Modern Toss makes a display of itself

An exhibition put together by the makers of the cartoon magazine Modern Toss opens at the Maverik Showroom in London tomorrow (June 22).

If you’re not familiar with Modern Toss, it is an adult magazine that divides opinion. To some it’s the cutting edge of dark humour, to others it’s a load of scribbled cartoons that rely too much on swearing. You decide. The magazine also became a Channel 4 comedy, featuring animation and live-action sketches.

This writer finds it a mixed bag, but does enjoy some of the characters, such as Mr Tourette – Master Signwriter (you can guess the usual outcome) and, in particular, the Drive-by Abuser, who zooms around on a moped hurling pointless abuse at things. He criticises traffic lights for their “limited range” and a tree for shedding its leaves (“You gonna clean up that mess, yeah? You want a dustpan and brush?”)

The exhibition, which will feature the Period Table of Swearing and a massive fly sculpture (because the fly is “really under-represented” in art) is organised by Sabotage Times, a web magazine run by the former Loaded editor James Brown. There’s an entertaining interview with the creators of Modern Toss on the site.

The Maverik Showroom is at 68-72 Redchurch Street, Shoreditch. The exhibition runs until July 4.

Left: Drive-By Abuser is now available as an iPhone app!