Artist Martin Firrell has partnered with Out of Home media owner Clear Channel UK, to display a series of his new public artworks that explore the idea of power and gender. The project includes perspectives from women and men on the understanding and experience of men and women in power.

Do women understand, hold and use power differently from men? 

What can be learned from the experiences of women in positions of power that might contribute to a happier and more benign use of power in society? 

Firrell explores these questions in 12 digital billboards with the participation of:

  • Inga Beale, former CEO of Lloyd’s Insurance market
“UGLY SWEATY MEN BECOME CEOS ALL THE TIME. UGLY SWEATY WOMEN DON’T”
  • Liv Garfield, CEO Severn Trent and the youngest women to head a FTSE 100 company
“WOMEN MAKE UP HALF THE POPULATION: 50% OF THE TIME THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE JOB MUST BE A WOMAN”
  • Alex Mahon, CEO Channel 4
“THE SIMPLE IDEA THAT OPPORTUNITY IS AVAILABLE TO ALL WOMEN IS A LIE”
  • Annie Rickard, former Global President Posterscope, now steering committee member and Director of the Women’s Equality Party
“WHEN MEN HOLD POWER THEY ABUSE IT”
  • Clare Short, Former Secretary of State for International Development
“DISTORTED POWER AND GREAT INEQUALITY ARE EVIL”

Clear Channel will be displaying ‘Power and Gender’ artwork across their digital Out of Home network nationwide through to March 8. Running across Storm, Adshel Live, and Wrap sites, the project also aims to show how the power of Out of Home can be used to drive public discourse and positive social change.

If the project Martin says: "I believe men and woman regard power differently and I want to ‘open up the layers of that difference’ in front of the public. My residency with Clear Channel makes that possible. If you can create debate, eventually change will follow.”

Clear Channel CEO, Justin Cochrane, says “Clear Channel’s national digital network of screens is uniquely positioned as the perfect “art gallery” to broadcast Martin’s thought provoking work. We’re proud to be supporting this project that opens up public conversation on progressiveness and promotes Fairness – one of Clear Channel’s core values.”

Martin Firrell is a French public artist who stimulates debate in public space to promote positive social change. His work has been summarised as 'art as debate'. Working as Clear Channel’s Artist in Residence, this first project entitled ‘Power And Gender’ is the first part of socialart.work, a mass public art project looking at women's equality and masculinity, alternative forms of economic and social organisation, Black power, and solidarity between people from different backgrounds and ethnicities.