Interview: Jeremy Deller
- Turner Prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller is showcasing his film, Everybody in the Place: An Incomplete History of Britain 1984-1992, at The Vinyl Factory: Reverb exhibition.
- Deller's latest installation delves into the socio-political history of the 'Second summer of Love,' examining the roots of house music and its impact on Britain following the Miners’...
- Deller discussed the importance of rave history and the students' reactions to the material.
Jeremy Deller Reflects on Rave History and the ‘Second Summer of Love’
Updated May 29, 2025
Turner Prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller is showcasing his film, Everybody in the Place: An Incomplete History of Britain 1984-1992, at The Vinyl Factory: Reverb exhibition. Deller’s work often explores the intersection of art,music,and politics,as seen in past projects like Acid Brass and The Battle of Orgreave.
Deller’s latest installation delves into the socio-political history of the ‘Second summer of Love,’ examining the roots of house music and its impact on Britain following the Miners’ Strike. The film features a lecture Deller gave to A-level politics students, combining archival footage with oral histories.
Deller discussed the importance of rave history and the students’ reactions to the material. he noted that many students, particularly those whose parents weren’t born in the United Kingdom, were unfamiliar with the era and its complexities. “Those students were looking at this footage and some of these ideas for the first time,” Deller said.
Deller incorporated a clip of Detroit dancers grooving to Kraftwerk, calling it “one of the most joyful amazing pieces of footage you could ever see.” He also brought in equipment used on seminal house music records, allowing the students to experiment with sound creation.
What was political was that you were actually in a field or somewhere you weren’t meant to be.The context was very politicised, even if the lyrics weren’t.
Deller believes that understanding the history of dance music provides context and perspective. He emphasized that his film isn’t a nostalgic look back but rather an examination of how music can change society and influence history.
He also included a diagram linking acid house music to brass bands, reflecting on Britain’s shift from industrial to post-industrial culture. A negative image of Stonehenge, taken during a fashion shoot, serves as a constant reminder of British history and identity.
Deller argues that popular music and dance music should be taken seriously as art forms. “Music documents change in society,and it changes societies,” Deller said. “It’s the art form that does that more than anything else.”
What’s next
The Vinyl Factory: Reverb exhibition, featuring Jeremy Deller’s work, is open at 180 Studios in London through March 2, 2025.