The Big Issue - UK (2020-03-09)

Backin2016,hedesignedtheCELEBRATEcovertomark

our 200 millionthUKmagazinesale.Intheyearssince,

despitebeingoneofthemostin-demandglobalstreet

artists,hehasgenerously given time and art to help

boost The Big Issue.

Wetalkedintheinterveningyearsabouthim

guest-editingaspecialedition.Andhereitis.Anditis

glorious.Foranartistofsuchimpactandinfluence,Ben

is remarkably, reassuringly, open and down to earth.

StartingwithasimplethemeofUP,everythingflows.

Benopenedhiscontactsbookandbroughtinsomeof

thebiggeststreetartistsintheworld.Theyalltookthe

wordandtheideaofUPandconceived new work around

it in their own incredible ways.

Fromthecontributionstothemagazine–which

includesinterviewswithShepardFairey,AnthonyLister

andthenotoriouslysecretive1UPcrew–anexhibition

hasgrown.ItopensonMarch 12 attheJealousGallery

inEastLondon.SpecialmentionhereforJuan,Andy

andHelenattheOurTypes studio, and for the inimitable

Dario Illari at Jealous.

BenEineisaone-off.Hecouldstepback,taketoabig

houseinthehillsandwatchthe art world fete him and

grow the value of his work.

Instead,hekeepson.Hesharesourbeliefthatthose

atthebottomaretobeasvaluedasthose at the top, that

they need a hand UP, not a handout.

Thisweek,notforthefirsttime, Ben Eine offershis

hand UP. We thank him.

Paul McNamee, Editor of The Big Issue

BEN EINE HAS

BEEN A FRIEND

OF THE BIG ISSUE

FOR SOME TIME

LOVE LOVE LOVE ©Louis Thornton Films 2019

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09-15 MARCH 2020 BIGISSUE.COM|p 15