aRT or vANDALISM?

As we drifted down the river tonight I was reminded of my interest in "folk art." By a piece on a wall overlooking the embankment. It was actually a very poorly executed version of




and this is a poor rendition of what the statement should look like! Think New York Wildstyle!
It did however take me back to 1980 when my interest in such works of art was first sparked by some delightful pieces in the foot subway near Clifton. I need to search through the shoe boxes to find my photos of the originals which I will post as soon as I find them. However stepping back a mere 3 years, here is the first post in my series on my favourite local art galleries.
This set is for Sarah!


No entrance fee, all the galleries are open to the public 24/7.

Sadly you have to get there before the "buffers" from the local council arrive to eradicate this free exhibition.

The question is not "Art or Vandalism?" but "Who are the vandals?" Not even the men in trucks with anti-graffiti paint, but the small minded policy makers who think art costs millions, is owned by someone & hangs in galleries. If they had been around a few thousand years ago, the heritage left to us by early cave painters would have been scrubbed off the day after it was daubed!

The really funny thing is that when it is commercial, painted on the side of a lorry & paraded round the streets as advertising, it hardly gets a second look.

If it is sprayed on a blank featureless piece of concrete there is a sudden uproar amongst the tiny minds.



Meanwhile enjoy a couple from 2003







More to follow ...