Voting Schmoting – Real Hackney Dave’s new show encourages people to hit the polls

Iconic London-based artist David Buonaguidi, aka Real Hackney Dave, is launching a major new art show called Voting Schmoting as we head into an election year to encourage people to hit the poll stations in the capital’s Mayoral vote in May, and at the next General Election.

Ad man turned printmaker Buonaguidi spent 35 years in advertising and co-founded major UK advertising agencies St Luke’s in 1995 and Karmarama in 2000, before quitting the industry four years ago to dedicate his life to art.

As well as his own work, the exhibition at Inky Fingers Gallery in Hackney Wick will feature more than 250 thought-provoking, inventive and funny original works all themed on voting donated by a host of other exciting artists. All pieces will be sold to raise money to provide bursaries for young people to do the Art & Design foundation course at the University Of The Arts London in Camberwell.

The exhibition opens on 15th March at Inky Fingers until Friday 5th April.

The hugely popular Buonaguidi was inspired to put on the exhibition after a friend told him that in the last Mayoral election 58% of Londoners didn’t vote.

He explained: “At the end of last year, my friend Natalie Campbell, the independent London mayoral candidate, got in touch and asked if we could help raise awareness about the importance of voting. In the last Mayoral election only 42% of Londoners voted, which is pathetic when you think that more than a century ago, Emily Davison threw herself under a horse and died for the right to vote.

“A few years ago, I didn’t bother voting against Brexit because I never thought it would happen. I will never underestimate the power and importance of my vote EVER again. Voting changes things. Get off your arse and vote and positive change happens.”

He had been making art however for years before he quit the ad industry for good, and rose to prominence in 2003 with his now legendary ‘MAKE TEA NOT WAR’ poster for the march against the war on Iraq, now in the Victoria and Albert Museum collection.

Buonaguidi also previously guest edited The Big Issue, for an edition that was dedicated to art, and organised an art exhibition of his and other artists’ work on the theme ‘Just Be Kind’ around the issue’s publication in November 2022.

Before that in 2021, he teamed up with football magazine Goal to produce a limited edition print to celebrate Italy’s victory in UEFA Euro 2020, with all proceeds going to support those affected by coronavirus in both the UK and Italy.

His work has also been displayed at the Saatchi Gallery, and he’s one of the artists permanently featured at the Jealous Studio & Gallery, East Art Gallery, Hooked Gallery, D’Stassi Art, Enter Gallery, Edit Art and more.

To see some of the works selected for the exhibition on sale, click here: https://weareinkyfingers.uk/collections/voting-schmoting

Source: Inky Fingers

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