Subvertising – The St Just Mob

The Saint-Just Mob have been active subvertisers in Bristol since 2001 intervening on billboards, hoardings and statues using pasted words on lining paper. Part of the battle to free our Commons. Over that time around 10 comrades have contributed hands, ideas and ladders and acted as look-outs. Named after Antoine Saint-Just, co-drafter of the Franch Revolutionary Constitution of 1793 that included the abolition of slavery. The title is useful inasmuch that mention of Saint-Just riles anarchists as they see the Jacobins as Leninist Avant a Lettre while at the same time the mention of Mob disturbs party apparatchiks as it represents revolt without leaders. William Blake put it well “Without contraries there is no progress.”

As the exhibition shows, Steve Philbey’s subvertising work was prolific and wide ranging, from anti-war art during the invasion of Iraq in 2003 to re-imaging Bristol’s dubious public statues.

At 12.20pm Ruth Parkinson will give a short guided introduction to the exhibition.