Street Advertising Takeover - Artist turns billboards into democratic spaces Favorite 

Practitioner: 

Date: 

Apr 3 2016

Location: 

Worldwide

"Two weekends ago, a loose network of these artists and activists, under the name Subvertisers International, launched their first global effort to reclaim our shared public environment from its monopolization by commercial media. The demand was not for better or more truthful advertising, but to imagine what a city would look like when the stories we told ourselves in public space reflected a democratic voice.

From March 22–March 25 the informal group held workshops, film screenings, and lectures in 38 cities and 21 countries, all of which addressed how we choose to curate our shared public spaces and what that means for the determination of our collective social agenda. Alongside these legal acts of resistance, a highly coordinated global advertising takeover was organized and implemented on March 23. Artists and activists in 16 countries and 21 cities replaced approximately 500 advertisements with artwork in an effort to demand democratic used of our shared public spaces. From Iran to Mexico, Canada to Norway, Australia to Israel and Argentina to the US, hundreds of participants made their opinions clear. The streets are ours, and we will reflect back the messages and ideas that we see fit. Photographer Luna Park has been at the forefront of documenting this growing movement and captured the following images from the New York City interventions that took place in the Bronx."

Posted by Alissa.Milano on