Stuart Brisley Reflects on 1968's Legacy and Neoliberalism's Impact on Art and Education

Stuart Brisley returned to England in 1964 after a four-and-a-half-year absence, observing a shift from postwar austerity to consumerism and modern culture. He noted that new art emerged from the margins while a surface of individualism concealed media-driven conformity. The 1968 Paris events influenced England, sparking sit-ins at Hornsey and other art schools, as well as universities like Essex in 1968 and Liverpool in 1970, where students demanded democratized education. The Hornsey sit-in was an optimistic, collective experience focused on teaching teachers, but it faded by summer's end without strong structural outcomes, remembered more as a revolt than an effective reform. The Thatcher era accelerated capitalism into neoliberalism, transforming education and art culture through corporate influences like the art market and fair economy, supported by tourism and heritage. This neoliberal model, managed by sororities and fraternities, contrasts sharply with the 1968 Welfare State, marking a shrinking common culture. Brisley's reflections were published in the May 2018 issue of ArtReview.