Give it Away, Uncle Sam: activist folk music by Caitlin Johnstone
Catchy activist garage folk tune by activist writer – artist Caitlin Johnstone
Spectre of the Real – social art exhibition curated by Raphael at Art of the Real
In April 2019, I curated an exhibition of Social Art at SEAS gallery in Brighton. Today, I was looking at photos from the show, and I realised I didn’t post much about the show on this, my artist website, though I did create a special website for the show (see ArtoftheReal.net, link below). So here…
Churchill, changing monuments, and the evolution of social identity
Boris Johnson says we shouldn’t “edit and censor” our past by changing our monuments. He is wrong – monuments are not, like statues in a museum, mementos of the past. They are a dynamic part of a living, evolving social culture. They need to be renewed. This story discusses what monuments mean in our society…
Obama explains drones strikes to US students
Video archive from 2008, when Drone Killings started in earnest. Worth watching for the argument that if we don’t kill them first they will kill us. Classic Game Theory from the 1950’s. Its self fulfilling prophesy – so we go kill them first and thieir children gonna come for us for sure. It’s also an…
Spectre of the Real: preview, opening talk and artist talks, SEAS Brighton, 13 April 2019
The Spectre of the Real is an exhibition of Social Art by a group of 23 artists, held in Brighton 13-21 April 2019 at SEAS Socially Engaged Art Salon. Five artists gave talks, video links are below. The first was given by Russell Honeyman, curator, to open the show. The talk concerns the Real, a…
After the Liberation featured in Saatchi Collection
8 February 2019. I’m happy that Saatchi Gallery has selected my painting “After the Liberation” as part of their collection “Inspired by Gerhard Richter”. I guess it’s because Richter has painted a (very few) paintings on the subject of war and terror including a blurry Twin Towers. And, or course, its kinda blurry. Here’s the…
“Art that reflects social issues”: Raphael Delamer interviewed by Umit Ozturk on Radio Euromernet
On 1 November 2018, Raphael Delamer was interviewed live on air by Umit Ozturk. They talked about art that reflects social issues and about the issues around representing the victims of violence, in art. The link to the radio show is here:
Red or White: what to wear for Poppy Day if you wish for an end to aggression and war (and to remember all the victims of war, not only fallen soldiers)?
Poppy Day is coming! November 11 is the day in 1918 that World War One ended with the signing of a peace ‘armistice’. Millions of soldiers died. 11 November has become Remembrance Day, and in 1921, the British Legion started selling red poppies, to raise money for ex-servicemen and their families. The British Legion has…
Drone Shadow with Poppies (Art Picnic action, site specific installation, Grand Parade, University of Brighton, 7 July 2018)
07 July 2018. On the day after the opening of my show at Brighton University, I hosted an ‘Art Picnic’ on the lawn in front the University on Grand Parade. One focus of this picnic was the construction of a ‘Drone Shadow’, a full size outline of a Predator Attack Drone, such as those in…
Statues of colonial military heroes defaced in South Africa
5 October 2018. Below, I’ve included a link to the Daily Mail article of today’s date, about statues and memorials being defaced in South Africa. The photo above is particularly poignant, as it highlights the British colonial philosophy that the colonisers were humane people, bringing civilised values to a dark continent, here exemplified by concern…
Comfort Zone – art about drones, bombing and the war on terror – socially engaged art showcased at Brighton’s MA Fine Art show 7-14 July 2018
25 June 2018. At first glance, the paintings look like attractive impressions of desert lands. Closer examination reveals grim skeletons of ruined cities, and wounded faces showing fear, defeat and anger – a premonition that bombing is not the end of the story. A comfortable sofa with fashion, art and travel magazines offers an escape…
The Intercept: a history of Western liberation wars in Iraq since 1945
This post is both an introduction to a really good independent news channel, The Intercept (link below). Its an answer to friendly questions about why I paint scenes of our wars. Some people agree with my pacifist intention, but think art should be a refuge from the brutal world. Others question why I oppose the…
Raphael by the Sea 