I’m currently raising funds on Kickstarter to produce a book titled Post Vandalism. You can see the full campaign by clicking here. This book reflects the past five years since I started the Post Vandalism Instagram account in January 2019. At the time, I didn’t really know exactly what it would become, but I knew something like this was overdue. There were so many interesting characters and stories to tell. I’ve always been drawn to this kind of work for its humanistic side, how we impact and transform our surroundings, especially in cities. The artists working in this space have a unique connection to urban landscapes, approaching them with a sense of freedom unlike any other groups. I created this Instagram page because I had a genuine love for this kind of work. I wanted to document it while also exploring the theoretical ideas behind it.
Although some of the topics covered can be quite heavy, I believe the overall approach is uplifting, it’s full of life, authenticity, and a playfully subversive spirit. Curating and archiving these works has shaped how I see this approach, not just as an artist or curator, but also in how it connects to bigger cultural and social conversations. It’s made me think about these ideas in a more human and relatable way. This book distills that understanding and celebrates some of the most interesting artists working today.
What exactly is Post Vandalism?
In short, its an art making approach that shows a deeper layer to our cities, it blends elements of street-inspired civil disobedience and urban intervention with contemporary art, examining how these worlds intersect. This is viewed through both subcultural and contemporary art lenses, drawing on protest movements and art history, including influences like the Situationist International, Auto-destructive Art, and Anarchitecture. This approach is explored through both historical and contemporary examples, including resistance movements and the work of leading contemporary artists.
This approach is driven by the frenzy of city life, examining how city dwellers impact their environment with a raw immediacy. Drawing inspiration and materials directly from the city, it uses urban spaces as both source and subject. Damage is often used as a creative tool with techniques like defacing, cutting, burning, and corroding used in formative ways. This approach focuses on artists who bridge the divide between vandalism and art making, performance and protest. The critical framework for this approach draws on the writings of sociologist Stanley Cohen and criminologist Jeff Ferrell, who challenge the loaded language around vandalism and reframe it as a response to social conditions.
As Larissa Kikol pointed out in Kunstforum International, the age of “isms” reached its height in the 20th century and is largely behind us. The works associated with Post Vandalism are far too diverse to fit neatly into a box anyway. Using an "ism" here is a tongue-in-cheek nod to an art historical canon that has largely overlooked this way of working. When I started the Instagram account, my goal wasn’t to establish a new “ism”, it was to archive artworks that play with the dynamics of public space. I wanted to highlight approaches that blurred the lines between performance and protest, artmaking and resistance, artworks that felt evocative and impactful.
In art history, “post” often implies that something has concluded, but in the case of Post Vandalism, this isn’t true. I wanted to broaden our understanding of how we think about vandalism’s role in public spaces and contemporary art, showing how it can be used as a formative tool to reclaim power. In this case, it’s a reshaping and adaptation of the spirit of vandalism. In an increasingly authoritarian world, I think practices like this appeal to people, they resonate with it, because it shows that everyday people can make an impact.
The curation for this book brings together artists from diverse backgrounds and levels of experience, ranging from globally recognised icons to emerging talents. This blend is central to the curatorial vision. Some artists have traditional art school educations, while many others have developed their craft through subcultural practices, bypassing conventional artistic pathways. This mix of perspectives adds to the discussion around Post Vandalism, offering a comprehensive view of how this art-making approach is taking shape. The artists involved produce diverse works with no single aesthetic anchor, spanning sculpture, video, painting, conceptual art and more
The book is being designed by Warriors Studios, an award winning design agency based in Glasgow. Inside the book, you'll find essays on the history of resistance, the emotions behind graffiti, and finding meaning in cathartic acts of destruction among lots more. The goal was to connect the dots between different artists, highlight their shared approaches, and reflect on why this approach is gaining traction. Your support will help bring this vision to life!
Contents
The book is over 160 pages of essays and images. It features essays by art critic and historian Larissa Kikol, criminologist and social worker Friederike Häuser and artist and curator Stephen Burke.
It includes the work of Gordon Matta-Clark, Katharina Grosse, Daniel Wiessbach, Brad Downey, Matias Faldbakken, Wermke/Leinkauf, Saeio & Rizote, Epos 257, Robert Lazzarini, Dash Snow & Dan Colen, Vladimír Turner, Sterling Ruby, Nug, Baptiste Debombourg, Nadia Kaabi-Linke, Mona Hatoum, Alexandre Bavard, Mike Ballard, Eva Rothschild, Jason Revok, Leon Xu, Jason Gringler, Eva Robarts, David Von Bahr, Katsu Sawada, Akay & Olabo, Richie Culver, Craig Costello, David Ostrowski, The Wa, Tilt, Jose Carlos Martinat, Bram Braam, Ed Bats, Nils Bleibtreu, Littlewhitehead, Christopher Stead, Nils Weiligmann, Nils Jendri, Rap, Igor Ponosov, Kaare Frang, Rocco & his brothers, Alexander Raczka, Olivier Kosta-Thèfaine, Tyrell Winston, Greg Fadell, Hans Leo Maes, Ciro Duclos, Ulysse Genet, Ronan Dillon, Mathias Weinfurter, Adrian Castanada, Fiachra Corcoran, Stephen Burke and many more.
