DeLaure and Fink present a collection of essays, interviews, and creative writing discussing the phenomenon called “culture jamming.” Culture jamming refers to various tactics used by artists and activists to draw attention to big money and corporations through the use of fake news, hoaxes, altered logos, and more. The book is divided into three parts; the first part defines and discusses culture jamming in general. The second part of the text explores specific case studies of culture jamming such as the work of Banksy and the flash mob phenomenon. The last section gets up close and personal with the artists through interviews and explorations of their work. The book includes photographs of examples of cultural subversiveness as well as culture jamming in action. Of note is the essay discussing the work of Shepard Fairey, creator of the iconic Obama “Hope” poster. Annotation ©2017 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)
Coined in the 1980s, “culture jamming” refers to an array of tactics deployed by activists to critique, subvert, and otherwise “jam” the workings of consumer culture. Ranging from media hoaxes and advertising parodies to flash mobs and street art, these actions seek to interrupt the flow of dominant, capitalistic messages that permeate our daily lives. Employed by Occupy Wall Street protesters and the Russian feminist punk band Pussy Riot alike, culture jamming scrambles the signal, injects the unexpected, and spurs audiences to think critically and challenge the status quo.
The essays, interviews, and creative work assembled in this unique volume explore the shifting contours of culture jamming by plumbing its history, mapping its transformations, testing its force, and assessing its efficacy. Revealing how culture jamming is at once playful and politically transgressive, this accessible collection explores the degree to which culture jamming has fulfilled its revolutionary aims. Featuring original essays from prominent media scholars discussing Banksy and Shepard Fairey, foundational texts such as Mark Dery’s culture jamming manifesto, and artwork by and interviews with noteworthy culture jammers including the Guerilla Girls, The Yes Men, and Reverend Billy, Culture Jamming makes a crucial contribution to our understanding of creative resistance and participatory culture.
