Puss (magazine)

Puss
CategoriesSatirical magazine
Founded1968
First issueJanuary 1968
Final issue
Number		Autumn 1974
24
CountrySweden
Based inStockholm
LanguageSwedish

Puss, stylized as PUSS, (Swedish: Kiss) was a leftist underground satirical and arts magazine which was published in the period between 1968 and 1974 in Stockholm, Sweden.

History and profile

Puss was launched by a group of Swedish artists led by Lars Hillersberg in Stockholm in January 1968.[1] The magazine adopted a critical approach towards politicians and opinion leaders and condemned the US interventions in Vietnam and the Swedish police.[1] It was also involved in the emerging feminist discussions in Sweden.[1] Major contributors were Lars Norén,[2] Marie-Louise Ekman, Carl Johan De Geer, Lars Forssell, and Öyvind Fahlström.[1] The issues 1 through 21 were published in A4 format.[3] The remaining issues came out in tabloid format.[3] The frequency of Puss was regular in the early years, but became irregular later.[3] The magazine had 24 pages throughout its lifetime.[3] The editor of the magazine frequently changed and included the following: Lars Hillersberg, Åke Holmqvist, Karin Frostensson, Carl Johan De Geer, Leif Katz, Karl Erik Liljeros, Ulf Rahmberg, Lena Svedberg and Christer Themptander.[2] The magazine sold nearly 10,000 copies.[3]

The magazine frequently employed the political satire containing a covert and aesthetic critique.[2] In the third issue Puss published a photo collage made by Lars Hillersberg featuring a naked man wearing a mask of the People's Party leader Sven Wedén.[1][3] Following its publication the issue was confiscated by the Swedish authorities,[4] and it became a subject of criticisms by mainstream publications such as Aftonbladet and Svenska Dagbladet.[1] Right-wing leader Gösta Bohman also attacked the magazine describing it as a "disgusting" publication.[3] Puss folded in Autumn 1974 after producing a total of 24 issues.[3][2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Puss 1968–1973". tidskrift.nu (in Swedish). Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d Lars Bang Larsen (2016). "PUSS 1968–1973". In Tania Ørum; Jesper Olsson (eds.). A Cultural History of the Avant-Garde in the Nordic Countries 1950-1975. Vol. 32. Leiden; Boston: Brill Rodopi. pp. 789–793. doi:10.1163/9789004310506_083. ISBN 9789004310506.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Åke Holmqvist. "Puss – satirisk vänster med stake" (in Swedish). Hjärnstorm.
  4. ^ Klara Arnberg (2012). "Under the Counter, Under the Radar? The Business and Regulation of the Pornographic Press in Sweden 1950–1971". Enterprise & Society. 13 (2): 350–377. doi:10.1093/es/khr080.