thanks very much for that kind introduction and for inviting me and
introduction and for inviting me and
introduction and for inviting me and those who are running TEDx when I
those who are running TEDx when I
those who are running TEDx when I started first thinking about populism it
started first thinking about populism it
started first thinking about populism it was immediately a kind of either
was immediately a kind of either
was immediately a kind of either threatening or hopeful cloud on the
threatening or hopeful cloud on the
threatening or hopeful cloud on the horizon one didn’t really know and I
horizon one didn’t really know and I
horizon one didn’t really know and I wasn’t expecting it so quickly to become
wasn’t expecting it so quickly to become
wasn’t expecting it so quickly to become the kind of threatening storm or on Gama
the kind of threatening storm or on Gama
the kind of threatening storm or on Gama coming storm the Ted ethos is a fluency
coming storm the Ted ethos is a fluency
coming storm the Ted ethos is a fluency and quick fixes and I’m feeling slightly
and quick fixes and I’m feeling slightly
and quick fixes and I’m feeling slightly uncomfortable standing on this red spot
uncomfortable standing on this red spot
uncomfortable standing on this red spot here so please take my stumbles
here so please take my stumbles
here so please take my stumbles repetitions deviations and hesitations
repetitions deviations and hesitations
repetitions deviations and hesitations resistance to the teeth off I’m not
resistance to the teeth off I’m not
resistance to the teeth off I’m not going to offer you any solutions maybe
going to offer you any solutions maybe
going to offer you any solutions maybe just a slightly different way of looking
just a slightly different way of looking
just a slightly different way of looking at things
at things
at things so so I’ve been photographing graffiti
so so I’ve been photographing graffiti
so so I’ve been photographing graffiti and street art for a long time since the
and street art for a long time since the
and street art for a long time since the 1980s on a little embarrassed to admit
1980s on a little embarrassed to admit
1980s on a little embarrassed to admit and impressionistic Lee a striking
and impressionistic Lee a striking
and impressionistic Lee a striking change is the emergence from an apparent
change is the emergence from an apparent
change is the emergence from an apparent chaos of tagging and overwriting which
chaos of tagging and overwriting which
chaos of tagging and overwriting which most people I think experienced as a
most people I think experienced as a
most people I think experienced as a kind of noise of plain figures and
kind of noise of plain figures and
kind of noise of plain figures and especially faces as if slowly and an
especially faces as if slowly and an
especially faces as if slowly and an analog TV signal was coming into tune
analog TV signal was coming into tune
analog TV signal was coming into tune and from the churn of random electrons
and from the churn of random electrons
and from the churn of random electrons the face springs into form sharpness and
the face springs into form sharpness and
the face springs into form sharpness and life and these figures and faces seem to
life and these figures and faces seem to
life and these figures and faces seem to be of ordinary people and while there’s
be of ordinary people and while there’s
be of ordinary people and while there’s so that’s the impression and while
so that’s the impression and while
so that’s the impression and while there’s something to this impression
there’s something to this impression
there’s something to this impression things are not quite so simple and I’d
things are not quite so simple and I’d
things are not quite so simple and I’d like to try and say why the first think
like to try and say why the first think
like to try and say why the first think of the extraordinary transformation of
of the extraordinary transformation of
of the extraordinary transformation of street art over the last 15 years or so
street art over the last 15 years or so
street art over the last 15 years or so from being considered mostly within the
from being considered mostly within the
from being considered mostly within the framework of crime to becoming seen
framework of crime to becoming seen
framework of crime to becoming seen mostly within the framework of art from
mostly within the framework of art from
mostly within the framework of art from being mostly an anonymous activity to
being mostly an anonymous activity to
being mostly an anonymous activity to occasional but marked celebrity from a
occasional but marked celebrity from a
occasional but marked celebrity from a practice in which gifts that were given
practice in which gifts that were given
practice in which gifts that were given to communities sometimes unwanted gifts
to communities sometimes unwanted gifts
to communities sometimes unwanted gifts to expensive products or at least
to expensive products or at least
to expensive products or at least sometimes very expensive products too
sometimes very expensive products too
sometimes very expensive products too from the performance of a temporary
from the performance of a temporary
from the performance of a temporary artwork which could be very transient
artwork which could be very transient
artwork which could be very transient very often was very trying
very often was very trying
very often was very trying towards something which is closer to a
towards something which is closer to a
towards something which is closer to a fixed image with stickers posters and
fixed image with stickers posters and
fixed image with stickers posters and stencils being more widely reproduced
stencils being more widely reproduced
stencils being more widely reproduced and seen everywhere so it becomes a bit
and seen everywhere so it becomes a bit
and seen everywhere so it becomes a bit more like advertising and less variable
more like advertising and less variable
more like advertising and less variable there are less responsive to a
there are less responsive to a
there are less responsive to a particular locale and from a sign of
particular locale and from a sign of
particular locale and from a sign of urban blight to that of youthful
urban blight to that of youthful
urban blight to that of youthful regeneration sometimes with the
regeneration sometimes with the
regeneration sometimes with the collaboration of property owners now
collaboration of property owners now
collaboration of property owners now none of this is a simple replacement
none of this is a simple replacement
none of this is a simple replacement none of the old has gone away but it has
none of the old has gone away but it has
none of the old has gone away but it has been over layered with the new often in
been over layered with the new often in
been over layered with the new often in a contentious and hostile relationship
a contentious and hostile relationship
a contentious and hostile relationship you can see this all over the place even
you can see this all over the place even
you can see this all over the place even if you go to Shoreditch which is one of
if you go to Shoreditch which is one of
if you go to Shoreditch which is one of the tech thymus areas for street art you
the tech thymus areas for street art you
the tech thymus areas for street art you can see that there’s a continual over
can see that there’s a continual over
can see that there’s a continual over writing of these mural like works and
writing of these mural like works and
writing of these mural like works and that’s a hostile act the old graffiti
that’s a hostile act the old graffiti
that’s a hostile act the old graffiti writing was and remains ambiguously
writing was and remains ambiguously
writing was and remains ambiguously radical it’s about in part right to the
radical it’s about in part right to the
radical it’s about in part right to the city who gets to decide how the city is
city who gets to decide how the city is
city who gets to decide how the city is decorated it works against both
decorated it works against both
decorated it works against both obviously against advertising in many
obviously against advertising in many
obviously against advertising in many ways it’s against that commercial
ways it’s against that commercial
ways it’s against that commercial decoration but also state interests you
decoration but also state interests you
decoration but also state interests you know who get to paint the street as it
know who get to paint the street as it
know who get to paint the street as it were or even the church it was it was
were or even the church it was it was
were or even the church it was it was and remains sometimes anyway an illegal
and remains sometimes anyway an illegal
and remains sometimes anyway an illegal act with a high price paid in some cases
act with a high price paid in some cases
act with a high price paid in some cases even the price of death for some of the
even the price of death for some of the
even the price of death for some of the trained painters but it was also a
trained painters but it was also a
trained painters but it was also a mutation of capitalist publicity culture
mutation of capitalist publicity culture
mutation of capitalist publicity culture so for instance you can see this but it
so for instance you can see this but it
so for instance you can see this but it you know so much of the practice was
you know so much of the practice was
you know so much of the practice was about the logo and the brand in a sense
about the logo and the brand in a sense
about the logo and the brand in a sense and these things look a bit like you
and these things look a bit like you
and these things look a bit like you know the kind of Sparky logos that you
know the kind of Sparky logos that you
know the kind of Sparky logos that you appear that appear at the beginning of
appear that appear at the beginning of
appear that appear at the beginning of movies and that kind of thing and then
movies and that kind of thing and then
movies and that kind of thing and then if you can see that there’s a copyright
if you can see that there’s a copyright
if you can see that there’s a copyright sign here yeah yeah as well
sign here yeah yeah as well
sign here yeah yeah as well so there’s hierarchy competition for
so there’s hierarchy competition for
so there’s hierarchy competition for ubiquity and prominence just like
ubiquity and prominence just like
ubiquity and prominence just like adverts this is a way in which street
adverts this is a way in which street
adverts this is a way in which street artists made their name it’s also an
artists made their name it’s also an
artists made their name it’s also an advertising of the for the invisible and
advertising of the for the invisible and
advertising of the for the invisible and for those without a product to sell
for those without a product to sell
for those without a product to sell other than the advert itself so that was
other than the advert itself so that was
other than the advert itself so that was the old style and as I say this art was
the old style and as I say this art was
the old style and as I say this art was usually experienced as chaos to all but
usually experienced as chaos to all but
usually experienced as chaos to all but insiders or sometimes to insurgent
insiders or sometimes to insurgent
insiders or sometimes to insurgent communities for instance black
communities for instance black
communities for instance black neighborhoods in New York who you know
neighborhoods in New York who you know
neighborhoods in New York who you know did identify with the the decorated
did identify with the the decorated
did identify with the the decorated trains street art the new street art on
trains street art the new street art on
trains street art the new street art on the other hand is increasingly readable
the other hand is increasingly readable
the other hand is increasingly readable simple and often made on a spectacular
simple and often made on a spectacular
simple and often made on a spectacular scale this is haricot a painting of 2012
scale this is haricot a painting of 2012
scale this is haricot a painting of 2012 and you can see obviously this is done
and you can see obviously this is done
and you can see obviously this is done very very openly with the cherry pickers
very very openly with the cherry pickers
very very openly with the cherry pickers and so on it’s a creature of the net and
and so on it’s a creature of the net and
and so on it’s a creature of the net and social media which keeps the images in
social media which keeps the images in
social media which keeps the images in circulation even when the physical
circulation even when the physical
circulation even when the physical remnants have gone and that’s a huge
remnants have gone and that’s a huge
remnants have gone and that’s a huge transformation there are very often
transformation there are very often
transformation there are very often readable figures sometimes very often
readable figures sometimes very often
readable figures sometimes very often humans sometimes animal but often the
humans sometimes animal but often the
humans sometimes animal but often the animals are proxies for humans rats a
animals are proxies for humans rats a
animals are proxies for humans rats a very popular for instance as kind of
very popular for instance as kind of
very popular for instance as kind of proxies for the lump and underclass and
proxies for the lump and underclass and
proxies for the lump and underclass and faces above all it works by Jimmy C and
faces above all it works by Jimmy C and
faces above all it works by Jimmy C and whose faces well usually young people
whose faces well usually young people
whose faces well usually young people often of ambivalent identity of
often of ambivalent identity of
often of ambivalent identity of mixed-race sometimes stylish but
mixed-race sometimes stylish but
mixed-race sometimes stylish but generally not wealthy now one of the
generally not wealthy now one of the
generally not wealthy now one of the most well known artists a street artists
most well known artists a street artists
most well known artists a street artists offers a kind of extreme model of all
offers a kind of extreme model of all
offers a kind of extreme model of all this and an extremely successful one and
this and an extremely successful one and
this and an extremely successful one and that’s JR so what he does is to through
that’s JR so what he does is to through
that’s JR so what he does is to through his signature style and his own
his signature style and his own
his signature style and his own celebrity hand back a photographic
celebrity hand back a photographic
celebrity hand back a photographic reflection of particular individuals
reflection of particular individuals
reflection of particular individuals into their locales and on a monumental
into their locales and on a monumental
into their locales and on a monumental scale as you can see this is in Shanghai
scale as you can see this is in Shanghai
scale as you can see this is in Shanghai in 2010
in 2010
in 2010 and there are tensions in this between
and there are tensions in this between
and there are tensions in this between Jr’s commercial success his own
Jr’s commercial success his own
Jr’s commercial success his own individualism versus the collective that
individualism versus the collective that
individualism versus the collective that he seemed to be celebrating and also to
he seemed to be celebrating and also to
he seemed to be celebrating and also to do with the conservatism of these
do with the conservatism of these
do with the conservatism of these depictions they play to the tastes of
depictions they play to the tastes of
depictions they play to the tastes of ordinary people but also to ultra
ordinary people but also to ultra
ordinary people but also to ultra wealthy collectors and this was my way
wealthy collectors and this was my way
wealthy collectors and this was my way into populism in a sense I was wondering
into populism in a sense I was wondering
into populism in a sense I was wondering why it was that billionaires seemed that
why it was that billionaires seemed that
why it was that billionaires seemed that despite the fact that they live lives
despite the fact that they live lives
despite the fact that they live lives which are vastly different from those of
which are vastly different from those of
which are vastly different from those of the general populace seem to share their
the general populace seem to share their
the general populace seem to share their tastes and strange sorts of ways now all
tastes and strange sorts of ways now all
tastes and strange sorts of ways now all this bears on a deep social problem
this bears on a deep social problem
this bears on a deep social problem since the decline of the organized
since the decline of the organized
since the decline of the organized working class how to depict the people
working class how to depict the people
working class how to depict the people who are they
who are they
who are they we used to know we used to think we knew
we used to know we used to think we knew
we used to know we used to think we knew anyway Delacroix of course Alexandre de
anyway Delacroix of course Alexandre de
anyway Delacroix of course Alexandre de Dycker
Dycker
Dycker his work is currently on show at the
his work is currently on show at the
his work is currently on show at the Soviet show at there of the Royal
Soviet show at there of the Royal
Soviet show at there of the Royal Academy painting from 1947 so the
Academy painting from 1947 so the
Academy painting from 1947 so the Socialist Realist thought they knew as
Socialist Realist thought they knew as
Socialist Realist thought they knew as well what do people now have in common
well what do people now have in common
well what do people now have in common is there anything beyond the many
is there anything beyond the many
is there anything beyond the many fissures of identity politics how do
fissures of identity politics how do
fissures of identity politics how do they look
they look
they look with junior it starts with subgroups the
with junior it starts with subgroups the
with junior it starts with subgroups the inhabitants of poor French bonheur or of
inhabitants of poor French bonheur or of
inhabitants of poor French bonheur or of the favelas in Rio or Kibera in Kenya or
the favelas in Rio or Kibera in Kenya or
the favelas in Rio or Kibera in Kenya or the Palestinians but with the inside out
the Palestinians but with the inside out
the Palestinians but with the inside out project in particular more recently it’s
project in particular more recently it’s
project in particular more recently it’s spread out to include many diverse
spread out to include many diverse
spread out to include many diverse groupings all over the place including
groupings all over the place including
groupings all over the place including some rather privileged groups one might
some rather privileged groups one might
some rather privileged groups one might argue including one just down the in
argue including one just down the in
argue including one just down the in just outside the building here on the
just outside the building here on the
just outside the building here on the embankment so that’s that’s that’s a
embankment so that’s that’s that’s a
embankment so that’s that’s that’s a slide of this which involved many caught
slide of this which involved many caught
slide of this which involved many caught old students in fact the back abortive
old students in fact the back abortive
old students in fact the back abortive staircase was for a while decorated with
staircase was for a while decorated with
staircase was for a while decorated with junior portraits well as I say this
junior portraits well as I say this
junior portraits well as I say this problem is a deep one if people can’t
problem is a deep one if people can’t
problem is a deep one if people can’t see or recognize themselves as a
see or recognize themselves as a
see or recognize themselves as a grouping can they act as one and street
grouping can they act as one and street
grouping can they act as one and street art seems to hold a partial answer to
art seems to hold a partial answer to
art seems to hold a partial answer to this is to do partly with its
this is to do partly with its
this is to do partly with its gift-giving ethos and partly to do with
gift-giving ethos and partly to do with
gift-giving ethos and partly to do with an effective image of the people who
an effective image of the people who
an effective image of the people who look back at our
look back at our
look back at our and in doing so perhaps begin to
and in doing so perhaps begin to
and in doing so perhaps begin to construct an identity for us and that
construct an identity for us and that
construct an identity for us and that identity is in part collective but
identity is in part collective but
identity is in part collective but fundamentally creative and that’s
fundamentally creative and that’s
fundamentally creative and that’s interesting it’s as if through these
interesting it’s as if through these
interesting it’s as if through these visual acts of depiction the the people
visual acts of depiction the the people
visual acts of depiction the the people is seeing itself as fundamentally and
is seeing itself as fundamentally and
is seeing itself as fundamentally and essentially creative and you know
essentially creative and you know
essentially creative and you know perhaps in ideally at least in a non
perhaps in ideally at least in a non
perhaps in ideally at least in a non instrumental way in a way that is not
instrumental way in a way that is not
instrumental way in a way that is not about youths necessarily I’m not
about youths necessarily I’m not
about youths necessarily I’m not immediately about youth anyway and the
immediately about youth anyway and the
immediately about youth anyway and the fluid and plural identities seen in an
fluid and plural identities seen in an
fluid and plural identities seen in an overarching celebration of all that
overarching celebration of all that
overarching celebration of all that wealth and power in this it perhaps fits
wealth and power in this it perhaps fits
wealth and power in this it perhaps fits some leftist utopian imaginings recent
some leftist utopian imaginings recent
some leftist utopian imaginings recent ones of a world beyond work in which
ones of a world beyond work in which
ones of a world beyond work in which people are defined by their own projects
people are defined by their own projects
people are defined by their own projects their creativity and their connection
their creativity and their connection
their creativity and their connection with others and not by the demands of
with others and not by the demands of
with others and not by the demands of what David Graeber and the LSE calls
what David Graeber and the LSE calls
what David Graeber and the LSE calls jobs I’m sure you know what he
jobs I’m sure you know what he
jobs I’m sure you know what he means by that but does it do so a little
means by that but does it do so a little
means by that but does it do so a little too comfortably Steve as Reedy’s banks
too comfortably Steve as Reedy’s banks
too comfortably Steve as Reedy’s banks his dealer has talked about street art
his dealer has talked about street art
his dealer has talked about street art death in its very stylistic diversity it
death in its very stylistic diversity it
death in its very stylistic diversity it seems to have lost its identity as a
seems to have lost its identity as a
seems to have lost its identity as a subculture it serves landlords it’s
subculture it serves landlords it’s
subculture it serves landlords it’s often about self advertising it’s very
often about self advertising it’s very
often about self advertising it’s very hard he says to get arrested doing
hard he says to get arrested doing
hard he says to get arrested doing street art these days certainly if
street art these days certainly if
street art these days certainly if you’re painting on a large scale and
you’re painting on a large scale and
you’re painting on a large scale and that he sees as a problem it has a
that he sees as a problem it has a
that he sees as a problem it has a product to sell now in a global arena
product to sell now in a global arena
product to sell now in a global arena via social media Mis obviously that of
via social media Mis obviously that of
via social media Mis obviously that of the artist the who is the foundational
the artist the who is the foundational
the artist the who is the foundational figure in a sense of the neoliberal
figure in a sense of the neoliberal
figure in a sense of the neoliberal branded commodity person you know the
branded commodity person you know the
branded commodity person you know the person who creates themselves and
person who creates themselves and
person who creates themselves and markets themselves so the question is
markets themselves so the question is
markets themselves so the question is has the emergence of this people being
has the emergence of this people being
has the emergence of this people being bought at the price of selling something
bought at the price of selling something
bought at the price of selling something definite in a way that earlier street
definite in a way that earlier street
definite in a way that earlier street art didn’t the old copyright signs were
art didn’t the old copyright signs were
art didn’t the old copyright signs were half ironic I think the new ones and the
half ironic I think the new ones and the
half ironic I think the new ones and the hashtags and the QR codes are in earnest
hashtags and the QR codes are in earnest
hashtags and the QR codes are in earnest so it’s not just that the people who
so it’s not just that the people who
so it’s not just that the people who stepped out of the shadows but also that
stepped out of the shadows but also that
stepped out of the shadows but also that advertising character of street artist
advertising character of street artist
advertising character of street artist stepped out of the shadows – is this not
stepped out of the shadows – is this not
stepped out of the shadows – is this not the image of the people then but of the
the image of the people then but of the
the image of the people then but of the prosumer the merged consumer and
prosumer the merged consumer and
prosumer the merged consumer and producer of social media either of so we
producer of social media either of so we
producer of social media either of so we might flip these things either way you
might flip these things either way you
might flip these things either way you might see it either as a conformist
might see it either as a conformist
might see it either as a conformist internalization of the business
internalization of the business
internalization of the business imperative to be a unique brand but
imperative to be a unique brand but
imperative to be a unique brand but paradoxically furthering this by the
paradoxically furthering this by the
paradoxically furthering this by the production and images of the people or
production and images of the people or
production and images of the people or as an insurgent desperation to advertise
as an insurgent desperation to advertise
as an insurgent desperation to advertise the self and to advertise oneself as one
the self and to advertise oneself as one
the self and to advertise oneself as one of the people in the knowledge that very
of the people in the knowledge that very
of the people in the knowledge that very very few are ever called to commercial
very few are ever called to commercial
very few are ever called to commercial success well perhaps it can be both
success well perhaps it can be both
success well perhaps it can be both things at once so wants suggesting
things at once so wants suggesting
things at once so wants suggesting conclusion when seen individually street
conclusion when seen individually street
conclusion when seen individually street art is often banal and conformist when
art is often banal and conformist when
art is often banal and conformist when seen collectively as an environment of
seen collectively as an environment of
seen collectively as an environment of competition the precarious character of
competition the precarious character of
competition the precarious character of many people’s existence and self
many people’s existence and self
many people’s existence and self advertisement it’s a poignant and
advertisement it’s a poignant and
advertisement it’s a poignant and critical display of what capitalism
critical display of what capitalism
critical display of what capitalism demands of its denizens thank you very
demands of its denizens thank you very
demands of its denizens thank you very much
much
much [Applause]
”
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