Theresa Easton
United Kingdom
“When the lion bares his teeth do not fancy that the lion shows to you a SMILE” is a quote from a poem by Al-Mutanabbi (915-965), an Iraqi poet, and one of the greatest Arab poets of his time. This quote sits alongside a chapbook I designed and printed in 2016, that collates the narratives (one ongoing) of industrial disputes spanning the last 40 years.
The Grunwick strikers of 1976, led by Jayaben Desai and the Durham Teaching Assistants 2016 - both reference the lion as a metaphor and a mascot. The strength of character and formidable power that runs through the quote is uplifting and empowering.
“What you are running here is not a factory, it is a zoo. But in a zoo there are many animals. Some are monkeys who can dance on your fingertips, others are lions who can bite your head. We are those lions Mr Manager” Jayaben Desai
Sceenprint and letterpress.