The influential image-maker Peter De Potter introduces an exclusive look inside his latest book, All Statues Sing Protest Songs
- TextTed Stansfield
Having released his first book last year, Belgian artist Peter De Potter is back. Best known for his collaboration with Raf Simons (he art directed his book Redux and created all his imagery from 2001 to 2010.), De Potter’s work explores youth culture’s social relationship with the internet. Here he introduces his latest project, All Statues Sing Protest Songs, which is published by IDEA.
“All Statues Sing Protest Songs takes off on some kind of recharged energy. The majority of images speak of unrest and agitation, but in a hopeful way. The idea of building and constructing is really important – not so much in an utopian sense, but in an allegorical way. More than ever, I worked hard to make each image to stand on its own; each one is like a pocket pamphlet. There are a lot of black and whites, and bright reds and yellows – all vivid and urgent. All Statues Sing Protest Songs is a romantic title. It conjures up a beautiful image; it’s both activist and melancholic. To me, it feels fitting in the current climate of political shifts and traumas. At the same time, I think it’s a stridently joyous line. The book comes with a zine-like booklet that acts as a compressed version of the book, but with different images. It’s on cheap paper and has a xeroxed look, which is a good companion to the more polished feel of the book itself.”
All Statues Sing Protest Songs will be launched at Dover Street Market London on October 6.
