And Bristol Street Art
Whilst in college I came across a book called Wall and Piece by Banksy. Admittedly, at the time, my understanding of street art and graffiti was very limited. I understood it as mainly a practice of tagging or of murals that would either enliven or destroy streets as they slowly filled with art. But the book gave me a different perspective. I learned that street art isn’t used just to deface property in senseless anarchy, but a way of fighting back against advertising, politics, unfair social norms and social stigmas. Perhaps this is why the art form is so prominent in places where great social divisions occur, like the Berlin and Separation walls in Germany and Palestine.
My obsession with Banksy’s work grew, and I started checking out more books on street art from the library, few though they were at the time. For those of you who are not familiar with Banksy, he is one of the most well-recognized street stencil artists in the world today and revolutionized the way people see and view modern graffiti. From Bristol in the United Kingdom, Banksy is of unverified identity, but has directed films and hosted exhibitions of his work successfully whilst remaining anonymous. His work mainly consists of dark political satire, and his stencils are recognizable worldwide. But his roots have been traced to the Bristol underground scene, and it is here where my travels take place.
I moved to Bristol in early 2011 and I was drawn to the city from the information I had read about its counter-cultural movements and from my obsession with Banksy. I was eager to get to know more about the city, but it took me a very long time to learn about the underground scene. Making friends with the right people definitely helps, but you have to start in the right place.
THE BRISTOL UNDERGROUND MOVEMENT
"Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable" - BANKSY
Since the early 1990s, the Bristol underground scene has long been a culture associated with drum and bass, graffiti art and reggae roots. Clubs like Mr. Wolves on Corn Street and Number 51 in Stokes Croft have had many DnB nights with local street artists ‘performing’ by creating giant artworks on the walls, or on butchers paper, to the traditional ‘Bristol Sound.’ It is a culmination of peace, love, bass and art. However, these venues are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the deep connection between graffiti, trip hop and drum and bass in the city. Artists such as; Massive Attack, Nick Walker, Inkie and Banksy, were all once a part of the underground movement.