While I first stayed in Bristol – the UK’s graffiti capital – upon returning to the United Kingdom, April 2015, I noticed its many graffiti sprayed streets throughout the suburbs of Stokes Croft and St Pauls; however, I didn’t get the opportunity to fully capture the illegal vibrancy with my camera. Thus I returned recently to capture the vandalism, which brings me to the question:
IS GRAFFITI ART?
A survey proposing the question took place on Debate.org and 85% ruled in its favour. How is this even possible?
Of course some graffiti is staggering, talent revealing, but defacing private property turns it ugly instantly. Would you want to return home after a hard day’s work and see the walls of your property marked as someone else’s territory while, what, expressing themselves? Unless someone paid the likes of Banksy to doodle on their wall…
Below, amidst the vibrancy, is a photograph of Banksy’s “Mild Mild West”, 1999 – one of the first pieces of street art in Stokes Croft.
“The painting is a tongue-in-cheek joke at the people of the West Country being more ‘mild mild west’ than ‘wild wild west’, having said that, the painting reflects what can happen if the people are antagonised. Voted Bristol’s ‘alternative’ most iconic image after the Brunel Suspension Bridge.” (sic)
“Stokes Croft is a vibrant Community in the heart of Bristol. The area has pioneered a liberal attitude towards street art, and is working towards an alternative to conventional top down government. Liberal attitudes have led to a blossoming of positive energy as this part of the City, neglected and abused by planners and local government, forges its own future, resisting conventional gentrification and the pressures of developers and corporate business, safeguarding its unique identity against the blandification threatened by conventional development.” Read more here.
DID YOU KNOW? Shoes on a wire, shoes dangling from power lines in the middle of a street, indicate drug houses or places where you can purchase drugs.
By the way, if you happen to be a fan of chilli chocolate – extra hot chilli chocolate, and I am being serious when I type ‘extra hot’ – then a visit to St Nicholas Market, The Exchange, Corn Street is a definite. Look out for Psycho Chocolate by Hot Sauce Emporium. “Your pain is our pleasure.” Says it all… The Chilli Dark Ginger Beer is to die for; actually your throat will die after the chocolate releases its sensational heat. Or you could simply look them up online at Hot Sauce Emporium.
Neel
August 27, 2015
What a stimulating set of photographs you have published on your site; you have many other buildings which have been painted within your site that have caught your eye. Some of the graffiti absolutely works in the area you have been and not even the lamp posts or street signs are left untouched.
The first shot of ‘Stand Up’, Bristol and a geometric polar bear show real quality not only in graphic design but also in artistic talent and this follows through in all the other graffiti. Some are really beautiful, especially the airbrushed birds, the cartoons made me smile, especially the teddy bear firebombing the police, the two donkeys being blasted with loud headphones and Office Dibble from Top Cat but the larger pieces of work are real art on dreadfully dull backgrounds giving the building a real identity that shouts original like the pinstripe suited man pouring paint and the falling man, is it Jesus, which you have captured brilliantly at an angle through a wire fence and shrubbery. I had to look twice at the cyclist against the blue wall; was it a painting or someone passing by?
Congratulations on posting a stunning set of photographs which have turned perceived vandalism into art.
Nicola
September 01, 2015
What a delight knowing my photographs have stimulated you; thank you for your comments. Yes, even the lampposts and street signs weren’t exempt from the artists/vandalists.
I agree with the geometric polar bear, which I wouldn’t regard as vandalism as I am sure the city commissioned the artist.
The falling man image does appear to be Christ falling, the fallen Christ. And it’s definitely a man in the flesh whizzing past on his bicycle.
Regards,
Nicola @ BeanOn
Neel
September 01, 2015
I see you have added another stunning image of a mother and child. The real vandalism is the red graffiti staining this image.