Wild Beasts Art Agency levels playing field with public art for good by Artist Darren John in Shoreditch.
This week, London based Artist Darren John and Wild Beast Art Agency are proud to unveil Education Is The Key To Unlocking Equality, the first in a series of public art initiatives.
Darren’s signature graphic artwork is displayed across two large scale banners, spelling out a very obvious step that we need to take to build an equal future.
Located on two prominent billboards, under the rail bridge on the junction of Old Street and Shoreditch High Street, free to view from Thursday 1st April to Sunday 18th April.
The mindset is at the core of Darren’s work, with these two pieces, Darren aims to encourage further open dialogue around the inequalities that challenge our society.
Much like the rest of his art practice, these pieces are universal and for all to engage with. They continue his mission to make art more accessible and for everyone, mirroring the same sentiment required for an equal future.
Wild Beasts will interview and document the views of the public, based on the art and message behind the banner, to share what Londoners experiences today. There will be several street art campaigns across London, throughout the year in conjunction with artists from the UK, who seek to promote equality and unity.
EDUCATION IS THE KEY TO UNLOCK EQUALITY
We now have the perfect opportunity to create a brighter future together. The pandemic has unearthed deep-rooted, debilitating inequalities that pulse through the veins of our society. As we look forward, we are presented with an opportunity to reset our values, and with those, the playing field of life in which every single one of us should have the confidence to navigate.
In the aftermath of the global pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement, male violence towards women, attacks on Asian members of our communities, the rising issues of authoritarianism versus democracy, and the widening of income inequality, poverty, and socio-political divides – we find ourselves disparate, divided and anxious for what lies ahead.
These endemic biases we find in our society must be overturned. Every single one of us now has a responsibility to educate ourselves and each other, to build a better future. We all have a duty to enact change and as the great Audre Lorde exclaimed, “your silence will not protect you.” You have the power to reach out, to listen and then to teach. To learn the lessons of the past to create an active pathway to a better future for us all, no matter what race, gender, ability or socio-economic background you come from.
In today’s world we are all interconnected. We are owed the support from each other, our governments, and our institutions to enable us to facilitate the direction of positive change that we want to see – as a community. People and education are our greatest resource and we can achieve superior knowledge and a greater understanding of the world we live in by sharing our diverse experiences.
Our current climate highlights what is wrong with our society and can fuel solutions to aid the creation of a better one. The society we live in now, is one that has been built by the hierarchy and suited to those within it. We need to eradicate these dated regulations, processes and ways of thinking that protect the few and not the many.
We must grasp this opportunity and start talking. Education is the key to equality!
Public art for good: How to support this project.
We are delighted to be releasing a limited edition run of art prints to coincide with these temporary public artworks.
50% of proceeds will go towards the campaign productions costs and future campaigns with the remaining 50% split between supporting Darren’s studio practice and a charity of his choosing (organisation tbc).
A beautifully printed A1 Giclee edition,
Limited to just 50 pieces – signed and numbered.
£150 with free postage in the UK.
- Click here to shop – limited to 50 –
Public art for good: Useful Resources
There is a dedicated project page over on The Wild Beasts Art Agency website which houses resources for learning, information and education. As the projects develop, as too will these pages expand.
Suggestions are encouraged and can be directed to info@thewildbeasts.co.uk
