Enter Gallery are hosting A Lifetime of Radical Gestures a reflective exhibition to honour the late Jamie Reid – the artistic mastermind behind the iconic visual style of the Sex Pistols.
No stranger to scandal, Reid was known for subverting portraiture of political figureheads, from punking the Queen with a safety pin through her lip, to Nazifying Donald Trump. The week-long exhibition draws from the artist’s Rogue Materials series, a significant body of work spanning from 1972 to 2021. Jamie Reid’s Rogue materials can be found in early posters and flyers from the Sex Pistols, protest movements such as the Anti Poll Tax Alliance in the 1980s, to 2012’s Occupy London Movement. Iconic and rare Jamie Reid limited edition prints will be available to purchase, dating from the 90s to present day alongside never-before-seen imagery chronicling Reid’s life and career.
The exhibition will also unveil the final approved artwork of the artist before he passed away. Reid depicts a shredded Union Jack, barely held together by punkish safety pins, a homage to the 1976 Sex Pistols single launch of ‘Anarchy in the UK’. The flags were approved by the artist and Jamie Reid’s foundation The Arcova Trust before he passed away. This print release is organised with the cooperation of Sex Pistols Residuals and Bravado.
The brand new silkscreen print exclusive of Jamie’s Iconic ‘Anarchy in the UK’ Flag will be available in two sizes; Anarchy in the UK (small) limited edition of 200 Size (cm): 67 x 100 and Anarchy in the UK (large) limited edition of 76. (the year that the Sex Pistols released Anarchy in the UK) Size (cm): 100 x 150
John Marchant, Jamie Reid’s long-time friend and archivist shares,
I am very happy that we are partnering with Enter Gallery to launch this exclusive editioned print of Jamie Reid’s infamous ‘Anarchy In The UK’ flag, as we have a great history of working together to offer Jamie’s world-renowned art and messages to collectors. Jamie and I started work on this edition last summer and although Jamie is no longer with us, I am pleased that this classic work is finally available as a tribute to his incredible legacy.
Enter Gallery has curated this exhibition in partnership with John Marchant (of John Marchant Gallery). On the night guests will hear from John, Reid’s gallerist and Director of The Arcova Trust, who will speak about the artist’s incredible life and career.
Enter Gallery had the pleasure of working closely with Jamie Reid over several decades. He was a true visionary, always fighting for equality and justice via exciting, rebellious, and risqué works that provoked a reaction. In this retrospective, we honour his fascinating life and creativity, and can’t wait to bring his iconic work to the people of Brighton and beyond.
Helen Hiett, Enter Gallery
Jamie Reid, A Lifetime of Radical Gestures, 25th April – 2nd May 2024, Enter Gallery
About the artist
British artist Jamie Reid is an iconoclast, anarchist, punk, hippie, shit-stirring rebel and romantic. Infamously connected with the Sex Pistols and the DIY aesthetic of punk. Raised in a politically-active family, Reid used his creative voice to shout about the most contentious of political issues, including nuclear weapons, racism, homophobia, and the criminal justice system. Reid’s powerful political art prints have earned him a loyal following, with high-profile collectors including Vivienne Westwood, Madonna and Angelina Jolie. From designing iconic record sleeves and supporting radical causes like Extinction Rebellion and the Occupy movement to collaborations with the likes of Pussy Riot and Jimmy Cauty from The KLF, prior to his death in 2023 Jamie Reid spent five decades on the cultural frontline, waging a visual war on the narrow-minded. @jamie_reid_archive
