote from Jean-Paul Marat to Michel Blum and Yves Hayat (obviously re-applied by Finlay) which suggests that they do not have judgement, courage or virtues. The design here is the same as that of the previous card "Cruel and ingenious sophists". VG+.
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Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1988
10.3 x 14.2cm, 1pp. Artist's card with a quote from Robespierre to Catherine Millet and Jonathan Hirschfeld (obviously re-applied by Finlay) which suggests that they are charlatans and that they will "be carried away like insects in its on-rush; your success will be as fleeting as lies and your shame as immortal as truth". The design here is the same as that of the following card "Paris is the sink of all virtues. VG+.
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NYC: Mary Boone/Michael Werner, 1988 18 x 12.5cm, 4pp announcement card for a solo show - one work The door of innocence from 1986 is shown in colour on the outside, internally gallery details printed in gold and black. VG+. ...