The contemporary use of the book bloc began in Rome in 2010 when students protesting drastic educational funding cuts used oversized, handmade book covers as both shields and political commentary. The concept quickly spread to the UK, the rest of Europe and even to the U.S..

Now, the Interference Archive, in Brooklyn, N.Y., is hosting an exhibtion called Book Bloc !, which features shields created by New York City students from CUNY and Cooper Union. The ehibit, which runs until April 24, focuses on book blocs as a protest tactic and symbolic cultural statements.

The Interference Archive explores the relationship between cultural production and social movements. The all-volunteer collective maintains a fascinating archive of objects created by members of social movements, such as posters, flyers, buttons, publications, photographs and t-shirts.