1956 - Tomi Ungerer Adverts

Examples of Ungerer's designs from 1956

.
This is very similar to his style of work appearing in his 1960 book Horrible. Its interesting that its in French - presumably he worked in advertising in France prior to his move to America.

Tomi Ungerer - Horrible. An Account of the Sad Achievements of Progress (1960)

Horrible. An Account of the Sad Achievements of Progress, New York, Atheneum Publishers, 1960.

Tomi Ungerer’s Weltschmerz. Eine Bilanz der traurigen Errungenschaften des Fortschritts, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1961.

                These are the same volume. Its one of my favourites – it contains a mixture of cartoons and photo-montages. Some of the material appeared in earlier advertising campaigns. The introduction by Art Buchwald, an American humourist, is quite funny and it mentions that Ungerer was one the top names in advertising at the time. It’s odd that there hasn’t been a subsequent collection of his advertising work. I don’t recall seen much of his advertising work on display at his museum either. I think that gives me an idea for subsequent posts...

Tomi Ungerer (in English)

Tomi Ungerer is another of my favourite cartoonists. Although "cartooning" really only covers a small aspect of his career, its this aspect that first attracted me to his work and I admire most.

His long career covers children book illustration, cartooning, poster art, photography, landscapes, and most notoriously erotic artworks. I cannot imagine that an individual nowadays being able to simultaneously pursue parallel careers in children's publishing and adult-themed erotic artworks.

He doesn't seem very well known in the UK, although I understand he was better known in the US (of the English speaking countries). In total, he has enjoyed a 50+ year publishing career and has a dedicated museum in Strasbourg (which is excellent).

Unusually for a cartoonist/illustrator, Ungerer seems to have gained acceptance amongst the mainstream art world, rather like Saul Steinberg has too.

I won't repeat what you can find on Wikipedia, but what strikes me as puzzling is his acceptance by state-funded art organizations given the sometimes extreme nature of his artworks. I think this might be explained, in that his work might fulfill a political need to demonstrate cultural ties between France and Germany. Significantly, Ungerer is from Strasbourg, on the border region between the two countries and which has been fought over during his lifetime.

I particularly like his early-to-mid sixties work, although some of his books from this period are becoming difficult to find at a reasonable price. I have sometimes found it cheaper to buy German-language re-issues than the English-language original publications. After all, it doesn't matter too much if the introduction is in German, as the illustrations are best bits anyway.

Here is a hopefully complete bibliography of his adult publications from 1960 through to the mid-eighties. I chose to end it then because after this time his books were rarely published in English (and I’ve not seen them).

The bibliography is complicated because his works are published in multiple languages for different markets, and some titles were only printed in specific territories. In addition, his artwork is frequently recycled in many subsequent titles, and it’s not obvious if a particular books contains new material or not.

In the coming months I hope to review select titles and mention which volumes contain new material and if not, where the illustrations originally appeared.

Horrible. An Account of the Sad Achievements of Progress, New York, Atheneum Publishers, 1960.
Tomi Ungerer’s Weltschmerz. Eine Bilanz der traurigen Errungenschaften des Fortschritts, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1961.
Inside Marriage, New York, Grove Press, 1960.
Der schönste Tag, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1960.
Ho Ho Hochzeit, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1971.
Der Herzinfarkt. Ein Stundenbuch für Geschäftsleute, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1962.
Der erfolgreiche Geschäftsmann. Ein Stundenbuch für Managers, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1976.
The Underground Sketchbook, New York, The Viking Press, 1964.
Les Carnets secrets de Tomi Ungerer, Paris, Denoël, 1964.
Tomi Ungerer’s Geheimes Skizzenbuch, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1968.
Der Sexmaniak, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1968.
The Party, New York, Paragraphic Books, Grossman Publishers, 1966.
The Party, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1969.
Une soirée mondaine, Paris, Albin Michel, 1976.
Fornicon, New York, Grove Press, 1970.
Fornicon, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1970.
Fornicon, Paris, éd. Jean-Claude Simoën, 1978.
Tomi Ungerer’s Compromises, New York, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1970.
Tomi Ungerer’s Kompromisse, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1970.
Spiegelmensch. Ein deutsches Wintermärchen, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1973.
Adam und Eva, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1974.
America. Zeichnungen 1956-1971, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1974.
Freut Euch des Lebens. 101 Skizzen und Studien für ein deutsches Volks- und Kinderliederbuch, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1975.
Hopp, hopp, hopp. Liederliche Liederskizzen, Cologne (édition privée), 1975.
Totempole. Erotische Zeichnungen 1968-1975, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1976.
I Designi di Tomi Ungerer, Milan, A. Garzanti, 1976.
Cartoon Classics, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1977.
Babylon, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1979.
Babylone, Paris, Arthur Hubschmidt éditeur, 1979.
Politrics. Posters, cartoons 1960-1979, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1979.
Abracadabra, Cologne, Argos Verlag, 1979.
Abracadra, Paris, éd. Jean-Claude Simoën, 1979.
Symptomatics, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1982.
Cartoon Classics, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1982.
Tomi Ungerers Cartoons, Munich, Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, 1982.
Das Kamasutra der Frösche, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1982.
The Joy of Frogs, Londres, Souvenir Press, 1984.
Frisch, frosch, fröhlich, frei, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1985.
Les Grenouillades, Paris, Herscher, 1985.
Slow Agony, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1983.
Heute hier, morgen fort / Here Today, Gone Tomorrow, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1983.
Far Out Isn’t Far Enough, Londres, Methuen, 1984.
Nos années de boucherie, Paris, L’École des loisirs, 1987.
Rigor Mortis, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1983.
Tomi Ungerers Schwarzbuch, Hambourg, Gruner und Jahr AG & Co, 1984.
Tomi Ungerers Frauen. Zeichnungen 1956-1983, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1984.
Roberto Trulli [pseudonyme de T. Ungerer], Femme fatale, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1984.
Once in a Lifetime, Londres, Jonathan Cape Ltd, 1984.
Testament. A Collection of Satirical Drawings 1960-1980, Londres, Jonathan Cape, 1985.
Testament. Recueil de dessins satiriques 1960-1980, Paris, Herscher, 1985.
Warteraum. Wiedersehen mit dem Zauberberg, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1985.
Schutzengel der Hölle, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1986.
Tomi Ungerers Fundsachen, Ellert & Richter, Hambourg, 1987.
Derby, Zurich, Diogenes Verlag, 1987.

Leonard Cohen - Death Of a Ladies Man (1977)

This is one of my all-time favourite albums, but its overlooked within Cohen's discography. It doesn't really fit neatly with the rest of his work - so perhaps this partly explains it. Compared with Cohen's other work the production is much richer and the songs are funnier too.

It was recorded in 1977 and produced by the legendary/infamous Phil SPector who is credited with writing the music. According to wikipedia Cohen and Spector fell-out during through recording (rather like Lennon  did with Spector during the Rock'n'Roll sessions), so several songs only feature guide-vocals. Spector can
be heard providing backing vocals on several tunes - his weedy, thin voice can be best heard in the fade-outs.

Cohen is often regarded as a solemn, melancholy artst but this album is packed with wry humour. The songs are mainly about sexual frustration and relationships. As evidence - just check-out the song title "Don't Go Home with Your Hard-On". Bob Dylan and Allen Ginsberg also feature among the massed-chorus of this song.

Jarvis Cocker, springs-to-mind, as another artist whose songs have covered similar themes.

I can't think of any other case where I can detect any direct musical influence in Cohen's work - but elements of Donovan's Atlantis and Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, I think, can be heard in the 9-minute final track "Death of a Ladies' Man".

It'd be interesting to read some contemporary reviews of this album. I gather it was a critical and commercial failure at the time and Cohen was dismissive of the results.

Its also got a great cover. Just who are those women?

I think in the 36 years since its recording, it has dated-well, and I can easily imagine listening to this album in another 36. (I hope so anyway).

Kilban - just who was he?

Kliban was by all accounts was a guarded individual who only very rarely granted interviews. It occurred to me that after many years as a fan that I didn't know what he looked like. There's a cartoon of his called, something like, "Watch-out Cartoonist in Town" (I forget the precise title) and it shows a Jewish-Italian looking guy with busty models on either arm, strutting down the street, with by-standers showing deference to-da-man. This is the likeness that I had in mind. I wasn't too far wrong - I guess the cartoon was also a clever self-parody.

Here is an article providing many biographical details and tantalising photos of him as a teen and as an adult.

The Hour - Oct 2, 2003

The Hour - Oct 2, 2003

The Hour - Oct 2, 2003

Tuli Kupferberg on Self-Publishing

This rare article first appeared in DC Gazette, June 1982. Tuli talks about his self-publishing ventures in the pre-blogging, pre-internet age. Do try and checkout some of his self-published gems - they are becoming increasing rare - perhaps in the future they'll only be found in museum collections..

DC Gazette, June 1982, p 8

DC Gazette, June 1982, p9

Recreational / Political Kliban

This rare poster is probably alone in conveying Klibans' personal political views

Apple Pie, January 1976

 

.