Carroll is widely recognized for creating a mad, distorted world that seems to promote the opposite of socialization. In Jane Carruth’s version of Alice in Wonderland, illustrator Rene Cloke provides Lewis Carroll’s story with mundane illustrations that notably contrast with the nonsensical narrative. Employing woodcuts, Moser generates an alternative imagining of Carroll’s story that, like punk, discards lighthearted conceptions to make room for a more eerie interpretation. Punk defied social norms and Alice’s edgier depiction in this edition echoes this subculture. Additionally, the overall darkness of the woodcut print, the Mad Hatter’s clothing, and his slightly sadistic expression mirror the dramatic and deviant style of punk culture.

Just as Westwood rejects conventional images of femininity, so too does Moser reject the now customary portrayal of Alice, suggesting that Moser also adheres to punk ideals. Punk is characterized by a consistent rejection of the mainstream. And while punk is often associated with a distinct musical style, fashion designers like Vivienne Westwood crossed mediums and helped shape a uniquely punk fashion movement by pushing against traditionally feminine aesthetics with dark colors and oversized pieces.

We see the story through the eyes of Alice, represented here as a dark-haired girl modeled on Moser’s own daughter instead of the traditionally pure-looking, blonde-haired, bright-smiled Alice. Moser uses this medium to display for readers Alice’s topsy-turvy world as a bizarre and even sinister place. Woodcuts use only one color of ink and therefore contrast light and dark to a greater extent than other art media. Barry Moser’s visual interpretation of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, published in 1982, illustrates the tale of Alice with woodcuts that subtly reflect the influence of 1980s punk.

Alice in Wonderland by Jane Carruth