Description

“With Coen Tasman’s Clearly Kabouter: Chronicle of the Dutch Counterculture, Autonomedia adds yet another valuable publication to its series on the history of Holland’s radical ‘mythical’ era (between 1965 and 1974). From the Provo Movement and the artists and freethinkers who launched the Assault on the Impossible, we turn here to the countercultural Kabouter Movement. Coen Tasman offers us an authentic account of the collective effort to create a greener car-free city center, shops with pesticide-free food, resistance to the developer-generated housing shortage, and many other innovative ideas that came to public attention in exuberantly playful ways, both within and outside the City Council. The Kabouter Movement’s legacy remains highly relevant today.” — Annemarie de Wildt, curator, The Amsterdam Museum

“The essential sourcebook for all Kabouterphiles past, present and future, finally translated into English by Jordan Zinovich!” — Ron Sakolsky, author, Dreams of Anarchy and the Anarchy of Dreams: Adventures at the Crossroads of Anarchy & Surrealism

“Coen Tasman gives us a first-hand account of a unique and daring attempt to create a joyful society. The Kabouter Movement mushroomed half a century ago in the Netherlands and its spores are now more pertinent than ever.” — Hans Plomp, founding squatter of Amsterdam’s Ruigoord Cultural Free Port

“As a cultural critic of sorts, I find that my writings often concentrate almost exclusively on negative critique. Not so for this exploration of the Kabouter Movement! Coen Tasman’s Clearly Kabouter documents gnomish dances in hallowed Amsterdam streets. In response to the old Cherneschevskian question (What Is To Be Done?), it guides us to the mycelium that will power future clashes with Miserabilism. Break out the nose flutes. All Power to the Nature Spirits of the True Revolution!” — Hakim Bey, author, TAZ