The Zen Rebel and the Underground Squart Movement

The Zen Rebel and the Underground Squart Movement tells the story of the American painter Pierre Davis-Dutreix who was introduced twenty-five years ago to the French art movement "Squart," a combination of "squat" and "art." The necessity of having a workspace for artists (painters, dancers, actors, musicians etc.) is fundamental but the incredibly high prices for such accommodations make it inaccessible for the average artist. Therefore "squartists" occupy empty buildings ready to be torn down or sold and give them a second life by turning them into studios. In this autobiography, Davis-Dutreix gives advice on how to open and sustain a squart as he tells his tumultuous journey which guided the movement from being underground to one of respectability. Neil Cassidy