Mark Pawson

The world lost Mark Pawson a little over a year ago (March 2025). I met Mark back in my student days and was fascinated and inspired by his art. His blend of "trash" culture, ephemera collection (he didn't do this cynically, it was not some wry game, but a true  obsession), with low end, accessible reproduction fascinated me. It was DIY and it was punk and it was design, and these were the first 'artists books' I'd seen - and I loved them. I remember later seeing him wearing a Never Trust a Hippy shirt, and the back said Never Trust a Situationist. To this day I I still want that shirt, but fear I may have imagined it - however this is my memory of him.

I posted many years ago about the few things I have of his Mark Pawson's little books. But thought I'd spend to day going through them and posting some of them in full, as the world needs these things of wonder.

1. Mark's little book about Kinder Eggs ~ 1989
2. Die-cut Plug Wiring Diagram Book ~ 1992
3. Life Has Meaning ~ 1992
4. All My Rubberstamps ~ 2023

My copies are battered, torn and in some cases water damaged, but some how that makes them feel even more like treasure.

First up the book that started it all:

1. Mark's little book about Kinder Eggs

2. Die-cut Plug Wiring Diagram Book

3. Life Has Meaning

And finally, a fairly recent addition - this one is not in full as I think it's still available...

4. All My Rubberstamps

It has blank pages in the back and these notes, sadly never to be fulfilled 😢

I sit here in my plug wiring sweatshirt, that I still wear regularly, and which still confuses the Californians around me. RIP Mark, may your work be copied, scanned, xeroxed, risoed and reproduced forever. https://markpawson.uk/