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Big Issue: 35 Years of Street Culture on Display
14 Nov
Summary
- Iconic Big Issue covers from 35 years on display in London.
- Magazine supports homeless people with 'hand up, not handout'.
- George Michael's historic coming-out interview featured.
A new exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in London features 35 years of iconic front covers from The Big Issue, offering a visual narrative of street culture and social history.
Founded in 1991, The Big Issue's mission is to support people experiencing homelessness by providing them with a means of income. The magazine's covers have documented significant cultural and social moments over the decades.
One of the most impactful features was an interview with George Michael, who chose to come out as gay through the publication. This interview, conducted nine years after his last press engagement, highlighted the magazine's trusted platform.
The publication's operational model allows vendors to purchase copies at a reduced price and sell them at full price, keeping the profit. This has provided over 110,000 vendors with an opportunity to earn income since 1991.
Exhibition programming manager Katherine Benson described the covers as a "documentary of our social history and our cultural history." The display is part of a larger exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery called Beyond The Streets.
