Ilsa Colsell's 'Malicious Damage' Documents Joe Orton and Kenneth Halliwell's Defaced Library Books

In her 2013 publication 'Malicious Damage,' Ilsa Colsell explores the activities of playwright Joe Orton and his partner Kenneth Halliwell, who altered library books. The duo, who first crossed paths at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, pilfered books from Hampstead Central Lending Library and South Library from early 1959 until April 1962, returning them with altered covers. They crafted provocative collages, such as swapping the faces of Tudor royals with those of Roger Livesey and T.E. Lawrence. Additionally, they produced fabricated blurbs, including a misleading synopsis for a Dorothy L. Sayers book, which ultimately resulted in their imprisonment. Colsell's work situates these acts within Orton's artistic journey and the cultural context, hinting at their influence on British Pop art. This article was published in ArtReview in December 2013.