Description
Limited Edition Conference Imprint — Universities Art Association of Canada (UAAC), 2024
The Laugh Cannon Manifesto is a limited edition publication produced in conjunction with the 2024 Universities Art Association of Canada Conference, Art, Activism, and Iconoclasm. Written by Canadian artist Mike Salisbury, the book positions humour not as ornament or relief, but as a deliberate artistic and political tactic capable of destabilizing authority, disrupting extremist narratives, and reclaiming public space.
Blending manifesto, scholarly inquiry, and activist proposition, the publication traces the long lineage of satire in art and protest—from ancient theatre and carnival traditions to Duchamp, culture jamming, street art, and contemporary “laughtivism.” Salisbury draws on humour theory, neuroscience, political aesthetics, and media studies to argue that laughter functions simultaneously as resistance, social glue, and ethical intervention.
Central to the book is The Laugh Cannon itself: a sculptural device that emits recorded laughter, transforming research into embodied action. The work reframes laughter as a non-violent form of direct action—one that exposes the absurdity of power while fostering solidarity and collective resilience.
Produced as a limited edition imprint, The Laugh Cannon Manifesto is intended as both a record of a conference presentation and a portable tool for artists, scholars, and activists exploring humour as a serious force within contemporary art and political life.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.