GREED
The Revolting Artists is a loose and evolving collective of urban and subversive artists from around the UK, and further-a-field, who produce artwork in a variety of disciplines including graphic design, painting, graffiti, performance poetry, photography and music. Curated from the knackered coastal town of Weymouth, by local artists Bod and Smithsonian Rösterino; their mission is to create a grass roots art scene whilst shining a spotlight on local and international artists whose work embodies social commentary or has a subversive edge. The new politics of the culture war has spawned a wealth of artists and activists who want to respond to a wide range of subjects from the cost of living crisis to gender politics. Many of these artists use the tools of advertising to reflect satirical and subversive messages back to the consuming masses, blurring and confusing the lines between art and life.
In the week that Rishi Sunak announced measures to “stamp out the scourge of anti-social behaviour once and for all”, Revolting Artists announced their own “community payback” event entitled “GREED”. The exhibition was held in a disused industrial space in Weymouth, a rundown seaside town boasting some of the highest levels of deprivation and lowest wages in Britain. The guerilla exhibition, featuring subversive paintings, photography, film, brandalism, sculptures, anarchist cross-stitch, radical performance and public live art, aimed to attract and celebrate the ‘nuisances’ from the streets by revelling in revolutionary, alternative culture.
The exhibition of Subversive and Urban Art brought together, for the first time in the UK, over 70 renowned artists in subvertising, brandalism, satirical art, street art, protest art, street photography, counter-culture cinema and graffiti. The 4-day event also saw performances from bands, poets and musicians along with a series of talks, workshops, activities and film screenings. Included in the exhibition were world renowned artists: Spelling Mistakes Cost Lives, Foka Wolf, Subvertiser, My Dog Sighs, Wefail, Frank Riot, Haus Of Lucy, Hats Richardson and Guy Denning along with local artists Bod and Sock Oven and street photographers, Paul Russell and Si Jubb.
“Since moving to Weymouth 4 years ago, I’ve been completely overwhelmed by the vacuum of culture here. There’s a couple of galleries, with ‘safe’ art you can maybe enjoy after a lobotomy but the more interesting art around here has been hidden away on social media mostly. So I decided to pull together a large group of artists for 4 days in Easter as a kind of ‘exposure therapy’ for this dormancy in the hope of inspiring others to do more challenging art in the area.” BOD – Artist, nuisance.
All of the work on display acted as social commentary. The new politics of the culture war, along with the ‘Banksy boom’ have spawned a wealth of artists and activists who want to respond to a wide range of subjects from the cost of living crisis to gender politics. Many of these artists use the tools of advertising to reflect satirical and subversive messages back to the consuming masses, blurring and confusing the lines between art and life.
“ Art has always acted as a mirror to the world; as we continue our descent into apocalyptic consumer capitalism and political greed we’re going to see more and more artists reflecting the social struggles we’re all increasingly facing on a day to day basis. That is… if we can still afford the art materials!” Andy Smith, Artist and Activist
ARTISTS: Spelling Mistakes Cost Lives – Fokawolf – Subvertiser – My Dog Sighs – Frank Riot – Illiustre Feccia – Bod – Sock Oven – Mr Eggs – One Slut Riot – Isa Spits – Tech Moon – Ian Stevenson – Stomp The Holy Bones – Some Fucking Art – Anonymouse – Hats Richardson – Corrosive8 – Indigo Orlean – Profanity Spoons – Used Pencil Artist – Slave Nation – Grow Up – Guy Denning – Haus Of Lucy – Proheroes – Social Sniper – MyPenLeaks – Ghead – Larry Bee – Merny – Benjamin Irritant – Gary Dickins – Skatin Chinchilla – Bag Lord – Ashley David John – Colin Merrin – Wankers of the World – Idiot Fringe – T.M/O – Object000 – Joe Razz – Soapmonkey – Platform Graphics – Number 6 Prints – Curious Twist – Its Pronounced Zine – Camille Aboudaram – Heavy Manners – Sasha Constable – Deko1 – Glenk – Smithsonian Rosterino – Paul Russell – Si Jubb – Paul Edward Robson – Weaponised Apathy – Wefail – Fart Attack – Izzy Snell – Joe Coleman – Lolly Golding – Matt Hugill – Paris68redux – Patrick Metcalfe – PatternUp – Peter Sheridan
Opened to the public on Friday 7th April, the show was on display at Saint Nic’s Gallery, 11 St. Nicholas Street, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 8AA, through to Monday 10th April 2023.
