swell signs
May 7, 2009
Crossley Street, outside De Mille Decorative and Fine Arts
Bourke Street, alongside GPO
If I was in America, I’d love to go see Steve Lambert’s show Everything You Want, Right Now! Inspired by ever-present advertising, his signs are engaging and relevant. The focus is how advertising works, and why it is both clever and despicable. Public space needs more defenders like Steve! Closes 6 June.
[...] "Saw the Elephant"–The Civil War added an interesting post today on swell signsHere’s a small readingBourke Street, alongside GPO. If I was in America, I’d love to go see Steve Lambert’s show Everything You Want, Right Now! [...]
Back in the 80’s I remember an Australian art movement called something like “buggar it” Anyhow, they would put on street construction vests to blend in on the street. Next they would climb atop billboards and white out certain letters. The remaining letters would then spell out the true intent behind an advertisement. They were really good
Pasadena: BUGA UP (billboard utilising graffitists against unhealthy promotions)are big favourites of mine – cool cos they involved people of all ages and professions. Subvertisers? Culture jammers? Intelligent and witty protesters? Hell yeh! Most active here in the 70s and 80s, and instrumental in getting tobacco ads banned. I wrote a paper on them in final year high school.
Hey, I was in the ballpark…High marks on your paper!
I went straight to the net, very cool. Did you come up with Subvertisers and Culture Jammers? I likey
Pasadena: thanks! can’t claim to have invented either term, you might like to read Kalle Lasn’s book Culture Jam (he’s the publisher of Adbusters)?