Punks Not Dead - Welcome to my first blog post

PUNKS NOT DEAD was an exhibition I held in September 2023. With the help of some fantastic people, despite loosing and finding a venue last minute with two fractured ribs I managed to put this show together. 

Graffiti and photography are just two of my passions.  I like to create.  I make sense of the world through art and taking pictures.  With my street photography I take the banality of everyday life from its original context, while with my art I explore space and scale.

Punk and Graffiti share many values, the anarchic nature of both are reflected in each others core principles, namely: community, diy ethics, agency, style and a certain ‘don’t give a f*ck’ attitude.  Punk and Graffiti ignore the rules.  It’s the willingness to break the rules and the idea of personal agency that has inspired me to create art the way that I do.

Growing up in 80’s South London, you had to learn to appreciate the beauty hidden under years of grime and neglect.  The communities and art which grew out of poverty and necessity (particularly in Brixton) shaped the way I saw the world. If debase, is to reduce (something) in quality or value, then dbase, means finding beauty hidden in the banality and degeneration.

What does the future hold for Punks Not Dead…?

Im currently looking for studio space so I can continue painting and designing, the plan will be to host a series workshops based on my design practice.  These will be fun group sessions which focus on fun and being present in the moment.  I’m still ironing out the details still but there will be concessions for youth clubs and people on welfare.   

Art wise, Im continuing to work on the photographic hand finished pieces, and Im excited to explore some (new to me) printing techniques.