Stapled, sewn or folded: The evolving history of the ‘Spineless Wonder’
We sit down with curatorial team Tansy Barton, Christos Fotelis and Leila Kassir to discuss the latest display at Senate House Library...
By
Adam Wells
July 1, 2025
To start off, could you talk a little about the definition of ‘Spineless Wonders’ that you used when curating this exhibition? What criteria were used to decide what was & wasn’t included?
The exhibition grew out of a research network of the same name, which investigates all sorts of small press publications and other forms of ‘spineless’ textual works from pottery shards to artists’ books to zines. ‘Spineless wonders’ are forms of literature, communication or art published without intending to be bound with a solid spine or boards.
For the exhibition, we had to narrow the definition to both create a narrative within the space we have available and to highlight the strengths of the library’s collections. One of the first criteria was to focus on printed pieces, generally excluding manuscripts or text-based objects (although we do feature a few!), and on a relatively small range of formats: stapled or sewn pamphlets, single sheets and folded leaflets. We then selected material on some broad themes that came out of the library’s collections- political and radical discourse and printing for pleasure and entertainment. Even with these criteria, it was a difficult task to make our final selection!
Your website describes the works in this exhibition as “[presenting] another view of history” - what can the Spineless Wonders tell us about the democratisation of writing outside the traditional publishing system?
The exhibition covers a long period of time – the oldest item is from 1491 and the most recent from 2020. Ideas of printing, publishing, and authorship have changed many times, as have the opportunities for individuals and groups to access the means of production. What we hope the exhibition does show is that when printing processes are more accessible (smaller, more portable printing presses in the 19th century and mimeographs and photocopiers in the 20th, for example), the production of pamphlets and other similar material proliferates.
Are there any challenges in preserving works such as these, which are, by definition, ephemeral?
Many of these works don’t survive; they haven’t been collected by libraries or other collections and so have disappeared. The exhibition draws from all areas of the library’s collections, and many have only entered an institutional collection as they were collected by individuals with an interest in specific subjects, who then donated their collections.
Then there are the more practical challenges of storing and caring for items that can be very fragile and usually don’t have the boards and spine of a book binding to protect them. Some of the earliest pamphlets have been bound, individually or in groups, ensuring their preservation but essentially altering their ‘spineless’ nature.
Another essential part of preserving and making these works accessible is cataloguing, ensuring they can be found and used.
Many of the works in this exhibition promote activism and social change. How effective were these, and what role did they play in their respective campaigns?
It is hard at this distance to know how effective most of these works were at the time of publication. What is clear, however, is that amongst the political publications, some were intended to be direct responses to urgent situations while others espoused ideas which were ahead of their time.
For example, Kay Beauchamp’s communist pamphlet Fascism and How to Defeat It was published in response to Oswald Mosley’s standing for parliament in 1959. This pamphlet was aimed at assisting a post-WW2 generation in fighting Mosley, who had founded the British Union of Fascists in 1932. The urgency is reflected in the pamphlet’s design – the pages are not folded, merely stapled together in a pile.
Alternatively, Edward Carpenter’s 1894 publication Homogenic Love is a call for lesbian and gay equality. At the time of publication, homosexuality was criminalised, so the pamphlet was published for private circulation only, which restricted its distribution. Although homosexuality was not partially decriminalised in England and Wales until 1967, Carpenter lived with his partner George Merrill. His pamphlet, at the very least, reflected his life and showed what was possible.
The exhibition does, however, display a 1909 edition of The Communist Manifesto, a pamphlet that has had a profound and international impact since its first publication in 1848.
Has the concept of the Spineless Wonder evolved in the contemporary world?
Today, the “spineless” idea feels more relevant than ever. In a digital age where content is often intangible, unbound printed matter carries a different urgency. Contemporary spineless works frequently intersect with protest, play, and self-publishing, just as in the past. Still, they now respond to new concerns such as digital fatigue, surveillance, and the disposability of online communication. Spineless print today can feel more intentional; something made to be held, shared, and remembered precisely because so much else isn’t.
Most of the works on display have a very handmade feel. Was it a conscious choice to spotlight clearly authored works at a time when technology is seeking to diminish the act of writing?
Yes, very much so. Many of the works we included highlight the hand-made (through photocopying, do-it-yourself elements, or visible folds and creases). This wasn’t just aesthetic; it was political. There’s power in seeing the human behind the message, especially now, when automation and algorithm-driven content can obscure who is speaking or why. These works reclaim the act of making, asserting that writing and printing are still acts of presence and resistance.
Do you think the emergence of new technologies will see a rise in the spirit of the works on display here in response?
The spirit has always been present but takes different forms depending on the times and cultural influences. Similarly, what technology is used is dependent on what is available and accessible. However, it is key to note that print production has not gone away, and ‘spineless’ material is still produced.
Spineless Wonders: The Power of Print Unbound is showing at Senate House Library until 15 November.
To start off, could you talk a little about the definition of ‘Spineless Wonders’ that you used when curating this exhibition? What criteria were used to decide what was & wasn’t included?
The exhibition grew out of a research network of the same name, which investigates all sorts of small press publications and other forms of ‘spineless’ textual works from pottery shards to artists’ books to zines. ‘Spineless wonders’ are forms of literature, communication or art published without intending to be bound with a solid spine or boards.
For the exhibition, we had to narrow the definition to both create a narrative within the space we have available and to highlight the strengths of the library’s collections. One of the first criteria was to focus on printed pieces, generally excluding manuscripts or text-based objects (although we do feature a few!), and on a relatively small range of formats: stapled or sewn pamphlets, single sheets and folded leaflets. We then selected material on some broad themes that came out of the library’s collections- political and radical discourse and printing for pleasure and entertainment. Even with these criteria, it was a difficult task to make our final selection!
Your website describes the works in this exhibition as “[presenting] another view of history” - what can the Spineless Wonders tell us about the democratisation of writing outside the traditional publishing system?
The exhibition covers a long period of time – the oldest item is from 1491 and the most recent from 2020. Ideas of printing, publishing, and authorship have changed many times, as have the opportunities for individuals and groups to access the means of production. What we hope the exhibition does show is that when printing processes are more accessible (smaller, more portable printing presses in the 19th century and mimeographs and photocopiers in the 20th, for example), the production of pamphlets and other similar material proliferates.
Are there any challenges in preserving works such as these, which are, by definition, ephemeral?
Many of these works don’t survive; they haven’t been collected by libraries or other collections and so have disappeared. The exhibition draws from all areas of the library’s collections, and many have only entered an institutional collection as they were collected by individuals with an interest in specific subjects, who then donated their collections.
Then there are the more practical challenges of storing and caring for items that can be very fragile and usually don’t have the boards and spine of a book binding to protect them. Some of the earliest pamphlets have been bound, individually or in groups, ensuring their preservation but essentially altering their ‘spineless’ nature.
Another essential part of preserving and making these works accessible is cataloguing, ensuring they can be found and used.
Many of the works in this exhibition promote activism and social change. How effective were these, and what role did they play in their respective campaigns?
It is hard at this distance to know how effective most of these works were at the time of publication. What is clear, however, is that amongst the political publications, some were intended to be direct responses to urgent situations while others espoused ideas which were ahead of their time.
For example, Kay Beauchamp’s communist pamphlet Fascism and How to Defeat It was published in response to Oswald Mosley’s standing for parliament in 1959. This pamphlet was aimed at assisting a post-WW2 generation in fighting Mosley, who had founded the British Union of Fascists in 1932. The urgency is reflected in the pamphlet’s design – the pages are not folded, merely stapled together in a pile.
Alternatively, Edward Carpenter’s 1894 publication Homogenic Love is a call for lesbian and gay equality. At the time of publication, homosexuality was criminalised, so the pamphlet was published for private circulation only, which restricted its distribution. Although homosexuality was not partially decriminalised in England and Wales until 1967, Carpenter lived with his partner George Merrill. His pamphlet, at the very least, reflected his life and showed what was possible.
The exhibition does, however, display a 1909 edition of The Communist Manifesto, a pamphlet that has had a profound and international impact since its first publication in 1848.
Has the concept of the Spineless Wonder evolved in the contemporary world?
Today, the “spineless” idea feels more relevant than ever. In a digital age where content is often intangible, unbound printed matter carries a different urgency. Contemporary spineless works frequently intersect with protest, play, and self-publishing, just as in the past. Still, they now respond to new concerns such as digital fatigue, surveillance, and the disposability of online communication. Spineless print today can feel more intentional; something made to be held, shared, and remembered precisely because so much else isn’t.
Most of the works on display have a very handmade feel. Was it a conscious choice to spotlight clearly authored works at a time when technology is seeking to diminish the act of writing?
Yes, very much so. Many of the works we included highlight the hand-made (through photocopying, do-it-yourself elements, or visible folds and creases). This wasn’t just aesthetic; it was political. There’s power in seeing the human behind the message, especially now, when automation and algorithm-driven content can obscure who is speaking or why. These works reclaim the act of making, asserting that writing and printing are still acts of presence and resistance.
Do you think the emergence of new technologies will see a rise in the spirit of the works on display here in response?
The spirit has always been present but takes different forms depending on the times and cultural influences. Similarly, what technology is used is dependent on what is available and accessible. However, it is key to note that print production has not gone away, and ‘spineless’ material is still produced.
Spineless Wonders: The Power of Print Unbound is showing at Senate House Library until 15 November.
To start off, could you talk a little about the definition of ‘Spineless Wonders’ that you used when curating this exhibition? What criteria were used to decide what was & wasn’t included?
The exhibition grew out of a research network of the same name, which investigates all sorts of small press publications and other forms of ‘spineless’ textual works from pottery shards to artists’ books to zines. ‘Spineless wonders’ are forms of literature, communication or art published without intending to be bound with a solid spine or boards.
For the exhibition, we had to narrow the definition to both create a narrative within the space we have available and to highlight the strengths of the library’s collections. One of the first criteria was to focus on printed pieces, generally excluding manuscripts or text-based objects (although we do feature a few!), and on a relatively small range of formats: stapled or sewn pamphlets, single sheets and folded leaflets. We then selected material on some broad themes that came out of the library’s collections- political and radical discourse and printing for pleasure and entertainment. Even with these criteria, it was a difficult task to make our final selection!
Your website describes the works in this exhibition as “[presenting] another view of history” - what can the Spineless Wonders tell us about the democratisation of writing outside the traditional publishing system?
The exhibition covers a long period of time – the oldest item is from 1491 and the most recent from 2020. Ideas of printing, publishing, and authorship have changed many times, as have the opportunities for individuals and groups to access the means of production. What we hope the exhibition does show is that when printing processes are more accessible (smaller, more portable printing presses in the 19th century and mimeographs and photocopiers in the 20th, for example), the production of pamphlets and other similar material proliferates.
Are there any challenges in preserving works such as these, which are, by definition, ephemeral?
Many of these works don’t survive; they haven’t been collected by libraries or other collections and so have disappeared. The exhibition draws from all areas of the library’s collections, and many have only entered an institutional collection as they were collected by individuals with an interest in specific subjects, who then donated their collections.
Then there are the more practical challenges of storing and caring for items that can be very fragile and usually don’t have the boards and spine of a book binding to protect them. Some of the earliest pamphlets have been bound, individually or in groups, ensuring their preservation but essentially altering their ‘spineless’ nature.
Another essential part of preserving and making these works accessible is cataloguing, ensuring they can be found and used.
Many of the works in this exhibition promote activism and social change. How effective were these, and what role did they play in their respective campaigns?
It is hard at this distance to know how effective most of these works were at the time of publication. What is clear, however, is that amongst the political publications, some were intended to be direct responses to urgent situations while others espoused ideas which were ahead of their time.
For example, Kay Beauchamp’s communist pamphlet Fascism and How to Defeat It was published in response to Oswald Mosley’s standing for parliament in 1959. This pamphlet was aimed at assisting a post-WW2 generation in fighting Mosley, who had founded the British Union of Fascists in 1932. The urgency is reflected in the pamphlet’s design – the pages are not folded, merely stapled together in a pile.
Alternatively, Edward Carpenter’s 1894 publication Homogenic Love is a call for lesbian and gay equality. At the time of publication, homosexuality was criminalised, so the pamphlet was published for private circulation only, which restricted its distribution. Although homosexuality was not partially decriminalised in England and Wales until 1967, Carpenter lived with his partner George Merrill. His pamphlet, at the very least, reflected his life and showed what was possible.
The exhibition does, however, display a 1909 edition of The Communist Manifesto, a pamphlet that has had a profound and international impact since its first publication in 1848.
Has the concept of the Spineless Wonder evolved in the contemporary world?
Today, the “spineless” idea feels more relevant than ever. In a digital age where content is often intangible, unbound printed matter carries a different urgency. Contemporary spineless works frequently intersect with protest, play, and self-publishing, just as in the past. Still, they now respond to new concerns such as digital fatigue, surveillance, and the disposability of online communication. Spineless print today can feel more intentional; something made to be held, shared, and remembered precisely because so much else isn’t.
Most of the works on display have a very handmade feel. Was it a conscious choice to spotlight clearly authored works at a time when technology is seeking to diminish the act of writing?
Yes, very much so. Many of the works we included highlight the hand-made (through photocopying, do-it-yourself elements, or visible folds and creases). This wasn’t just aesthetic; it was political. There’s power in seeing the human behind the message, especially now, when automation and algorithm-driven content can obscure who is speaking or why. These works reclaim the act of making, asserting that writing and printing are still acts of presence and resistance.
Do you think the emergence of new technologies will see a rise in the spirit of the works on display here in response?
The spirit has always been present but takes different forms depending on the times and cultural influences. Similarly, what technology is used is dependent on what is available and accessible. However, it is key to note that print production has not gone away, and ‘spineless’ material is still produced.
Spineless Wonders: The Power of Print Unbound is showing at Senate House Library until 15 November.
To start off, could you talk a little about the definition of ‘Spineless Wonders’ that you used when curating this exhibition? What criteria were used to decide what was & wasn’t included?
The exhibition grew out of a research network of the same name, which investigates all sorts of small press publications and other forms of ‘spineless’ textual works from pottery shards to artists’ books to zines. ‘Spineless wonders’ are forms of literature, communication or art published without intending to be bound with a solid spine or boards.
For the exhibition, we had to narrow the definition to both create a narrative within the space we have available and to highlight the strengths of the library’s collections. One of the first criteria was to focus on printed pieces, generally excluding manuscripts or text-based objects (although we do feature a few!), and on a relatively small range of formats: stapled or sewn pamphlets, single sheets and folded leaflets. We then selected material on some broad themes that came out of the library’s collections- political and radical discourse and printing for pleasure and entertainment. Even with these criteria, it was a difficult task to make our final selection!
Your website describes the works in this exhibition as “[presenting] another view of history” - what can the Spineless Wonders tell us about the democratisation of writing outside the traditional publishing system?
The exhibition covers a long period of time – the oldest item is from 1491 and the most recent from 2020. Ideas of printing, publishing, and authorship have changed many times, as have the opportunities for individuals and groups to access the means of production. What we hope the exhibition does show is that when printing processes are more accessible (smaller, more portable printing presses in the 19th century and mimeographs and photocopiers in the 20th, for example), the production of pamphlets and other similar material proliferates.
Are there any challenges in preserving works such as these, which are, by definition, ephemeral?
Many of these works don’t survive; they haven’t been collected by libraries or other collections and so have disappeared. The exhibition draws from all areas of the library’s collections, and many have only entered an institutional collection as they were collected by individuals with an interest in specific subjects, who then donated their collections.
Then there are the more practical challenges of storing and caring for items that can be very fragile and usually don’t have the boards and spine of a book binding to protect them. Some of the earliest pamphlets have been bound, individually or in groups, ensuring their preservation but essentially altering their ‘spineless’ nature.
Another essential part of preserving and making these works accessible is cataloguing, ensuring they can be found and used.
Many of the works in this exhibition promote activism and social change. How effective were these, and what role did they play in their respective campaigns?
It is hard at this distance to know how effective most of these works were at the time of publication. What is clear, however, is that amongst the political publications, some were intended to be direct responses to urgent situations while others espoused ideas which were ahead of their time.
For example, Kay Beauchamp’s communist pamphlet Fascism and How to Defeat It was published in response to Oswald Mosley’s standing for parliament in 1959. This pamphlet was aimed at assisting a post-WW2 generation in fighting Mosley, who had founded the British Union of Fascists in 1932. The urgency is reflected in the pamphlet’s design – the pages are not folded, merely stapled together in a pile.
Alternatively, Edward Carpenter’s 1894 publication Homogenic Love is a call for lesbian and gay equality. At the time of publication, homosexuality was criminalised, so the pamphlet was published for private circulation only, which restricted its distribution. Although homosexuality was not partially decriminalised in England and Wales until 1967, Carpenter lived with his partner George Merrill. His pamphlet, at the very least, reflected his life and showed what was possible.
The exhibition does, however, display a 1909 edition of The Communist Manifesto, a pamphlet that has had a profound and international impact since its first publication in 1848.
Has the concept of the Spineless Wonder evolved in the contemporary world?
Today, the “spineless” idea feels more relevant than ever. In a digital age where content is often intangible, unbound printed matter carries a different urgency. Contemporary spineless works frequently intersect with protest, play, and self-publishing, just as in the past. Still, they now respond to new concerns such as digital fatigue, surveillance, and the disposability of online communication. Spineless print today can feel more intentional; something made to be held, shared, and remembered precisely because so much else isn’t.
Most of the works on display have a very handmade feel. Was it a conscious choice to spotlight clearly authored works at a time when technology is seeking to diminish the act of writing?
Yes, very much so. Many of the works we included highlight the hand-made (through photocopying, do-it-yourself elements, or visible folds and creases). This wasn’t just aesthetic; it was political. There’s power in seeing the human behind the message, especially now, when automation and algorithm-driven content can obscure who is speaking or why. These works reclaim the act of making, asserting that writing and printing are still acts of presence and resistance.
Do you think the emergence of new technologies will see a rise in the spirit of the works on display here in response?
The spirit has always been present but takes different forms depending on the times and cultural influences. Similarly, what technology is used is dependent on what is available and accessible. However, it is key to note that print production has not gone away, and ‘spineless’ material is still produced.
Spineless Wonders: The Power of Print Unbound is showing at Senate House Library until 15 November.
To start off, could you talk a little about the definition of ‘Spineless Wonders’ that you used when curating this exhibition? What criteria were used to decide what was & wasn’t included?
The exhibition grew out of a research network of the same name, which investigates all sorts of small press publications and other forms of ‘spineless’ textual works from pottery shards to artists’ books to zines. ‘Spineless wonders’ are forms of literature, communication or art published without intending to be bound with a solid spine or boards.
For the exhibition, we had to narrow the definition to both create a narrative within the space we have available and to highlight the strengths of the library’s collections. One of the first criteria was to focus on printed pieces, generally excluding manuscripts or text-based objects (although we do feature a few!), and on a relatively small range of formats: stapled or sewn pamphlets, single sheets and folded leaflets. We then selected material on some broad themes that came out of the library’s collections- political and radical discourse and printing for pleasure and entertainment. Even with these criteria, it was a difficult task to make our final selection!
Your website describes the works in this exhibition as “[presenting] another view of history” - what can the Spineless Wonders tell us about the democratisation of writing outside the traditional publishing system?
The exhibition covers a long period of time – the oldest item is from 1491 and the most recent from 2020. Ideas of printing, publishing, and authorship have changed many times, as have the opportunities for individuals and groups to access the means of production. What we hope the exhibition does show is that when printing processes are more accessible (smaller, more portable printing presses in the 19th century and mimeographs and photocopiers in the 20th, for example), the production of pamphlets and other similar material proliferates.
Are there any challenges in preserving works such as these, which are, by definition, ephemeral?
Many of these works don’t survive; they haven’t been collected by libraries or other collections and so have disappeared. The exhibition draws from all areas of the library’s collections, and many have only entered an institutional collection as they were collected by individuals with an interest in specific subjects, who then donated their collections.
Then there are the more practical challenges of storing and caring for items that can be very fragile and usually don’t have the boards and spine of a book binding to protect them. Some of the earliest pamphlets have been bound, individually or in groups, ensuring their preservation but essentially altering their ‘spineless’ nature.
Another essential part of preserving and making these works accessible is cataloguing, ensuring they can be found and used.
Many of the works in this exhibition promote activism and social change. How effective were these, and what role did they play in their respective campaigns?
It is hard at this distance to know how effective most of these works were at the time of publication. What is clear, however, is that amongst the political publications, some were intended to be direct responses to urgent situations while others espoused ideas which were ahead of their time.
For example, Kay Beauchamp’s communist pamphlet Fascism and How to Defeat It was published in response to Oswald Mosley’s standing for parliament in 1959. This pamphlet was aimed at assisting a post-WW2 generation in fighting Mosley, who had founded the British Union of Fascists in 1932. The urgency is reflected in the pamphlet’s design – the pages are not folded, merely stapled together in a pile.
Alternatively, Edward Carpenter’s 1894 publication Homogenic Love is a call for lesbian and gay equality. At the time of publication, homosexuality was criminalised, so the pamphlet was published for private circulation only, which restricted its distribution. Although homosexuality was not partially decriminalised in England and Wales until 1967, Carpenter lived with his partner George Merrill. His pamphlet, at the very least, reflected his life and showed what was possible.
The exhibition does, however, display a 1909 edition of The Communist Manifesto, a pamphlet that has had a profound and international impact since its first publication in 1848.
Has the concept of the Spineless Wonder evolved in the contemporary world?
Today, the “spineless” idea feels more relevant than ever. In a digital age where content is often intangible, unbound printed matter carries a different urgency. Contemporary spineless works frequently intersect with protest, play, and self-publishing, just as in the past. Still, they now respond to new concerns such as digital fatigue, surveillance, and the disposability of online communication. Spineless print today can feel more intentional; something made to be held, shared, and remembered precisely because so much else isn’t.
Most of the works on display have a very handmade feel. Was it a conscious choice to spotlight clearly authored works at a time when technology is seeking to diminish the act of writing?
Yes, very much so. Many of the works we included highlight the hand-made (through photocopying, do-it-yourself elements, or visible folds and creases). This wasn’t just aesthetic; it was political. There’s power in seeing the human behind the message, especially now, when automation and algorithm-driven content can obscure who is speaking or why. These works reclaim the act of making, asserting that writing and printing are still acts of presence and resistance.
Do you think the emergence of new technologies will see a rise in the spirit of the works on display here in response?
The spirit has always been present but takes different forms depending on the times and cultural influences. Similarly, what technology is used is dependent on what is available and accessible. However, it is key to note that print production has not gone away, and ‘spineless’ material is still produced.
Spineless Wonders: The Power of Print Unbound is showing at Senate House Library until 15 November.
To start off, could you talk a little about the definition of ‘Spineless Wonders’ that you used when curating this exhibition? What criteria were used to decide what was & wasn’t included?
The exhibition grew out of a research network of the same name, which investigates all sorts of small press publications and other forms of ‘spineless’ textual works from pottery shards to artists’ books to zines. ‘Spineless wonders’ are forms of literature, communication or art published without intending to be bound with a solid spine or boards.
For the exhibition, we had to narrow the definition to both create a narrative within the space we have available and to highlight the strengths of the library’s collections. One of the first criteria was to focus on printed pieces, generally excluding manuscripts or text-based objects (although we do feature a few!), and on a relatively small range of formats: stapled or sewn pamphlets, single sheets and folded leaflets. We then selected material on some broad themes that came out of the library’s collections- political and radical discourse and printing for pleasure and entertainment. Even with these criteria, it was a difficult task to make our final selection!
Your website describes the works in this exhibition as “[presenting] another view of history” - what can the Spineless Wonders tell us about the democratisation of writing outside the traditional publishing system?
The exhibition covers a long period of time – the oldest item is from 1491 and the most recent from 2020. Ideas of printing, publishing, and authorship have changed many times, as have the opportunities for individuals and groups to access the means of production. What we hope the exhibition does show is that when printing processes are more accessible (smaller, more portable printing presses in the 19th century and mimeographs and photocopiers in the 20th, for example), the production of pamphlets and other similar material proliferates.
Are there any challenges in preserving works such as these, which are, by definition, ephemeral?
Many of these works don’t survive; they haven’t been collected by libraries or other collections and so have disappeared. The exhibition draws from all areas of the library’s collections, and many have only entered an institutional collection as they were collected by individuals with an interest in specific subjects, who then donated their collections.
Then there are the more practical challenges of storing and caring for items that can be very fragile and usually don’t have the boards and spine of a book binding to protect them. Some of the earliest pamphlets have been bound, individually or in groups, ensuring their preservation but essentially altering their ‘spineless’ nature.
Another essential part of preserving and making these works accessible is cataloguing, ensuring they can be found and used.
Many of the works in this exhibition promote activism and social change. How effective were these, and what role did they play in their respective campaigns?
It is hard at this distance to know how effective most of these works were at the time of publication. What is clear, however, is that amongst the political publications, some were intended to be direct responses to urgent situations while others espoused ideas which were ahead of their time.
For example, Kay Beauchamp’s communist pamphlet Fascism and How to Defeat It was published in response to Oswald Mosley’s standing for parliament in 1959. This pamphlet was aimed at assisting a post-WW2 generation in fighting Mosley, who had founded the British Union of Fascists in 1932. The urgency is reflected in the pamphlet’s design – the pages are not folded, merely stapled together in a pile.
Alternatively, Edward Carpenter’s 1894 publication Homogenic Love is a call for lesbian and gay equality. At the time of publication, homosexuality was criminalised, so the pamphlet was published for private circulation only, which restricted its distribution. Although homosexuality was not partially decriminalised in England and Wales until 1967, Carpenter lived with his partner George Merrill. His pamphlet, at the very least, reflected his life and showed what was possible.
The exhibition does, however, display a 1909 edition of The Communist Manifesto, a pamphlet that has had a profound and international impact since its first publication in 1848.
Has the concept of the Spineless Wonder evolved in the contemporary world?
Today, the “spineless” idea feels more relevant than ever. In a digital age where content is often intangible, unbound printed matter carries a different urgency. Contemporary spineless works frequently intersect with protest, play, and self-publishing, just as in the past. Still, they now respond to new concerns such as digital fatigue, surveillance, and the disposability of online communication. Spineless print today can feel more intentional; something made to be held, shared, and remembered precisely because so much else isn’t.
Most of the works on display have a very handmade feel. Was it a conscious choice to spotlight clearly authored works at a time when technology is seeking to diminish the act of writing?
Yes, very much so. Many of the works we included highlight the hand-made (through photocopying, do-it-yourself elements, or visible folds and creases). This wasn’t just aesthetic; it was political. There’s power in seeing the human behind the message, especially now, when automation and algorithm-driven content can obscure who is speaking or why. These works reclaim the act of making, asserting that writing and printing are still acts of presence and resistance.
Do you think the emergence of new technologies will see a rise in the spirit of the works on display here in response?
The spirit has always been present but takes different forms depending on the times and cultural influences. Similarly, what technology is used is dependent on what is available and accessible. However, it is key to note that print production has not gone away, and ‘spineless’ material is still produced.
Spineless Wonders: The Power of Print Unbound is showing at Senate House Library until 15 November.
To start off, could you talk a little about the definition of ‘Spineless Wonders’ that you used when curating this exhibition? What criteria were used to decide what was & wasn’t included?
The exhibition grew out of a research network of the same name, which investigates all sorts of small press publications and other forms of ‘spineless’ textual works from pottery shards to artists’ books to zines. ‘Spineless wonders’ are forms of literature, communication or art published without intending to be bound with a solid spine or boards.
For the exhibition, we had to narrow the definition to both create a narrative within the space we have available and to highlight the strengths of the library’s collections. One of the first criteria was to focus on printed pieces, generally excluding manuscripts or text-based objects (although we do feature a few!), and on a relatively small range of formats: stapled or sewn pamphlets, single sheets and folded leaflets. We then selected material on some broad themes that came out of the library’s collections- political and radical discourse and printing for pleasure and entertainment. Even with these criteria, it was a difficult task to make our final selection!
Your website describes the works in this exhibition as “[presenting] another view of history” - what can the Spineless Wonders tell us about the democratisation of writing outside the traditional publishing system?
The exhibition covers a long period of time – the oldest item is from 1491 and the most recent from 2020. Ideas of printing, publishing, and authorship have changed many times, as have the opportunities for individuals and groups to access the means of production. What we hope the exhibition does show is that when printing processes are more accessible (smaller, more portable printing presses in the 19th century and mimeographs and photocopiers in the 20th, for example), the production of pamphlets and other similar material proliferates.
Are there any challenges in preserving works such as these, which are, by definition, ephemeral?
Many of these works don’t survive; they haven’t been collected by libraries or other collections and so have disappeared. The exhibition draws from all areas of the library’s collections, and many have only entered an institutional collection as they were collected by individuals with an interest in specific subjects, who then donated their collections.
Then there are the more practical challenges of storing and caring for items that can be very fragile and usually don’t have the boards and spine of a book binding to protect them. Some of the earliest pamphlets have been bound, individually or in groups, ensuring their preservation but essentially altering their ‘spineless’ nature.
Another essential part of preserving and making these works accessible is cataloguing, ensuring they can be found and used.
Many of the works in this exhibition promote activism and social change. How effective were these, and what role did they play in their respective campaigns?
It is hard at this distance to know how effective most of these works were at the time of publication. What is clear, however, is that amongst the political publications, some were intended to be direct responses to urgent situations while others espoused ideas which were ahead of their time.
For example, Kay Beauchamp’s communist pamphlet Fascism and How to Defeat It was published in response to Oswald Mosley’s standing for parliament in 1959. This pamphlet was aimed at assisting a post-WW2 generation in fighting Mosley, who had founded the British Union of Fascists in 1932. The urgency is reflected in the pamphlet’s design – the pages are not folded, merely stapled together in a pile.
Alternatively, Edward Carpenter’s 1894 publication Homogenic Love is a call for lesbian and gay equality. At the time of publication, homosexuality was criminalised, so the pamphlet was published for private circulation only, which restricted its distribution. Although homosexuality was not partially decriminalised in England and Wales until 1967, Carpenter lived with his partner George Merrill. His pamphlet, at the very least, reflected his life and showed what was possible.
The exhibition does, however, display a 1909 edition of The Communist Manifesto, a pamphlet that has had a profound and international impact since its first publication in 1848.
Has the concept of the Spineless Wonder evolved in the contemporary world?
Today, the “spineless” idea feels more relevant than ever. In a digital age where content is often intangible, unbound printed matter carries a different urgency. Contemporary spineless works frequently intersect with protest, play, and self-publishing, just as in the past. Still, they now respond to new concerns such as digital fatigue, surveillance, and the disposability of online communication. Spineless print today can feel more intentional; something made to be held, shared, and remembered precisely because so much else isn’t.
Most of the works on display have a very handmade feel. Was it a conscious choice to spotlight clearly authored works at a time when technology is seeking to diminish the act of writing?
Yes, very much so. Many of the works we included highlight the hand-made (through photocopying, do-it-yourself elements, or visible folds and creases). This wasn’t just aesthetic; it was political. There’s power in seeing the human behind the message, especially now, when automation and algorithm-driven content can obscure who is speaking or why. These works reclaim the act of making, asserting that writing and printing are still acts of presence and resistance.
Do you think the emergence of new technologies will see a rise in the spirit of the works on display here in response?
The spirit has always been present but takes different forms depending on the times and cultural influences. Similarly, what technology is used is dependent on what is available and accessible. However, it is key to note that print production has not gone away, and ‘spineless’ material is still produced.
Spineless Wonders: The Power of Print Unbound is showing at Senate House Library until 15 November.
To start off, could you talk a little about the definition of ‘Spineless Wonders’ that you used when curating this exhibition? What criteria were used to decide what was & wasn’t included?
The exhibition grew out of a research network of the same name, which investigates all sorts of small press publications and other forms of ‘spineless’ textual works from pottery shards to artists’ books to zines. ‘Spineless wonders’ are forms of literature, communication or art published without intending to be bound with a solid spine or boards.
For the exhibition, we had to narrow the definition to both create a narrative within the space we have available and to highlight the strengths of the library’s collections. One of the first criteria was to focus on printed pieces, generally excluding manuscripts or text-based objects (although we do feature a few!), and on a relatively small range of formats: stapled or sewn pamphlets, single sheets and folded leaflets. We then selected material on some broad themes that came out of the library’s collections- political and radical discourse and printing for pleasure and entertainment. Even with these criteria, it was a difficult task to make our final selection!
Your website describes the works in this exhibition as “[presenting] another view of history” - what can the Spineless Wonders tell us about the democratisation of writing outside the traditional publishing system?
The exhibition covers a long period of time – the oldest item is from 1491 and the most recent from 2020. Ideas of printing, publishing, and authorship have changed many times, as have the opportunities for individuals and groups to access the means of production. What we hope the exhibition does show is that when printing processes are more accessible (smaller, more portable printing presses in the 19th century and mimeographs and photocopiers in the 20th, for example), the production of pamphlets and other similar material proliferates.
Are there any challenges in preserving works such as these, which are, by definition, ephemeral?
Many of these works don’t survive; they haven’t been collected by libraries or other collections and so have disappeared. The exhibition draws from all areas of the library’s collections, and many have only entered an institutional collection as they were collected by individuals with an interest in specific subjects, who then donated their collections.
Then there are the more practical challenges of storing and caring for items that can be very fragile and usually don’t have the boards and spine of a book binding to protect them. Some of the earliest pamphlets have been bound, individually or in groups, ensuring their preservation but essentially altering their ‘spineless’ nature.
Another essential part of preserving and making these works accessible is cataloguing, ensuring they can be found and used.
Many of the works in this exhibition promote activism and social change. How effective were these, and what role did they play in their respective campaigns?
It is hard at this distance to know how effective most of these works were at the time of publication. What is clear, however, is that amongst the political publications, some were intended to be direct responses to urgent situations while others espoused ideas which were ahead of their time.
For example, Kay Beauchamp’s communist pamphlet Fascism and How to Defeat It was published in response to Oswald Mosley’s standing for parliament in 1959. This pamphlet was aimed at assisting a post-WW2 generation in fighting Mosley, who had founded the British Union of Fascists in 1932. The urgency is reflected in the pamphlet’s design – the pages are not folded, merely stapled together in a pile.
Alternatively, Edward Carpenter’s 1894 publication Homogenic Love is a call for lesbian and gay equality. At the time of publication, homosexuality was criminalised, so the pamphlet was published for private circulation only, which restricted its distribution. Although homosexuality was not partially decriminalised in England and Wales until 1967, Carpenter lived with his partner George Merrill. His pamphlet, at the very least, reflected his life and showed what was possible.
The exhibition does, however, display a 1909 edition of The Communist Manifesto, a pamphlet that has had a profound and international impact since its first publication in 1848.
Has the concept of the Spineless Wonder evolved in the contemporary world?
Today, the “spineless” idea feels more relevant than ever. In a digital age where content is often intangible, unbound printed matter carries a different urgency. Contemporary spineless works frequently intersect with protest, play, and self-publishing, just as in the past. Still, they now respond to new concerns such as digital fatigue, surveillance, and the disposability of online communication. Spineless print today can feel more intentional; something made to be held, shared, and remembered precisely because so much else isn’t.
Most of the works on display have a very handmade feel. Was it a conscious choice to spotlight clearly authored works at a time when technology is seeking to diminish the act of writing?
Yes, very much so. Many of the works we included highlight the hand-made (through photocopying, do-it-yourself elements, or visible folds and creases). This wasn’t just aesthetic; it was political. There’s power in seeing the human behind the message, especially now, when automation and algorithm-driven content can obscure who is speaking or why. These works reclaim the act of making, asserting that writing and printing are still acts of presence and resistance.
Do you think the emergence of new technologies will see a rise in the spirit of the works on display here in response?
The spirit has always been present but takes different forms depending on the times and cultural influences. Similarly, what technology is used is dependent on what is available and accessible. However, it is key to note that print production has not gone away, and ‘spineless’ material is still produced.
Spineless Wonders: The Power of Print Unbound is showing at Senate House Library until 15 November.
To start off, could you talk a little about the definition of ‘Spineless Wonders’ that you used when curating this exhibition? What criteria were used to decide what was & wasn’t included?
The exhibition grew out of a research network of the same name, which investigates all sorts of small press publications and other forms of ‘spineless’ textual works from pottery shards to artists’ books to zines. ‘Spineless wonders’ are forms of literature, communication or art published without intending to be bound with a solid spine or boards.
For the exhibition, we had to narrow the definition to both create a narrative within the space we have available and to highlight the strengths of the library’s collections. One of the first criteria was to focus on printed pieces, generally excluding manuscripts or text-based objects (although we do feature a few!), and on a relatively small range of formats: stapled or sewn pamphlets, single sheets and folded leaflets. We then selected material on some broad themes that came out of the library’s collections- political and radical discourse and printing for pleasure and entertainment. Even with these criteria, it was a difficult task to make our final selection!
Your website describes the works in this exhibition as “[presenting] another view of history” - what can the Spineless Wonders tell us about the democratisation of writing outside the traditional publishing system?
The exhibition covers a long period of time – the oldest item is from 1491 and the most recent from 2020. Ideas of printing, publishing, and authorship have changed many times, as have the opportunities for individuals and groups to access the means of production. What we hope the exhibition does show is that when printing processes are more accessible (smaller, more portable printing presses in the 19th century and mimeographs and photocopiers in the 20th, for example), the production of pamphlets and other similar material proliferates.
Are there any challenges in preserving works such as these, which are, by definition, ephemeral?
Many of these works don’t survive; they haven’t been collected by libraries or other collections and so have disappeared. The exhibition draws from all areas of the library’s collections, and many have only entered an institutional collection as they were collected by individuals with an interest in specific subjects, who then donated their collections.
Then there are the more practical challenges of storing and caring for items that can be very fragile and usually don’t have the boards and spine of a book binding to protect them. Some of the earliest pamphlets have been bound, individually or in groups, ensuring their preservation but essentially altering their ‘spineless’ nature.
Another essential part of preserving and making these works accessible is cataloguing, ensuring they can be found and used.
Many of the works in this exhibition promote activism and social change. How effective were these, and what role did they play in their respective campaigns?
It is hard at this distance to know how effective most of these works were at the time of publication. What is clear, however, is that amongst the political publications, some were intended to be direct responses to urgent situations while others espoused ideas which were ahead of their time.
For example, Kay Beauchamp’s communist pamphlet Fascism and How to Defeat It was published in response to Oswald Mosley’s standing for parliament in 1959. This pamphlet was aimed at assisting a post-WW2 generation in fighting Mosley, who had founded the British Union of Fascists in 1932. The urgency is reflected in the pamphlet’s design – the pages are not folded, merely stapled together in a pile.
Alternatively, Edward Carpenter’s 1894 publication Homogenic Love is a call for lesbian and gay equality. At the time of publication, homosexuality was criminalised, so the pamphlet was published for private circulation only, which restricted its distribution. Although homosexuality was not partially decriminalised in England and Wales until 1967, Carpenter lived with his partner George Merrill. His pamphlet, at the very least, reflected his life and showed what was possible.
The exhibition does, however, display a 1909 edition of The Communist Manifesto, a pamphlet that has had a profound and international impact since its first publication in 1848.
Has the concept of the Spineless Wonder evolved in the contemporary world?
Today, the “spineless” idea feels more relevant than ever. In a digital age where content is often intangible, unbound printed matter carries a different urgency. Contemporary spineless works frequently intersect with protest, play, and self-publishing, just as in the past. Still, they now respond to new concerns such as digital fatigue, surveillance, and the disposability of online communication. Spineless print today can feel more intentional; something made to be held, shared, and remembered precisely because so much else isn’t.
Most of the works on display have a very handmade feel. Was it a conscious choice to spotlight clearly authored works at a time when technology is seeking to diminish the act of writing?
Yes, very much so. Many of the works we included highlight the hand-made (through photocopying, do-it-yourself elements, or visible folds and creases). This wasn’t just aesthetic; it was political. There’s power in seeing the human behind the message, especially now, when automation and algorithm-driven content can obscure who is speaking or why. These works reclaim the act of making, asserting that writing and printing are still acts of presence and resistance.
Do you think the emergence of new technologies will see a rise in the spirit of the works on display here in response?
The spirit has always been present but takes different forms depending on the times and cultural influences. Similarly, what technology is used is dependent on what is available and accessible. However, it is key to note that print production has not gone away, and ‘spineless’ material is still produced.
Spineless Wonders: The Power of Print Unbound is showing at Senate House Library until 15 November.
To start off, could you talk a little about the definition of ‘Spineless Wonders’ that you used when curating this exhibition? What criteria were used to decide what was & wasn’t included?
The exhibition grew out of a research network of the same name, which investigates all sorts of small press publications and other forms of ‘spineless’ textual works from pottery shards to artists’ books to zines. ‘Spineless wonders’ are forms of literature, communication or art published without intending to be bound with a solid spine or boards.
For the exhibition, we had to narrow the definition to both create a narrative within the space we have available and to highlight the strengths of the library’s collections. One of the first criteria was to focus on printed pieces, generally excluding manuscripts or text-based objects (although we do feature a few!), and on a relatively small range of formats: stapled or sewn pamphlets, single sheets and folded leaflets. We then selected material on some broad themes that came out of the library’s collections- political and radical discourse and printing for pleasure and entertainment. Even with these criteria, it was a difficult task to make our final selection!
Your website describes the works in this exhibition as “[presenting] another view of history” - what can the Spineless Wonders tell us about the democratisation of writing outside the traditional publishing system?
The exhibition covers a long period of time – the oldest item is from 1491 and the most recent from 2020. Ideas of printing, publishing, and authorship have changed many times, as have the opportunities for individuals and groups to access the means of production. What we hope the exhibition does show is that when printing processes are more accessible (smaller, more portable printing presses in the 19th century and mimeographs and photocopiers in the 20th, for example), the production of pamphlets and other similar material proliferates.
Are there any challenges in preserving works such as these, which are, by definition, ephemeral?
Many of these works don’t survive; they haven’t been collected by libraries or other collections and so have disappeared. The exhibition draws from all areas of the library’s collections, and many have only entered an institutional collection as they were collected by individuals with an interest in specific subjects, who then donated their collections.
Then there are the more practical challenges of storing and caring for items that can be very fragile and usually don’t have the boards and spine of a book binding to protect them. Some of the earliest pamphlets have been bound, individually or in groups, ensuring their preservation but essentially altering their ‘spineless’ nature.
Another essential part of preserving and making these works accessible is cataloguing, ensuring they can be found and used.
Many of the works in this exhibition promote activism and social change. How effective were these, and what role did they play in their respective campaigns?
It is hard at this distance to know how effective most of these works were at the time of publication. What is clear, however, is that amongst the political publications, some were intended to be direct responses to urgent situations while others espoused ideas which were ahead of their time.
For example, Kay Beauchamp’s communist pamphlet Fascism and How to Defeat It was published in response to Oswald Mosley’s standing for parliament in 1959. This pamphlet was aimed at assisting a post-WW2 generation in fighting Mosley, who had founded the British Union of Fascists in 1932. The urgency is reflected in the pamphlet’s design – the pages are not folded, merely stapled together in a pile.
Alternatively, Edward Carpenter’s 1894 publication Homogenic Love is a call for lesbian and gay equality. At the time of publication, homosexuality was criminalised, so the pamphlet was published for private circulation only, which restricted its distribution. Although homosexuality was not partially decriminalised in England and Wales until 1967, Carpenter lived with his partner George Merrill. His pamphlet, at the very least, reflected his life and showed what was possible.
The exhibition does, however, display a 1909 edition of The Communist Manifesto, a pamphlet that has had a profound and international impact since its first publication in 1848.
Has the concept of the Spineless Wonder evolved in the contemporary world?
Today, the “spineless” idea feels more relevant than ever. In a digital age where content is often intangible, unbound printed matter carries a different urgency. Contemporary spineless works frequently intersect with protest, play, and self-publishing, just as in the past. Still, they now respond to new concerns such as digital fatigue, surveillance, and the disposability of online communication. Spineless print today can feel more intentional; something made to be held, shared, and remembered precisely because so much else isn’t.
Most of the works on display have a very handmade feel. Was it a conscious choice to spotlight clearly authored works at a time when technology is seeking to diminish the act of writing?
Yes, very much so. Many of the works we included highlight the hand-made (through photocopying, do-it-yourself elements, or visible folds and creases). This wasn’t just aesthetic; it was political. There’s power in seeing the human behind the message, especially now, when automation and algorithm-driven content can obscure who is speaking or why. These works reclaim the act of making, asserting that writing and printing are still acts of presence and resistance.
Do you think the emergence of new technologies will see a rise in the spirit of the works on display here in response?
The spirit has always been present but takes different forms depending on the times and cultural influences. Similarly, what technology is used is dependent on what is available and accessible. However, it is key to note that print production has not gone away, and ‘spineless’ material is still produced.
Spineless Wonders: The Power of Print Unbound is showing at Senate House Library until 15 November.
To start off, could you talk a little about the definition of ‘Spineless Wonders’ that you used when curating this exhibition? What criteria were used to decide what was & wasn’t included?
The exhibition grew out of a research network of the same name, which investigates all sorts of small press publications and other forms of ‘spineless’ textual works from pottery shards to artists’ books to zines. ‘Spineless wonders’ are forms of literature, communication or art published without intending to be bound with a solid spine or boards.
For the exhibition, we had to narrow the definition to both create a narrative within the space we have available and to highlight the strengths of the library’s collections. One of the first criteria was to focus on printed pieces, generally excluding manuscripts or text-based objects (although we do feature a few!), and on a relatively small range of formats: stapled or sewn pamphlets, single sheets and folded leaflets. We then selected material on some broad themes that came out of the library’s collections- political and radical discourse and printing for pleasure and entertainment. Even with these criteria, it was a difficult task to make our final selection!
Your website describes the works in this exhibition as “[presenting] another view of history” - what can the Spineless Wonders tell us about the democratisation of writing outside the traditional publishing system?
The exhibition covers a long period of time – the oldest item is from 1491 and the most recent from 2020. Ideas of printing, publishing, and authorship have changed many times, as have the opportunities for individuals and groups to access the means of production. What we hope the exhibition does show is that when printing processes are more accessible (smaller, more portable printing presses in the 19th century and mimeographs and photocopiers in the 20th, for example), the production of pamphlets and other similar material proliferates.
Are there any challenges in preserving works such as these, which are, by definition, ephemeral?
Many of these works don’t survive; they haven’t been collected by libraries or other collections and so have disappeared. The exhibition draws from all areas of the library’s collections, and many have only entered an institutional collection as they were collected by individuals with an interest in specific subjects, who then donated their collections.
Then there are the more practical challenges of storing and caring for items that can be very fragile and usually don’t have the boards and spine of a book binding to protect them. Some of the earliest pamphlets have been bound, individually or in groups, ensuring their preservation but essentially altering their ‘spineless’ nature.
Another essential part of preserving and making these works accessible is cataloguing, ensuring they can be found and used.
Many of the works in this exhibition promote activism and social change. How effective were these, and what role did they play in their respective campaigns?
It is hard at this distance to know how effective most of these works were at the time of publication. What is clear, however, is that amongst the political publications, some were intended to be direct responses to urgent situations while others espoused ideas which were ahead of their time.
For example, Kay Beauchamp’s communist pamphlet Fascism and How to Defeat It was published in response to Oswald Mosley’s standing for parliament in 1959. This pamphlet was aimed at assisting a post-WW2 generation in fighting Mosley, who had founded the British Union of Fascists in 1932. The urgency is reflected in the pamphlet’s design – the pages are not folded, merely stapled together in a pile.
Alternatively, Edward Carpenter’s 1894 publication Homogenic Love is a call for lesbian and gay equality. At the time of publication, homosexuality was criminalised, so the pamphlet was published for private circulation only, which restricted its distribution. Although homosexuality was not partially decriminalised in England and Wales until 1967, Carpenter lived with his partner George Merrill. His pamphlet, at the very least, reflected his life and showed what was possible.
The exhibition does, however, display a 1909 edition of The Communist Manifesto, a pamphlet that has had a profound and international impact since its first publication in 1848.
Has the concept of the Spineless Wonder evolved in the contemporary world?
Today, the “spineless” idea feels more relevant than ever. In a digital age where content is often intangible, unbound printed matter carries a different urgency. Contemporary spineless works frequently intersect with protest, play, and self-publishing, just as in the past. Still, they now respond to new concerns such as digital fatigue, surveillance, and the disposability of online communication. Spineless print today can feel more intentional; something made to be held, shared, and remembered precisely because so much else isn’t.
Most of the works on display have a very handmade feel. Was it a conscious choice to spotlight clearly authored works at a time when technology is seeking to diminish the act of writing?
Yes, very much so. Many of the works we included highlight the hand-made (through photocopying, do-it-yourself elements, or visible folds and creases). This wasn’t just aesthetic; it was political. There’s power in seeing the human behind the message, especially now, when automation and algorithm-driven content can obscure who is speaking or why. These works reclaim the act of making, asserting that writing and printing are still acts of presence and resistance.
Do you think the emergence of new technologies will see a rise in the spirit of the works on display here in response?
The spirit has always been present but takes different forms depending on the times and cultural influences. Similarly, what technology is used is dependent on what is available and accessible. However, it is key to note that print production has not gone away, and ‘spineless’ material is still produced.
Spineless Wonders: The Power of Print Unbound is showing at Senate House Library until 15 November.
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