The Lumpen Times

A 30-year history of Lumpen Times, a Chicago-based zine serving as a "Front for the left in the Arts," The Lumpen Times book tells the story of a publication founded in friendship and a belief that you can create alternatives to the dominant culture. This countercultural do-it-together philosophy became a modus operandi for promoting and building independent and "alternative" culture in many forms: art, activism, music, performance, technology, subcultures, scenes, brands, and eventually a network of non-profit platforms and for-profit businesses.