Dear Blog, I've missed writing on you these last two weeks, but its fair to say that I've been busy. Walking in the completely wrong direction in the rain, on a recent visit to Bristol being just one example I'm going to reflect on here. Towards the end of March things were becoming increasingly busy with my interim assessment for my MA, Fine Art pending in April and the organising of a project, 'A Somerset Journey' warranting more time. So, I thought I'd escape for the day, to er..'sunny' Bristol to see the graffiti art on Nelson Street (something I'd long been intending to do). Although in my haste to get away and get away quickly I looked online for 'Nelson Street, Bristol' to get an idea of where it was....little did I know until I was half way through to the other side of Bedminster that there are actually TWO Nelson Streets' in Bristol and in my haste to leave I'd found the wrong one. Had I been less stupid, I would have soon realised that the Nelson Street I was looking for was actually pretty much right next to Broadmeads in the centre of the city. Big sigh!
So, don't go making the same mistake as me! Anyway, when I did get there I'm pleased to say it was worth it. For those of you who may not know Nelson Street was home to the 'See no evil' street art event which saw over 70 artists paint and entire street in a few days back in August last year. Created by the street artist, Inkie with support of Council, Team Love and Weapon of Choice, the event attracted over 10,000 visitors. Whether you want to call it street art, graffiti, calligraphy or just painting when its done as well and imaginatively as this one thing you couldn't call it is vandalism of the likes of the pointless scribblings we've all seen at some point under a bridge or in a public space. So whilst I was annoyed that I'd walked in the rain in the wrong direction, got lost and had now, after some time, found the right Nelson Street (and it was still raining) to be greeted by so much colour and wall to wall imagery was just the lift I needed. Without the street art on this street it really would have been a completely grey, miserable, dark and architecturally dull place. I've talked about using empty shops and empty buildings for art exhibitions before, and it seems that using a street is also not that different in terms of taking something disused, abandoned and/or lifeless and using the power of art to give it some life. It might not have the profound content and ideas that my Barriball did in my last post, but you could argue it is doing a lot more good, and touching a lot more people and I for one am glad there is a place for both.
Check out some of what was many, many more photos I took on the day. Definitely pay it a visit, if you haven't already next time you're in Bristol.
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