Punk artist Jamie Reid's 50 years of protest captured in Paisley exhibition

Wonder what happened to him?

Reid was warmly welcomed in Glasgow, a city proud of its protest history, whose citizens have staunchly stood up for their rights from the Rent Strikes of 1915 to the recent events in Pollokshields, when Border Agency staff tried to remove two Indian men but were thwarted when crowds of local residents swarmed local streets.

Now, Reid’s work – some of it rarely seen – is back in Scotland as part of Made in Paisley.

Taking Liberties! 50 Years of Protest will feature Jamie Reid’s Political Work from 1970 – 2020 in association with John Marchant Gallery. It shows the artist remains as influential and as controversial as he was when he was sticking a safety pin in Her Maj’s lip and swastikas on her eyes.

Featuring drawings, stickers, posters, banners and publications, the display includes works from Reid’s seminal early 70s Suburban Press period through the 80s and 90s campaigns against the Poll Tax, the Criminal Justice Bill and Clause 28 to his recent work for Pussy Riot, Occupy London and Extinction Rebellion.

Reid grew up in suburban Croydon, under the parental influences of Druidry and social protest.

As a boy, he protested against nuclear weapons being stored on UK soil and after a stint as a semi- professional footballer and gardener, co-founded an independent, agit-prop group called Suburban Press.

He became disillusioned with city life and headed for the Outer Hebrides, but came back to London to help Malcolm McLaren promote a band he was managing.

The rest is punk history.

However, while Reid might forever be associated in most people’s minds with the Sex Pistols, those iconic images are only part of the story.

Throughout the 90s Reid was engaged with protest movements such as No Clause 28, Greenpeace and the Anti-Poll Tax Alliance.

He had relocated to Liverpool where he got involved with radical arts group Visual Stress, collaborating on street actions, rituals and parades aimed at addressing the city’s legacy from the slave trade.

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In 2009, he collaborated with Japanese fashion icon Rei Kawakubo for Comme des Garcons and in the last decade he has designed visuals for protest groups like Occupy, Pussy Riot and most recently Extinction Rebellion.

John Marchant explains: “Taking Liberties! will address an important part of this most influential of artist’s work to date.

“After all, at its heart, punk was both romantic and political, and Reid was the acknowledged driving force of rage against the monarchy, the state and the status quo.”

Taking Liberties! 50 Years of Protest is at Made in Paisley on High Street from October 1 to 29.