Underground! The Alternative Press of the 1970s in France

Following May '68, a graphic insubordination seizes the letterpresses. Far from traditional newsprint, collectives appropriate paper to create a do-it-yourself, radical, and aesthetic journalism. The Julien Cain hallway within the François-Mitterrand Library transforms into a wall gallery to highlight these rare archives. From the influence of Californian Free Press to British visual experiments, these publications testify to a revolution of consciousness. The display reveals how a generation transformed the fanzine into a political and social laboratory, breaking down the boundaries between art and activism. This visual retrospective, based on the patrimonial fonds, is accessible from May 5th to October 18th, 2026. It celebrates the inventiveness of a parallel press that has permanently marked the French cultural landscape.