Famous street artist My Dog Sighs guest edits special Art Edition of the Big Issue

Today (Thursday, July 13^th) the renowned street artist My Dog Sighs has taken on the role of guest editor for a special art-focused edition of the Big Issue.

There is also an exhibition opening today of the artist’s work at Jealous Gallery, with a limited-edition print created for the special collaboration, with proceeds going to the Big Issue.

The theme of the special edition magazine is ‘Reclaiming the Lost’, exploring lost and abandoned spaces and the individuals who bring them back to life. The edition also explores the topic of urban regeneration through the arts and creative industries, emphasising the importance of arts education and the detrimental effects of budget cuts.

In addition to My Dog Sighs, the special edition will celebrate other talented artists such as SNIK, Rust Bucket Workshop, Rone, and The Bearded Explorer.

The acclaimed artist, My Dog Sighs, said: “I’m very excited to announce that I have partnered up with the Big issue to guest edit a very special Art Edition of the magazine and to produce a very limited fine art print with Jealous Gallery as a fundraiser for the Big Issue.

“When the Big issue approached me to guest edit this special Art Edition, I instantly saw the parallels with my creative endeavours and their ethos of helping those struggling and lost to work themselves to a position where they can find themselves and their place/purpose.

“As I delved deeper, choosing features for the magazine, I discovered other artists, creative thinkers, explorers, musicians and projects that are re-imagining the lost and turning it into something of value and purpose. It’s an incredible honour to be invited and I’m extremely proud of the magazine we’ve put together.

“Alongside the print, I’m proud to be showing a new body of work inspired by my collaboration with Big Issue. For this series, I chose, in each reflection, a different unidentified person. Half are friends, family and loved ones and the other half Big Issue sellers. It doesn’t matter where we are in life, right now, we’re all only a few pay checks or a life impacting events away from needing the support of organisations such as the Big Issue and I wanted this edition to democratise these people through a shared visual aesthetic.”

Russell Blackman, managing director of the Big Issue, said: “Every year we invite stars of the art world to take over an edition of the Big Issue. They bring a wholly different perspective. We are so excited to be collaborating with My Dog Sighs, the special Art Edition is a brilliant one this year. Please do go out and support your local vendor by buying a copy.”

As part of the collaboration, My Dog Sighs has partnered with Jealous Gallery to produce a limited-edition signed art print as a fundraiser for The Big Issue. The print features one of My Dog Sighs’ iconic glassy reflective eyes, reflecting narratives under the theme of being lost. The limited-edition prints will be available for purchase at Jealous Gallery for £495, with all profits going to the Big Issue.

To further support the organisation, My Dog Sighs has brought in some of the featured artists from the Special Edition, including Rone, Rust Bucket Workshop, Junker Jane and SNIK, to exhibit their work. A percentage of the proceeds from the sale of these artworks will also go towards The Big Issue.

The exhibition, titled ‘Reclaiming the Lost’, will open at Jealous Gallery, 53 Curtain Road, Shoreditch on Thursday, July 13th, and will run until Saturday 22nd July.

Please go out and buy a copy of the special Art Edition from your local Big Issue vendor; you can find your nearest vendor here: www.bigissue.com/vendors/