Poster Boy Informal Interview
I thought Poster Boy had some interesting ideas bubbling beneath the surface of the NY Magazine article about him. I decided to see if he would elaborate on his thoughts. Here are his responses to four quick questions I asked him regarding his work and practice.
Q-Why do you think you have the right to destroy private property?
A-Outdoor advertisements go beyond the physical spaces they occupy. They pollute the visual environment and infiltrate people's subconscious. Ads on tv and magazines, however abrasive, affect a specific group of people. That group being the ones subscribing to the specific show or issue. Outdoor ads, what you consider public property, assaults everyone in it's vicinity. With that said, I feel I have the right, and even obligation, as a human being to fight back. Besides, I don't like the idea of private property.
Q-Why do you Attack advertising?
A-"Advertising" struck first. By preying on people's insecurities the advertising industry has been coaxing me, and countless others, on how to look, feel, and act. Some companies that advertise on a mass scale, like coca cola, are involved in outright violations of human rights.
Q-What are some of the things you hope viewers are thinking about when they look at your work?
A-I hope they're thinking of many things. I'd like people to consider the role of advertising and the companies/institutions behind them. I'd like people to ask themselves whether they're truly happy with the way "things" are, and if they aren't then what they can do about it. And of course, I'd like people to question art. After all, isn't that one of the major roles of art? To push and question what is possible and beautiful. In the end if I can get someone to chuckle during their drab commute then I'm happy.
Q-You were quoted in the NY mag article as saying you had found “A new sense of independence, where I felt, I should take control of my environment.” What does taking control of your environment mean?
A-It means putting theories to the test. Don't just read Noam Chomsky. Get excited and do something about it. However, be smart about it. Don't go throwing molotov cocktails left and right, unless you're in a third world country. We live in an "advanced" society. This calls for advanced actions. The time for marches, however relevant in the 60's, has sadly come to an end. Dissent is big business for war profiteers. We need to assent. Fight Club, for lack of a better example, illustrates my point well.
PB
Thanks so much for your honest and compelling answers.
Q-Why do you think you have the right to destroy private property?
A-Outdoor advertisements go beyond the physical spaces they occupy. They pollute the visual environment and infiltrate people's subconscious. Ads on tv and magazines, however abrasive, affect a specific group of people. That group being the ones subscribing to the specific show or issue. Outdoor ads, what you consider public property, assaults everyone in it's vicinity. With that said, I feel I have the right, and even obligation, as a human being to fight back. Besides, I don't like the idea of private property.
Q-Why do you Attack advertising?
A-"Advertising" struck first. By preying on people's insecurities the advertising industry has been coaxing me, and countless others, on how to look, feel, and act. Some companies that advertise on a mass scale, like coca cola, are involved in outright violations of human rights.
Q-What are some of the things you hope viewers are thinking about when they look at your work?
A-I hope they're thinking of many things. I'd like people to consider the role of advertising and the companies/institutions behind them. I'd like people to ask themselves whether they're truly happy with the way "things" are, and if they aren't then what they can do about it. And of course, I'd like people to question art. After all, isn't that one of the major roles of art? To push and question what is possible and beautiful. In the end if I can get someone to chuckle during their drab commute then I'm happy.
Q-You were quoted in the NY mag article as saying you had found “A new sense of independence, where I felt, I should take control of my environment.” What does taking control of your environment mean?
A-It means putting theories to the test. Don't just read Noam Chomsky. Get excited and do something about it. However, be smart about it. Don't go throwing molotov cocktails left and right, unless you're in a third world country. We live in an "advanced" society. This calls for advanced actions. The time for marches, however relevant in the 60's, has sadly come to an end. Dissent is big business for war profiteers. We need to assent. Fight Club, for lack of a better example, illustrates my point well.
PB
Thanks so much for your honest and compelling answers.
Labels: activism, interviews, New York, Poster Boy, random thoughts
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