Ghosts in the Machine: Christopher Stead Interviewed
The physical roots of contemporary graffiti and raves can be traced back to the origins of urban exploration, which emerged as a response to boredom. Whether urban or suburban, the ghosts of post-industrialisation have left a myriad of abandoned warehouses, squats, and vacant spaces. Growing up, my friends and I had no access to museums or galleries. That just wasn’t part of our culture. We found our catharsis within the post-industrial playgrounds that stood as monuments to failed futures. These places of other were treasure troves of pieces from the early graffiti pioneers. By day, the decaying and ruined spaces would act as makeshift galleries for the city’s curious teenagers. Then, at night, the same spots would transform into pop-up clubs for illegal parties, something we had yet to learn about and were about to discover. These playgrounds allowed the city’s delinquents to unyoke themselves from their home lives, and the secret, concealed nature of these sanctuaries made us feel like it was our secret. The train lines, however, were no secret; they were just forbidden.
Lee Rourke interviews Christopher Stead.