MAINTENANT 17: A Journal of Contemporary Dada Writing and Art

by Peter Carlaftes (Editor), Kat Georges (Editor)

When a war ends provisionally, the agreement is called a ceasefire. But when peace ends, there is only war. War and peace are co-dependent. Perhaps it is now time for a “Peacefire.” 
In Maintenant 17: A Journal of Contemporary Dada Writing and Art , nearly 250 artists from more than 40 countries explore the concept of the end of both war and peace, exploring provocative outsider ideas as dada has done since its inception. With searing cover art by Uta Kaxniashvili , this issue of the renowned journal elaborates on dada’s original premise as an antiwar movement.

The Maintenant series, established in 2008, explores themes of politics, humanity, philosophy, and current concerns from an antiwar, anarchic (and often eye-opening) perspective. Past issues include work by artists Mark Kostabi, Raymond Pettibon, Joel Hubaut, Heide Hatry, Avelino de Araujo, Pawel Kuczynski, Inas Al-Soqi, Giovanni Fontana, Nicole Eisenmann, Syporca Whandal, and Kazunori Murakami; past writers have included Gerard Malanga, Charles Plymell, Andrei Codrescu, Harry E. Northup, Malik Crumpler, Maw Shein Win, and more, with a strong contingent of artist-writers from the world of punk rock, including Thurston Moore, Mike Watt, Bibbe Hanson and more.

Critics have praised the series since its inception. Seattle Book Review calls Maintenant , “A smorgasbord for those who are sick and tired of it.” Tribe LA dubs the journal, "A compilation of leading Dada-influenced artists from around the world that is timely and relevant.” Serbia's Madjan Magazine proclaims that the Maintenant series proves "Dada is not dead." The Maintenant series is archived in leading institutions worldwide, including Museum of Modern Art New York.

Genres: Politics, Poetry

272 pages, Paperback

Published July 18, 2023

About the author

PETER CARLAFTES is a New York-based performance artist, playwright, fiction author, actor, and poet. He is co-director and acquisitions editor for Three Rooms Press, a fierce, independent publisher inspired by Dada, punk and passion. Most recently, he edited the anthology THE FAKING OF THE PRESIDENT: Nineteen Tales of White House Noir. He is co-editor of the annual Dada writing and art journal, MAINTENANT: A Journal of Contemporary Writing and Art and several editions of the short story collection, HAVE A NYC. Additionally, Carlaftes is the author of A YEAR ON FACEBOOK (humor), DRUNKYARD DOG, I FOLD WITH THE HAND I WAS DEALT (poetry), TRIUMPH FOR RENT: Three Plays, and TEATROPHY: Three More Plays.He has appeared in numerous Off-Broadway productions, including his comic solo performance piece, “Lenny Bruce: Dead & Well,” as well as “Barefoot in the Park” and Stephen Adly Guirgis' “Den of Thieves.” He lives in New York City.

Reviews

[Amy Barone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maintenant's newest edition features phenomenal Dada art and poetry from a mix of talents from around the world. Carrying out the theme of "peacefire," the publication is a must read of strong, timely, and provocative works