Toby Victor Mott (born 12 January 1964) is a British artist, designer, and sometime Punk historian known for his work with the

Grey Organisation The Grey Organisation (GO) was an artist collective active from 1983 to 1991. GO worked in several media including film and video and participated in over 20 international exhibitions. In January 1985 the group committed an act of 'art terrorism ...

, an artists' collective that was active in the 1980s, and for his fashion brand Toby Pimlico. More recently he has become known for his Mott Collection, an archive of UK punk rock and political ephemera that includes over 1,000 posters, flyers, and

fanzines A fanzine (blend word, blend of ''fan (person), fan'' and ''magazine'' or ''-zine'') is a non-professional and non-official publication produced by fan (person), enthusiasts of a particular cultural phenomenon (such as a literary or musical genre) ...

Early life

Toby Mott was born in London, son of academic Jim Mott and social worker Pam. He received a scholarship to attend the progressive, independent

St. Mary's Town and Country School St. Mary's Town and Country School was an independent, non-denominational, co-educational progressive day and boarding school, founded in Belsize Park, London in 1937. It closed at the end of 1982. The school was owned and run by Mrs Elisabeth P ...

. At some point, the scholarship was withdrawn, and he went on to complete his schooling at

Pimlico Comprehensive Pimlico Academy (formerly Pimlico School) is a mixed-sex education secondary school and sixth form with academy status, located in the Pimlico area of Westminster in London. History Conversion to academy After many years of underperformance, ...

, where he shared a classroom with the screenwriter

Amy Jenkins Amy Jenkins (born 1966, in London) is an English novelist and screenwriter. She is the daughter of political journalist Peter Jenkins and the stepdaughter of ''The Guardian'' columnist and author Polly Toynbee. In 2004 she married Jonathan Heaw ...

and Patrick Harrington, an infamous leading member of the National Front. He later studied art at

Westminster Kingsway College Westminster Kingsway College is a large college for further education in central London with centres in King's Cross in Camden, together with Victoria and Soho centres in Westminster. Founded in 2000 and having origins dating back to 1910, the ...

where

Sid Vicious John Simon Ritchie (10 May 1957 – 2 February 1979), better known by his stage name Sid Vicious, was an English musician, best known as the bassist for the punk rock band Sex Pistols. Despite dying in 1979 at age 21, he remains an icon of the ...

of the

Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they were one of the most groundbreaking acts in the history of popular music. They were responsible for ...

was an alumnus. Mott was a founder member of the ASA ( Anarchist Street Army, a late 1970s organisation that caused disturbances in the

Pimlico Pimlico () is an area of Central London in the City of Westminster, built as a southern extension to neighbouring Belgravia. It is known for its garden squares and distinctive Regency architecture. Pimlico is demarcated to the north by London V ...

area of London). In the early 1980s he lived at the Carburton Street squats in

Fitzrovia Fitzrovia () is a district of central London, England, near the West End. The eastern part of area is in the London Borough of Camden, and the western in the City of Westminster. It has its roots in the Manor of Tottenham Court, and was urban ...

, a centre of artistic activity at the time – other residents included

Boy George George Alan O'Dowd (born 14 June 1961), known professionally as Boy George, is an English singer, songwriter, DJ, author and mixed media artist. Best known for his soulful voice and his androgynous appearance, Boy George has been the lead singe ...

, Marilyn,

Cerith Wyn Evans Cerith Wyn Evans (born 1958 in Llanelli) is a Welsh conceptual artist, sculptor and film-maker. In 2018 he won the £30,000 Hepworth Prize for Sculpture. Early life and education The son of Sulwyn and Myfanwy Evans, Evans was born in Llanelli. ...

Fiona Russell-Powell Fiona Russell Powell (born 2 April 1962) is a British journalist. She is best known for her series of interviews throughout the 1980s in ''The Face'' magazine. For a brief period in the mid-1980s, she performed as a member of pop group ABC i ...

, and Mark Lebon. During this period Mott appeared in a number of films made by the British director

Derek Jarman Michael Derek Elworthy Jarman (31 January 1942 – 19 February 1994) was an English artist, film maker, costume designer, stage designer, writer, gardener and gay rights activist. Biography Jarman was born at the Royal Victoria Nursing Home ...

, notably The Angelic Conversation and also appearing in

Gilbert & George Gilbert Prousch, sometimes referred to as Gilbert Proesch (born 17 September 1943 in San Martin de Tor, Italy), and George Passmore (born 8 January 1942 in Plymouth, United Kingdom), are two artists who work together as the collaborative art du ...

's "Exister" pieces from 1984, currently in the

Tate Collection Tate is an institution that houses, in a network of four art galleries, the United Kingdom's national collection of British art, and international modern and contemporary art. It is not a government institution, but its main sponsor is the U ...

. In the late 1980s and early 1990s he was based in New York and Los Angeles working part-time as a

bicycle messenger Bicycle messengers (also known as bike or cycle couriers) are people who work for courier companies (also known as messenger companies) carrying and delivering items by bicycle. Bicycle messengers are most often found in the central business di ...

and as an art director for

MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...

making music videos for various groups, among them

Public Enemy "Public enemy" is a term which was first widely used in the United States in the 1930s to describe individuals whose activities were seen as criminal and extremely damaging to society, though the phrase had been used for centuries to describe p ...

A Tribe called Quest A Tribe Called Quest was an American hip hop group formed in Queens, New York City, in 1985,Q-Tip

and

The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...

. In 1989 Mott designed album cover graphics for groups such as

Information Society An information society is a society where the usage, creation, distribution, manipulation and integration of information is a significant activity. Its main drivers are information and communication technologies, which have resulted in rapid inf ...

and

De La Soul De La Soul () is an American hip hop trio formed in 1988 in the Amityville area of Long Island, New York. They are best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative ...

, most notably their debut album ''

3 Feet High and Rising ''3 Feet High and Rising'' is the debut studio album by American hip hop group De La Soul, released on March 3, 1989 by Tommy Boy Records. It is the first of three collaborations with producer Prince Paul, which would become the critical and ...

Anarchist Street Army

The Anarchist Street Army (ASA) was a loose collective of young punks and anarchists from several inner city London Schools including

London Nautical School The London Nautical School (LNS) is an 11–18 foundation secondary school for boys and mixed sixth form in Blackfriars, Greater London, England. It was established in 1915. History The London Nautical School was established in 1915 in respon ...

, and

Camden School for Girls The Camden School for Girls (CSG) is a comprehensive secondary school for girls, with a co-educational sixth form, in the London Borough of Camden in north London. It has about one thousand students of ages eleven to eighteen, and specialist- ...

, who congregated around an independent record shop on Wilton Road called Recordsville and attended

Crass Crass were an English art collective and punk rock band formed in Epping, Essex in 1977, who promoted anarchism as a political ideology, a way of life, and a resistance movement. Crass popularised the anarcho-punk movement of the punk s ...

concerts. Their motives as an organisation were varied, but had a general ethos of bringing anarchy and chaos to the London streets, such as crashing

Capital Radio Capital London is a radio station owned and operated by the Global media company as part of its national Capital FM Network. As Capital Radio it was launched in the London area in 1973 as one of Britain's first two commercial radio stations. I ...

Nicky Horne Nicky Horne (born 3 September 1950) is an English DJ, who has worked for a variety of radio stations, including Capital Radio. Career Horne worked as a road manager for Emperor Rosko in 1969, before presenting shows on BBC Radio 1, from 197 ...

show in an attempt to save

the Roxy Roxy, Roxey, and Roxie may refer to: People * Roxy (given name), including a list of people and characters with the name Places in the United States * Roxie, Mississippi, a town * Roxie, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Music * Roxy ...

, and were a forerunner to later organisations with similar attitudes such as

Class War Class War is an anarchist group and newspaper established by Ian Bone and others in 1983 in the United Kingdom. An incarnation of Class War was briefly registered as a political party for the purposes of fighting the 2015 United Kingdom general ...

The Wombles ''The Wombles'' are fictional pointy-nosed, furry creatures created by Elisabeth Beresford and originally appearing in a series of children's novels from 1968. They live in burrows, where they aim to help the environment by collecting and recycl ...

, and protest tactics like Black Bloc. The ASA's motto and anthem was 'Running Riot' a punk rock song by the band

Cock Sparrer Cock Sparrer () is an English punk rock band formed in 1972 in the East End of London. Although they have never enjoyed commercial success, they helped pave the way for the early '80s punk scene and the Oi! subgenre., Their songs have been cov ...

, later adopted by Right Wing factions within the

Oi! Oi! is a subgenre of punk rock that originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The music and its associated subculture had the goal of bringing together punks, skinheads, and other disaffected working-class youth. The movement was p ...

movement.

Solo art career

Mott was a co-founder of the East London art group the

(GO) who were active from 1983 to 1991. GO worked in several mediums including film and video and participated in over 20 international exhibitions. In January 1985 the group committed an act of "art terrorism" by smuggling one of their paintings into the International Contemporary Arts Fair in London. The following year they mounted an attack on

Cork Street Cork Street is a street in Mayfair in the West End of London, England, with many contemporary art galleries, and was previously associated with the tailoring industry. It is part of the Burlington Estate, which was developed from the 18th centur ...

, then the centre of the London art world, splashing grey paint on the windows of a number of galleries. After this, members of the group were arrested and for a time banned from central London. This resulted in them relocating to New York City where they exhibited at The Civilian Warfare Gallery in the East Village. When GO disbanded in 1991, Mott pursued a solo career exhibiting at

White Columns White Columns is New York City’s oldest alternative non-profit art space. White Columns is known as a showcase for up-and-coming artists, and is primarily devoted to emerging artists who are not affiliated with galleries. All work submitted is ...

NYC, The Thomas Soloman Garage, Los Angeles and

Interim Art Maureen Paley (born 1953Sleeman, Elizabeth (ed.) ''The International Who's Who of Women'' (London and New York: Routledge, 2002), p. 431. Entry on Paley available as snippet viehere/ref>) is the American owner of a contemporary art gallery in Be ...

, London. He was for many years represented by the

Maureen Paley Maureen Paley (born 1953Sleeman, Elizabeth (ed.) ''The International Who's Who of Women'' (London and New York: Routledge, 2002), p. 431. Entry on Paley available as snippet viehere/ref>) is the American owner of a contemporary art gallery in Be ...

gallery. In September 2011 Toby Mott produced a series of paintings inspired by the

2011 England riots The 2011 England riots, more widely known as the London riots, were a series of riots between 6 and 11 August 2011. Thousands of people rioted in cities and towns across England, which saw looting, arson, as well as mass deployment of police ...

, the resulting exhibition 'Unrest' was exhibited at Vegas Gallery, London. Many of the paintings in the exhibition were brandished with the slogan ' All Coppers Are Bastards' in gold leaf a reference to the legendary punk/political slogan. 3ftHighTobyPrint

Mott said of this exhibition "I was going to call the exhibition, 'I’ll keep looting until I get caught'— a quote from a looter but which could equally apply to a banker, ose at the bottom are taking their lead from those at the top; although the rioters act in a cruder way, it is essentially the same thing." In October 2011,

Knightsbridge Knightsbridge is a residential and retail district in central London, south of Hyde Park, London, Hyde Park. It is identified in the London Plan as one of two international retail centres in London, alongside the West End of London, West End. ...

gallery New Contemporary presented a solo exhibition of paintings by Mott entitled 'This Means Everything'. "The show is collection of new paintings addressing our culture's present preoccupation with fame and success versus the historical background of nihilism and anarchy as epitomised by the punk movement." In 2013, Toby Mott exhibited a print edition of the original album art work for De La Soul's ''3 Feet High and Rising'', displayed alongside memorabilia such as Mott's original sketch, his gold disc, and other items from his private collection. Mott wrote an essay meant to accompany the exhibition in which he described the creation of the 1989 album art. He was commissioned to design the album cover by

Tommy Boy Records Tommy Boy Entertainment is an American independent record label and multimedia brand founded in 1981 by Tom Silverman. The label is credited with helping and launching the music careers of Queen Latifah, Afrika Bambaataa, Stetsasonic, Digital U ...

and invited the De La Soul trio to his New York loft. Atop a stepladder, he took the now-iconic black and white photograph of the three and added the dayglo "daisy-age" art in post-production.

The Mott Collection

Mott began his collection in the late 1970s. In addition to the iconic works of the era, notably those produced by

Jamie Reid Jamie Reid (born 16 January 1947 in London, United Kingdom) is an English artist and anarchist. Career His work, featuring letters cut from newspaper headlines in the style of a ransom note, came close to defining the image of punk rock, pa ...

for

The Sex Pistols ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

and

Linder Sterling Linder Sterling (born 1954, Liverpool), commonly known as Linder, is a British artist known for her photography, radical feminist photomontage and confrontational performance art. She was also the former front-woman of Manchester based post-punk ...

for the

Buzzcocks Buzzcocks are an English punk rock band formed in Bolton, England in 1976 by singer-songwriter-guitarist Pete Shelley and singer-songwriter Howard Devoto. They are regarded as a seminal influence on the Manchester music scene, the independen ...

, it includes propaganda from political groups such as

Rock Against Racism Rock Against Racism (RAR) was a political and cultural movement which emerged in 1976 in reaction to a rise in racist attacks on the streets of the United Kingdom and increasing support for the far-right National Front at the ballot box. Betwe ...

and the

British National Front The National Front (NF) is a far-right, fascist political party in the United Kingdom. It is currently led by Tony Martin. As a minor party, it has never had its representatives elected to the British or European Parliaments, although it gaine ...

and memorabilia from the

Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II The Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II marked the Silver jubilee, 25th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952. It was celebrated with large-scale parties and parades throughout the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth o ...

, an event that collided with punk's high-water mark in 1977. '' Esopus'' released material from the Mott Collection related to

Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. S ...

in 2013. The special edition publication came with several facsimile reproductions of archival materials and a removable insert that commemorated Thatcher's polarizing tenure. Exhibitions and books from the Mott Collection include: * Loud Flash: British Punk on Paper, ''MUSAC'',

Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Castilla y León The Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Castilla y León, better known as the MUSAC, is a contemporary art museum in the city of León, Spain. Inaugurated in April 2005 by Felipe, Prince of Asturias, this cultural institution aims to be a "Museum ...

, March 2010 accompanied by the publication, ''Loud Flash: British Punk on Paper'' a selection of posters and essays designed by cult designer Scott King. * Loud Flash: British Punk on Paper,

Haunch of Venison Haunch of Venison was a contemporary art gallery operating from 2002 until 2013. It supported the work of contemporary leading artists, presented a broad and critically acclaimed program of exhibitions to a large public through international exh ...

, London, 2010 accompanied by the publication, ''Loud Flash: British Punk on Paper'' produced by

. On the occasion of the exhibition at

a Panel discussion took place on the subject of the enduring legacy of Punk, Moderated by Mark Ingelfield, Gallery Director, panel members:

Tony D Anthony Depula (June 28, 1966 – April 4, 2009), known professionally as Tony D, was an American hip hop artist from Trenton, New Jersey. Career Although he was an MC and a DJ, he was most famous for being an influential producer in hip hop ...

, editor of Ripped and Torn fanzine,

Ray Gange Ray Gange (born 1957 or 1958) is a former actor from London, England, best known for his portrayal of the roadie who starred in the film ''Rude Boy''. The film won various awards, but Gange did not continue his film career. ''Rude Boy'' Before sta ...

, star of

The Clash The Clash were an English rock band formed in London in 1976 who were key players in the original wave of British punk rock. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they also contributed to the and new wave movements that emerged in the wa ...

film ''

Rude Boy Rude boy, rudeboy, rudie, rudi, and rudy are slang terms that originated in 1960s Jamaican street culture, and that are still used today. In the late 1970s, there was a revival in England of the terms ''rude boy'' and ''rude girl'', among other ...

'', Toby Mott, artist, writer and collector; Teal Triggs, author of the

Thames & Hudson Thames & Hudson (sometimes T&H for brevity) is a publisher of illustrated books in all visually creative categories: art, architecture, design, photography, fashion, film, and the performing arts. It also publishes books on archaeology, history, ...

book Fanzines,

Peter York Peter York (born Peter Wallis; 1944) is a British management consultant, author and broadcaster best known for writing ''Harpers & Queen's'' ''The Official Sloane Ranger Handbook'' with Ann Barr. He has worked as a columnist for ''The Indepe ...

, style writer and author of '' The Official Sloane Ranger Handbook''. *

, Andrew Roth Gallery, New York, February 2011, accompanied by the publication: Crass 1977 – 1984, PPP Editions, 2011 * Loud Flash: British Punk on Paper,

Honor Fraser Honor Fraser (born 1973) is a Scottish art dealer in California and a former fashion model. She is the sister of Simon Fraser, 16th Lord Lovat and chief of Clan Fraser of Lovat, and the granddaughter of British Commando Simon Fraser, 15th Lord ...

, Los Angeles, July 2011 accompanied by the publication: Loud Flash: British Punk on Paper at Honor Fraser, designed by Brian Roettinger. On the occasion of the exhibition at Honor Fraser a panel discussion took place moderated by Professor

Vivien Goldman Vivien Goldman (born 1952) is a British journalist, writer and musician. Early life and education Goldman was born in London in 1952, the child of two German-Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany. She studied English and American literature at the ...

of the

NYU Tisch School of the Arts The New York University Tisch School of the Arts (commonly referred to as Tisch) is the performing, cinematic and media arts school of New York University. Founded on August 17, 1965, Tisch is a training ground for artists, scholars of the a ...

, panel members: Gardar Eide Einarsson, Artist,

Billy Idol William Michael Albert Broad (born 30 November 1955), known professionally as Billy Idol, is a British-American singer, songwriter, and musician. He first achieved fame in the 1970s emerging from the London punk rock scene as the lead singer o ...

, Punk Musician, Toby Mott, artist, writer and collector,

Simon Reynolds Simon Reynolds (born 19 June 1963) is an English music journalist and author who began his professional career on the staff of ''Melody Maker'' in the mid-1980s. He has since gone on to freelance and publish a number of full-length books on music ...

, British author and music journalist. * We Have Our Own Concept of Time and Motion,

Auto Italia South East Auto Italia is an artist-run project and studio in Bethnal Green, London, England. It commissions and produces new artwork, collaborating directly with emerging artists. Throughout its history, Auto Italia’s work has taken many forms, ranging ...

, London, 25–28 Aug * Nothing in the World But Youth, Selections from the Mott Collection: Thatcher's youth,

Turner Contemporary Turner Contemporary is one of the UK’s leading contemporary art galleries. Celebrating Margate’s connection with the painter J.M.W. Turner (1775 – 1851), an artist who believed that art could be an agent of change, its year-round exhibition ...

, Margate, 17 September 2011 – 8 January 2012 accompanied by the publication: Nothing in the World But Youth, * We Are the Writing on the Wall,

MoMA PS1 MoMA PS1 is a contemporary art institution located in Court Square in the Long Island City neighborhood in the borough of Queens, New York City. In addition to its exhibitions, the institution organizes the Sunday Sessions performance series, th ...

NY Art Book Fair The NY Art Book Fair is Printed Matter, Inc's annual event, historically held in September or October. The NY Art Book Fair is the world’s largest book fair for artists’ books and related publications, featuring over 370 exhibitors from 30 c ...

, New York City, 30 September – 2 October accompanied by the publication: 100 Fanzines/10 Years of British Punk – 1976–1985, PPP Editions On the occasion of the exhibition at

a panel discussion took place on the history of British punk fanzines, moderated by Professor

of the

, Toby Mott, artist, writer and collector, Joly MacFie, fanzine publisher, Victor Brand writer, Michael Gonzales afro-punk music writer. * Jubilee 2012 – Sixty Punk Singles, The Vinyl Factory, London, 30 May – 24 June 2012. Accompanied by the exhibition catalogue: Jubilee 2012 – Sixty Punk Singles, designed and printed by Ditto Press, * KRAFTWERK. 45RPM, The Vinyl Factory, London, 13 Sep – 5 October 2012. An exhibition of forty-five 7" single covers by the German

krautrock Krautrock (also called , German for ) is a broad genre of experimental rock Experimental rock, also called avant-rock, is a subgenre of rock music that pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique or which experiments ...

group

Kraftwerk Kraftwerk (, "power station") is a German band formed in Düsseldorf in 1970 by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider. Widely considered innovators and pioneers of electronic music, Kraftwerk were among the first successful acts to popularize the ...

, many designed by

Emil Schult Emil Schult (born 10 October 1946) is a German painter, poet and audio-visual artist. Biography After studying Sinology in Münster, Schult joined the Academy of Art in Düsseldorf in 1969 to study Fine Arts in the printmaking class of Dieter ...

. Accompanied by the exhibition catalogue KRAFTWERK. 45RPM, designed and printed by Ditto Press, In the catalogue's introductory essay 'Kraftwerk, Yesterday's Tomorrow', Mott describes the group's aesthetic as "an analogue past dreaming of today's digital present." *

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...

– Nacht Musik, The Vinyl Factory, London, 7 Feb – 3 March 2013. An exhibition of forty-five 7" single covers by David Bowie, from his

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

period. Accompanied by the exhibition catalogue David Bowie – Nacht Musik, designed and printed by Ditto Press * American Hardcore 1978 – 1990, Vinyl Factory, London, 11 April – 4 May 2013. An exhibition of fifty 7" single covers by various American Hardcore Punk bands such as Black Flag, JFA,

Bad Brains Bad Brains are an American rock band formed in Washington, D.C. in 1976. Originally a jazz fusion band under the name Mind Power, they are widely regarded as pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members have objected to the use of this ...

, &

The Dicks ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

among others. Accompanied by the exhibition catalogue American Hardcore 1978 – 1990, designed and printed by Ditto Press, * SKINHEAD - AN ARCHIVE, published 2014 by Ditto and The Mott Collection A publication exploring one of the most controversial and radical subcultures. with printed material curated by Mott, the book examines this multi-faceted culture through the filter of printed material, zines, posters and films. The book is divided into sub-sections looking at the original iteration of skinhead, the fascist interpretation, the socialist counterpoint,

queer ''Queer'' is an umbrella term for people who are not heterosexual or cisgender. Originally meaning or , ''queer'' came to be used pejoratively against those with same-sex desires or relationships in the late 19th century. Beginning in the lat ...

skinhead culture, exploitation literature, skin girls, and everything in between. * ''Showboat: Punk / Sex / Bodies'' (Dashwood Books - )- Showboat is a collection published by Mott in 2016, exploring the relationship between punk and sex. Numerous people contributed to the book including

Paul Cook Paul Thomas Cook (born 20 July 1956) is an English drummer and member of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols. He was also called "Cookie" by his friends on the punk music scene. Early life and career Cook was raised in Hammersmith and atte ...

of the

Garry Bushell Garry Bushell (born 13 May 1955) is an English newspaper columnist, rock music journalist, television presenter, author, musician and political activist. Bushell also sings in the Cockney Oi! bands GBX and the Gonads. He managed the New York Ci ...

, filmmaker

Nick Zedd Nick may refer to: * Nick (given name) * A cricket term for a slight deviation of the ball off the edge of the bat * British slang for being arrested * British slang for a police station * British slang for stealing * Short for nickname Place ...

, and artist

Annie Sprinkle Annie M. Sprinkle (born Ellen F. Steinberg on July 23, 1954) is an American certified sexologist, performance artist, former sex worker, and advocate for sex work and health care. Citing: Sprinkle has worked as a prostitute, sex educator, femi ...

. In addition to photo galleries, the book has personal essays and lyrics from 1972 to 2016. The collection also contains never before exhibited images by

Shirley Baker Shirley Baker (9 July 1932 – 21 September 2014) was a British photographer, best known for her street photography and street portraits in working class areas of Greater Manchester. She worked as a freelance writer and photographer on various ...

from the 1980s. * ''Oh So Pretty: Punk in Print 1976-1980'' (

Phaidon Press Phaidon Press is a global publisher of books on art, architecture, design, fashion, photography, and popular culture, as well as cookbooks, children's books, and travel books. The company is based in London and New York City, with additional off ...

- )- In late 2016 Mott published Punk in Print, a collection of flyers, ticket stubs, and other memorabilia showing the early days of punk. The New York Observer stated the book was, "collectively, the raw, abrasive look of the promotional material from the music scene back then packs a powerful punch, presented with the immediacy of youthful creativity in an instinctive way." The book was originally published in 2015 as ''Punk in Print 1976-1980''.

CRASS exhibition

In February 2011 Mott exhibited another part of his collection, 'Crass, selections from The Mott Collection', an exhibition of objects and artefacts centred on the anarchic, post-punk culture of the British band

, at the Roth gallery, New York. The exhibition featured artwork, albums and ephemera, including original 12" LPs and EPs, 7" singles from

Crass Records Crass Records was an independent record label that was set up by the anarchist Punk rock, punk band Crass. Overview and history Prior to the formation of Crass, Penny Rimbaud and Gee Vaucher had published their creative works via their own D ...

, and a complete set of

' iconic house zine, Inter-National Anthem. The material featured in the exhibition spanned the high period of

' endeavours, from 1978 to 1984, and constituted a special segment of The Mott Collection.

Jubilee exhibition

To celebrate the

Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II The year 2012 marked the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II being the 60th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952. The only diamond jubilee celebration for any of Elizabeth's predecessors was in 1897, for the 60th an ...

, the Mott Collection exhibited a collection of sixty 7" punk singles including records by

Ian Dury Ian Robins Dury (12 May 1942 27 March 2000) was a British singer, songwriter and actor who rose to fame during the late 1970s, during the punk and new wave era of rock music. He was the lead singer and lyricist of Ian Dury and the Blockheads an ...

The Cortinas The Cortinas were a Bristol-based punk rock band, originally active between 1976 and 1978. Guitarist Nick Sheppard went on to play with the Clash. In 2001, the band's debut single, "Fascist Dictator" (originally released in June 1977), was i ...

, and the

among others. The exhibition was accompanied by a publication of the same name reproducing various group's cover artwork including the iconic "

God Save the Queen "God Save the King" is the national and/or royal anthem of the United Kingdom, most of the Commonwealth realms, their territories, and the British Crown Dependencies. The author of the tune is unknown and it may originate in plainchant, bu ...

" by the

. In an interview with Peter Aspden in the

Financial Times The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Nik ...

, Mott discusses how the Queen became an icon of the punk movement after the Sex Pistols defaced

Cecil Beaton Sir Cecil Walter Hardy Beaton, (14 January 1904 – 18 January 1980) was a British fashion, portrait and war photographer, diarist, painter, and interior designer, as well as an Oscar–winning stage and costume designer for films and the theat ...

's portrait of her with a safety-pin. "I was playing some of the records yesterday," said Mott. "They are amazing. They are so musical. They are like pop. I can't believe my parents said they were nothing but noise. Really, it is something you would want your own kids to be doing, it was so creative, instead of all this consumer stuff and video games. Punk was portrayed as this negative thing but, in fact, it was a high point and a lasting part of British culture. And that is why we should be celebrating it. Punk marked the end of the postwar period. It gave birth to individualism and then the

Thatcher era Margaret Thatcher's term as the prime minister of the United Kingdom began on 4 May 1979 when she accepted an invitation of Queen Elizabeth II to form a government, and ended on 28 November 1990 upon her resignation. She was elected to the pos ...

that followed." The book was designed by Ditto Press and printed on a

Risograph Risograph is a brand of digital duplicators manufactured by the Riso Kagaku Corporation, that are designed mainly for high-volume photocopying and printing. It was released in Japan in 1980. It is sometimes called a printer-duplicator, as newer ...

machine.

Skinhead culture

In 2013, Mott curated an exhibition called "Where Have All The

Bootboy The suedehead subculture was an early-1970s offshoot of skinhead subculture in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Although sharing similarities to 1960s skinheads, suedeheads grew their hair longer and dressed more formally. Although often working cl ...

s Gone?

Skinhead A skinhead is a member of a subculture which originated among working class youths in London, England, in the 1960s and soon spread to other parts of the United Kingdom, with a second working class skinhead movement emerging worldwide in th ...

Style and Graphic Subculture." The exhibition was held at the

London College of Communication The London College of Communication is a constituent college of the University of the Arts London. It specialises in media-related subjects including advertising, animation, film, graphic design, photography and sound arts. It has approximately ...

. It was said to be an exploration of the Skinhead subculture, its ties to the punk movement and Oi!, and the aesthetics and politics therein. Mott was criticized for opening the exhibit during

Black History Month Black History Month is an annual observance originating in the United States, where it is also known as African-American History Month. It has received official recognition from governments in the United States and Canada, and more recently ...

, but he defended his position saying, "I don't understand the objection. I thought everyone loves skinheads. They are as British as chicken korma." In March 2014, Mott participated in London's Jewish Book Week. He spoke on a panel on the Jewish roots of punk alongside

Geoff Travis Geoff Travis (born 2 February 1952) is the founder of both Rough Trade Records and the Rough Trade chain of record shops. A former drama teacher and owner of a punk record shop, Travis founded the Rough Trade label in 1978. Biography Travis wa ...

, Daniel Miller,

Charles Shaar Murray Charles Shaar Murray (born Charles Maximillian Murray; 27 June 1951) is an English music journalist and broadcaster. He has worked on the '' New Musical Express'' and many other magazines and newspapers, and has been interviewed for a number of ...

, and

Cultural Traffic

Mott launched a counter culture book fair called Cultural Traffic. It launched at

Truman's Brewery Truman's Brewery was a large East London brewery and one of the largest brewers in the world at the end of the 19th century. Founded around 1666, the Black Eagle Brewery was established on a plot of land next to what is now Brick Lane in London, E1. ...

Shoreditch Shoreditch is a district in the East End of London in England, and forms the southern part of the London Borough of Hackney. Neighbouring parts of Tower Hamlets are also perceived as part of the area. In the 16th century, Shoreditch was an impor ...

in 2016. The fair showcases affordable art that is engaged in current social and political issues. The debut collection showcased works from contributors such as Angel Rose, Skin Deep, William Ling Fine Art, and The Photocopy Club.

Toby Pimlico

Toby Pimlico is a fashion label based on paintings by Toby Mott. Mott began making paintings based on detention school 'lines' such as "I Will Try Harder"; these were then transferred onto T-shirts, transforming them into a recognisable design motif. He came up with the brand name, Toby Pimlico, and an initial six designs, including "I Must Not Chase the Boys" and "I Have Nothing To Wear". The T-shirts began to have a cult following after being worn by

Kate Moss Katherine Ann Moss (born 16 January 1974) is a British model. Arriving at the end of the "supermodel era", Moss rose to fame in the early 1990s as part of the heroin chic fashion trend. Her collaborations with Calvin Klein brought her to fas ...

, the actress

Sienna Miller Sienna Rosie Diana Miller (born December 28, 1981) is an American-British actress. Born in New York City and raised in London, she began her career as a photography model, appearing in the pages of Italian ''Vogue'' and for the 2003 Pirelli cal ...

Geri Halliwell Geraldine Estelle Horner (née Halliwell; born 6 August 1972) is an English singer, songwriter, author, and actress. She rose to prominence in the 1990s as Ginger Spice, a member of the girl group the Spice Girls. With over 100 million records ...

from

The Spice Girls The Spice Girls are a British girl group formed in 1994, consisting of Melanie Brown, also known as Mel B ("Scary Spice"); Melanie Chisholm, or Melanie C ("Sporty Spice"); Emma Bunton ("Baby Spice"); Geri Halliwell ("Ginger Spice"); and Victor ...

and

It Girl An "it girl" is an attractive young woman, who is perceived to have both sex appeal and a personality that is especially engaging. The expression ''it girl'' originated in British upper-class society around the turn of the 20th century. ...

Tara Palmer-Tomkinson Tara Claire Palmer-Tomkinson (23 December 1971 – 8 February 2017), also known as T P-T, was an English socialite and television personality. She appeared in several television shows, including the reality programme '' I'm a Celebrity...Get Me ...

. The label also received praise from the

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...

. Other slogans are used to promote social consciousness, such as the

Marie Curie Marie Salomea Skłodowska–Curie ( , , ; born Maria Salomea Skłodowska, ; 7 November 1867 – 4 July 1934) was a Polish and naturalized-French physicist and chemist who conducted pioneering research on radioactivity. She was the first ...

-inspired 'love you to death.' The label was launched at London Fashion Week in 1998. The Brand now includes a range of tea towels, maternity wear and knickers. Mott responded to his own success and transition from Punk to artist-businessman by calling himself a 'Gold Card Anarchist' In 2014, Mott launched the website TobyShop.com as a way to promote the brand. He released a line of vintage slogan T-shirts for the Toby Shop. The design is similar to T-shirts he first created in 1999, but with a modern twist. The line of shirts features slogans like "Show Me The Moet" and "Saturday Girl."

Personal life

Mott divorced celebrity hairdresser Louise Galvin in 2008 after one year of marriage, as reported in the ''Evening Standard''. Mott met Galvin through a mutual friend, she was already several months pregnant when they married. "The marriage was never going to work, I discovered Louise had matching

Louis Vuitton Louis Vuitton Malletier, commonly known as Louis Vuitton (, ), is a French high-end Luxury goods, luxury fashion house and company founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton (designer), Louis Vuitton. The label's LV monogram appears on most of its produc ...

luggage" says Mott. Their daughter was born in 2007.

References

External links

Interview with Toby Mott
in

Isis magazine ''The Isis'' is a student publication at the University of Oxford, where the magazine was established in 1892. Traditionally a rival to the student newspaper '' Cherwell'', ''Isis'' was finally acquired by the latter's publishing house, Oxfor ...

Painting by Toby Mott in the Chelsea and Westminster Health Charity art collection

Creative Review on KRAFTWERK 45

* ttp://www.turnercontemporary.org/media/audio/YOUTH%20TOBY%20MOTT%20FEATURE%201.mp3 Interview with Toby Mott on Talking About My Generation
Interview with Toby Mott at D&AD

Panel discussion: 100 Fanzines/10 Years of British Punk: 1976–1985

Toby Mott talks about Jeremy Paxman's underwear

Punk on Paper panel discussion, Honor Fraser Gallery

Haunch of Venison Panel Discussion video

* ttp://www.andrewroth.com/ Andrew Roth Gallery
Toby Mott in Gilbert & George's 'The Existers' (In yellow suit, seated next to George)
* https://www.vice.com/en_uk/read/toby-mott-interview-skinhead-book-324 * https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/features/the-cult-of-the-skinhead-where-are-the-buzz-cuts-now-9913703.html * http://www.esopus.org/contents/view/316 {{DEFAULTSORT:Mott, Toby 1964 births Artists from London Bicycle messengers Living people Squatters Writers from London People educated at St Mary's Town and Country School