Album #23, Iowa City, 1994. All but three of these 23 albums document the 10 years I spent in San Francisco from 1980-1990 as a new immigrant from England. In 1990 I moved to Iowa city and the series stops in 1994 as I changed over to color photography. Please note the reverse chronology.

Arda with her winter garden in the basement.

Fluxus events at the Fluxus Museum, Coon Ferry, Iowa.

The hardest part of the whole art history phd was satisfying the german translation requirement. It was a 2 semester class and i worked hours each night trying to fix this complicated language into my brain. I did thankfully pass the class.

Carlos Cortez (1923-2005) a beloved Chicago icon and people's artist. In 1998 the Center for the Study of Political Graphics honored Carlos with their "Art as a Hammer," award.

Liaizon Wakest of the Dreamtime, West Lima tribe trying to give away a fake lobster.

Sweat lodge at the Tree House, Dreamtime, West Lima, WI.

Album #22, Iowa City 1993

Nina Ishkhanian Perkins was born on May 10, 1993 and here she is a couple of days old getting inspected by the nurse.

She had a happy personality from the start!

No problems travelling all over the place.

Midwestern storms can really tear up the garden.

Just before Nina was born we had to put Arda's faithful companion Tai to sleep. I never had the heart to print this photo before, it was all too sad - this is the first time I've really seen it.

The landscapes by the Mississippi river around Davenport, Iowa are very evocative.

Mississippi river near Davenport, Iowa.

Ibeji figures from Nigeria.

Nam June Paik piece in the Fluxus show (In the Spirit of Fluxus) at the Walker Art Center, 1993. Charlotte Morman on cello.

Album #21, Iowa City 1990-1991

On Nov. 1, 1990 a post-doc student, Gang Lu, upset that he didn't receive a prestigious grant murdered four university faculty members, one student and seriously wounded another student. Lu committed suicide after these killings. I was working as a secretary in the chemistry department and these letters were for people to sign in order to express their sympathy to the victim's families.

The university community comes together in shock and disbelief at what has just transpired.

Lloyd Dunn, artist & musician, binding copies of a booklet we put together that had statements by networkers about networking. This was in preparation for the Decentralized World Wide Networker Congress that would be taking place in 1992.

The republican students wrapped themselves in the flag once the American invasion of Kuwait had started.

A large group of people demonstrate against the invasion.

Families say goodbye to their loved ones going over to the Gulf to 'liberate' the Kuwaiti people after Iraq's invasion.

Two different sides of the road and two different responses to the invasion.

Operation Desert Storm lasted from 2 Aug., 1990 - 28 Feb., 1991.

Arda and my sister Helena just before our wedding. 

The bride on her way to the wedding.

We had a zine show in our garage and on the opening night Aaron Noble did a performance in the garden and ended up on top of the garage.

Aaron atop the garage.

A group of artists organized an anti-war art show in a downtown cafe that opened the night of the invasion. Here Arda is shooting up copies of the catalogue that we produced some time after the show.

Inspecting the shot catalogues.

On a walk with the dogs I discover an arrowhead.

Celebrating a big victory - but which one?!

The original Bo.

Album #20, San Francisco 1990

Arda all dressed up for something...

Arda with her piece of graffiti that cost her a misdemeanor and a fine!

Billboard in San Francisco.

At the reception ceremony for Nelson and Winnie Mandela in Oakland. An incredible opportunity to see and hear this remarkable man.

Domestic scene.

Tai the hunter.

"Burn In," July 13, celebrating its 5th year on Baker beach before relocating to its present site.

10th Anniversary of Oscar Romero's assassination, Mission district.

Peter Plate a local activist and author takes the stage at the 10th Anniversary of Oscar Romero's assassination, Mission district.

President George H. W. Bush visits san francisco and we were there to meet him.

The flag has succumbed to the will of the people.

My office with anti-AIDS posters.

The Sixth International Conference on AIDS took place in sf from June 20-24. ACT UP staged huge protests with one commentator stating "...We wanted to give the medical establishment a big kick in the ass, to get it past this attitude of political complacency." Tim Kingston

The guy with the cap at the front i'm sure is a cop....

People were really animated and concerned about the many issues at hand.

"There were protests everywhere: demos, sit-ins, die-ins, art actions." Tim Kingston

An intersection on Market Street is liberated.

Album #19, Art Strike 1989

Between Jan 3-8, 1989 a loose grouping of individuals presented the "Art Strike Mobilization Week," at ATA. Different days had varied themes including "Art Strike: everything you need to know," "Propaganda Factory: hands on," to "Date Night: 2000 years of foreplay," and "Picking your scabs, licking your wounds: support opposition, testimonials."

The plan was to start with early preparations for going on art strike at the end of the year. While many artists were initially reluctant to join, once they got thinking about it most of them thought it was a perfectly good idea.

During the week of activities at ATA we buried a time capsule in the basement of ATA in which people were invited to put works for an audience in the future.

The digging starts.

Arda Ishkhanian testing the depth of the hole. 

Aaron Noble working up some sweat equity.

Assorted activities & actions continued throughout the year. Outside of ATA during the final "Gigantic Art Strike Liquidation Sale," Saturday, Dec. 30th. Night time shot.

Day time shot.

Aaron inspecting artworks discarded in anticipation of the art strike (1990-1993).

Todd tempted by the incredibly cheap prices of the pre-art strike art. 

Ten years later on Dec. 25th, 2009 the time capsule is retrieved. Here is Lise Swenson holding it at ATA.

Lise reading from one of the booklets in the capsule which looks like one of Janet Janet's Schism magazines that was dedicated to the art strike. Apparently everything was fine inside with no water leakage or dampness. Sadly, Lise passed away in 2016 at the age of fifty-seven.