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Punk Prophet

Perhaps best known as punk’s artistic representative, Jamie Reid explains why 2008 may not be the year to celebrate, and the struggle he has faced as an artist in this ‘Capital of Culture’.

By Madeline Fuller

Well known for his political opinions, expressed visually in his work and verbally in past interviews, I was keen to find out exactly what Jamie Reid thinks the Capital of Culture means to Liverpool’s art scene, and what has inspired his work from his early Sex Pistols’ days to his latest pieces exhibited at Microzine on Bold Street.

“I’ve been a practising artist in Liverpool for over 20 years but never been offered the opportunity to do a major exhibition,” says Jamie.

“Everywhere that has offered is being closed down - it’s ironic - Quiggins, the Flying Picket, Jump Ship Rat. They are integral to what Liverpool’s about. The art scene is dominated by middle class outsiders. They want to be in control and tell us what to like.

“If it’s really about Liverpool then it has to be about art in Liverpool and creating opportunities for Liverpool.
“Liverpool is a radical town and this should be reflected - it is not something to be brushed over and ashamed of.” He argues that it is precisely because of this radicalism that Liverpool has been ‘taken over and ‘destroyed’.
Jamie talks about ‘Visual Stress’- a multi media group he was involved in during the 80’s in Liverpool. He describes this as one of the most radical, exciting things he’s been involved in: “this was never supported though,” he says.

It seems that politics has been the greatest force behind Reid’s work. Is this accurate? “There’s always been a political side to my work from the late 60s to my recent involvement in the anti-war movement. But we are also immersed in beauty and magic - beauty is the greatest weapon we’ve got to change things.”

Jamie refers to the homogenisation of cities: “Every city is unique but they’re each starting to look like one another - the same modern architecture, bars…it’s all become so corporate.” It seems this lack of beauty and respect for design underpins Reid’s concern with developments in Liverpool: “Beauty has to be reflected in every aspect of new buildings. Architecture needs to inspire people. Most architecture is about subjugating people and making them feel subverted.”

What events have most influenced him recently? “The anti-war movement, clause 28, and further back, the Poll Tax. There are lots of issues that I’ve contributed my visuals to. Being involved with the anti-war movement was important - two million people were involved but too politically inept to express their beliefs. Sometimes you get disillusioned.”

Jamie is a Druid - going back three generations in his family. His recent, more abstract work could surprise some and seems to directly reflect this aspect of his life: “I express it visually - it’s based on respecting the planet - it’s really no more complicated than that,” he says.

“I’ve done two major exhibitions in Derry in Northern Ireland - 30 to 40 people did their own thing in one space. The organisers created the Nerve Centre and ten years later I exhibited ‘Peace is Tough’ in the city. It was inspired, and it is the sort of place that would be brilliant in Liverpool. The English art scene is terrible.
“We’ve just had the whole con of Britart - it was complete shite. All the best art comes from below and then gets taken over and exploited.”

I want to know why his work was shown in Microzine in Bold Street: “I find it quite honest showing art in shops rather than galleries. Many major exhibitions in Japan are at the top of department stores.” I ask whether this represents commercialisation of art - a commercialisation that is the antithesis of his political stance: “Art is commercial,” he replies.

Visit Jamie Reid's website at www.jamiereid.uk.net