publicly, “They will never give Brian Barnes enough money to paint one brick.” That is what they have said to me, so I will never get money from this local council. And now it is even sadder because it is no longer a problem of the left or right for they have become almost indistinguishable today. It is a problem of truly constructing community. I keep seeing fantastic places for murals and I think, well, I will never permission for one thing and then I will never get money for another. I’m ok around the school, because I am paid through the school, through an intermediary—that works for Wandsworth Council because they know I am going to be controlled in what I do. I won’t be able to paint the Battersea Mural again in a school. Why don’t you just make another mural? [Brian laughs.] Or are there laws preventing you from doing so? No, no laws—they would just paint it out. Guerilla murals, well it’s Banksy now. Even he’s done wrong—he’s become a coffee table book. He’s kind of a one trick pony. He doesn’t really make a political comment with his work. Well, he does but perhaps it is over now. It becomes commodity because it is no longer a critique, the moment has passed. Such as his mural with the children pledging allegiance to the flag of Tesco. Isn’t there a moment when the people should see the mural and turn around and say, “Hey, I am going to stop shopping at Tesco”. So the component of political action is missing. It’s difficult because just today they [Tesco] were on the radio was saying “We are keeping down our prices for things people buy every day.” So people go there because they have to. So Tesco is capitalism with a Communist face telling us “Brothers and sisters, we are working with you”? [Brian laughs.] There is that aspect as well to consider—the language
of social praxis simulated borrowed and synthesised by capitalist strategy. I do try to shop at the Co-Op as well but there aren’t as many Co-Ops as there are Tesco [laughing]. That is just it—instead of acting on political belief, we end up giving in, don’t we? However, I do think we can do our best to resist. I’ll be straight out there to buy a sandwich in Tesco soon. [laughing] Where else do I get a sandwich? It’s just right there, isn’t it. Yes. They have a very good selection of sandwiches—and for £2.
julian vigo