PUBLIC SPACE - WHO’S IT FOR?
July 17th, 2008
An energetic audience greeted the artists Brad Downey and Mustafa Hulusi first of several Street Art talks sponsored by Nissan QASHQAI at Tate Modern.
Discussing the history of fly posting in London during the 1980’s, Mustafa gave a humorous and personal insight into a decade when regions of London where controlled by fly poster ‘gangs’. An artist in his own right, Mustafa recalled his early days as a student and his first fly poster evenings though to the fall of the fly poster activity due to a change in society and the gentrification of urban streets.
Brad Downey showcased several ‘inspiring’ street art films, including ‘Spontaneous Sculpture’, shot on 35mm by a friend over a four hour period, ‘On/Off’ showing how he managed to ‘urban-hack’ thirty Parisian shop fronts, and a work in progress which showed Brad setting fire to a CCTV camera.
The audience presented a series of challenging questions to the panel, including why one of the presenters was actually at the talk to why Brad Downey doesn’t make it his agenda to set fire to every CCTV in London, Brad responded with ‘Why don’t you? Why does it have to be me to do that?’
If the rest of the Street Art talks are anything like this then we are in for a massive treat. Make some time for these talks, roll on Friday 18th July when Tate Modern present ‘A World View’ at 18.30-19.30.
Tags: Street Art, Tate Modern, urban art
