See the protest art hitting London's streets to mark Big Issue's 35th birthday

Big Issue turns 35 this month and, in one of a series of events to mark this milestone, we’re teaming up with creative studio Grow Up to present Paste Present Future. Created in collaboration with flyposting specialists UNCLE, the exhibition brings together 35 artists from across the worlds of street art, graphic design and contemporary culture to respond to one simple question: “What’s your big issue?”

The project will see artworks displayed across flyposter sites throughout London, before being showcased in a dedicated exhibition at Laundry Studios in Hackney.

Artists have been invited to create original works inspired by the causes, concerns and ideas they feel most passionately about, continuing the long tradition of protest art as a catalyst for conversation and change.

Grow Up was founded in 2019 as a collaboration between artists Blam and his son, Jack, using graphic art, typography, stencils, mixed media, screen print, fluorescent ink and “potty-mouthed high jinx”.

Blam says: “Paste Present Future is about retaining our freedom of speech rights and the power of protest that seems to be slowly eroding, to not take things lying down or burying your head in the sand. I am very much an advocate of ‘silence is compliance’. 

“From my experience of pasting art up on the streets, I was fascinated by how much quicker the message caught fire and was shared and resonated with a wider audience. I wanted the show to take part on the streets and in the public domain, not just in an art gallery, although it runs at Laundry Studios Monday-Friday September to November alongside their 10,000 hours exhibition.”

Alongside the exhibition, limited-edition prints will be available through the Big Issue Shop, with 25% of proceeds helping Big Issue continue its work creating opportunities for people experiencing poverty across the UK.

Here’s a small taster of what’s on in the exhibition:

Grow Up, This Machine Kills Fascists

My big issue

I have many things that trigger my daily mood – AI is the current one (copyright theft and boiling our planet dry to cool everyone’s SHATGBT searches). I also struggle with the treatment of the Filton 25 and other peaceful protesters calling out an end to genocide, the erosion of their freedom of speech and the labelling of them as terrorists. I could go on into full rant mode but I’ll spare you. However everything that pisses me off is an offshoot of late-stage capitalism and the greed that inherently comes with it, leading to poverty, fascism, war, power, corruption and lies.

What’s your big idea to change the world?

Humour. ‘The fash’ can’t deal with it as they are joyless and spiritless souls with zero concept of fun. I love that our art often makes people laugh and gives a small element of joy in these corrupt times – ‘Eat more billionaires’. Also see Count Binface for a perfect reference of how humour can take on fascism. It makes me smile and that gives me hope.

Read more:

• ‘Artist, iconoclast, anarchist, punk, hippie, rebel and romantic’: A personal tribute to Jamie Reid
• ‘We shared a bleak and sarcastic cynicism’: Radiohead artist Stanley Donwood on working with Thom Yorke
• Count Binface: ‘Humans can decide if Farage is more establishment than a lone wolf space warrior’

Jamie Reid [the estate of], Vote for Light

My big issue

Funding for the Florence Institute community centre in Liverpool.

What’s your big idea to change the world?

Trying to encourage people to use their energy for positive change.

Cold War Steve

My big issue

Not one. Atomisation, loneliness, the perturbing of the collective consciousness by the online rage economy. I could go on…

What’s your big idea to change the world?

Everyone needs to put their phone in the sea and go for a very long walk.

Shuby, Gloria

My big issue

Racial and gender inequality. Social systems that blame disadvantaged people for their own disadvantage, instead of providing them with a voice and support.

What’s your big idea to change the world?

To be part of creative movements where art and music challenge the glass ceiling that is often real but deniable.

Babak Ganjei, Proposal for Internet Opening Hours

My big issue

The sheer abundance of constant mediocre rubbish and propaganda being produced and distributed through social media and the dilution of art in all forms as a vehicle for change.

What’s your big idea to change the world?

To have the internet operate on shop hours. I don’t want to say the internet or social media is all bad; I have certainly benefitted from it. I am also fortunate to have grown up without it and I think maybe a compromise between the two would be nice. Maybe having a synchronised break from the constant noise would rebalance things and give people a moment to process things. As a kid I hated Sundays because all the shops were closed and it all felt a bit religious, but I seem to be calling for that, except it’s not religious and the shops can stay open.

Jeremy Deller, Everyone will be Cancelled

My big issue

Too many to name.

What’s your big idea to change the world?

It’s not my idea but not eating meat would be a good start.

To see all 36 artworks in the exhibition, or to buy a limited-edition print, visit Big Issue Shop. A percentage of the proceeds go towards Big Issue’s mission.

Do you have a story to tell or opinions to share about this? Get in touch and tell us more. 

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