Steve Lambert

Origins

Steve’s father, a former Franciscan monk, and mother, an ex-Dominican nun, imbued the values of dedication, study, poverty, and service to others. These qualities prepared him for life as an artistic activist.

In the late 90’s, Steve found himself in the San Francisco Superior court system defending against illegal evictions that would have made him homeless. This was happening simultaneously as he was trying to complete his fine art training. At the time, his life straddled two contrasting worlds. Though seemingly at odds, each were integral to his existence. In the years following he resolved this crisis by merging the practical, outcome-based world of activism with the aesthetics, emotion, and experimentation of the arts.

Merging the Arts and Activism

In 2008 Lambert, together with the Yes Men, organized with hundreds of people on “The New York Times Special Edition.” This utopian version of the paper announced the end of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan among other good news. Subsequently, in 2011 he built a 20 x 9 foot sign that reads CAPITALISM WORKS FOR ME!, that allows passers by to vote true or false. Steve has toured with the sign across the United States, Europe, and Australia.

Lambert’s work has garnered attention both nationally and internationally. His work has been exhibited in diverse settings from art galleries to protest marches to Times Square. It has also been featured in four documentary films, and over two dozen books, and collected in museums. Lambert has presented at the United Nations several times and contributed to a United Nations report on the impact of advertising on cultural rights. Additionally, his research formed the basis of a book analyzing popular understandings of capitalism. He served as a Senior Fellow at the Eyebeam Center for Art and Technology in New York from 2006-2010 and developed and led workshops for Creative Capital Foundation. Currently, Lambert is an Associate Professor of New Media at SUNY Purchase. He holds advanced degrees from reputable institutions, including an art school and a state university. Steve dropped out of high school in 1993.

Lambert co-founded the Center for Artistic Activism with Steve Duncombe in 2009. The two co-authored The Art of Activism: Your All Purpose Guide to Making the Impossible Possible.