Jamie Reid

Jamie Reid was an influential British artist, activist and anarchist, with connections to the Situationist International art movement. His works have become closely associated with defining the image of punk rock.

Born in 1947 in Croydon, England, he attended the John Ruskin Grammar School, before going on to study art at Croydon College in London. It was during this time, when he met Malcolm McLaren, the future manager of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols. His most recognisable works include cover artwork for Sex Pistols albums and singles. These displayed his characteristic use of letters cut from newspaper headlines in the style of a ransom note, and iconoclastic defacements of pop culture and nationalistic images.

Reid used his art to protest nuclear weapons and racism, and to call for a fairer justice system. His works are held in a number of collections including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Tate Gallery in London.