The Art of Democracy - 5th March to 15th April

New show in The Bristol Gallery, starring some of my favourite street artists - FLX, Jef Row (in his D*Frost incarnation, with Andy Stott) and Inkie, among others

Opening night: Friday 5th March, from 7pm
Show: 6th March to 15th April, Mon to Fri, 10-6, Sat & Sun 10-5

Bristol Gallery, Unit 2, Building 8, Millenium Promenade, Harbourside, BS1 5TY
http://www.thebristolgallery.co.uk/

(If, like me, you had no idea where that is, there's a map here)

Room 4, Crimes of Passion

Room 4, Crimes of Passion, originally uploaded by knautia.

Dan (through the doorway), Kato, Soker, Cheo, Seza , Ponk, Feek, Soker, Ziml, Cheo and Filthy Luker installation at Crimes of Passion - huge graffiti show at the Royal West of England Academy - 21st March - 3rd May

It'll be accompanied by a whole host of events - film nights at the Cube, huge outdoor painting, workshops for kids, gallery talks, free entry days... check out the website!

For pics of the show being put together from start to finish, see my set here

See also a feature on the show from BBC local news here

Crimes on TV

The first Crimes of Passion opening was last night - it opens again tomorrow, and then opens to the public on Saturday, if that makes sense...

But you can catch a preview of it on the BBC here - got to love that local news... And my teaser shots here (which'll have the 'making 0f' shots once the show opens to the public.

There's going to be lots of outdoor painting, a film weekend at the Cube Microplex 10th - 13th April, talks, tours, and possibly a photography show... It's crazy though, there's not been anything else like it at the RWA - the giant inflatable Filthy Luker tentacles over the staid front of the building are worth the trip up there just by themselves....

Crimes of Passion

cans, originally uploaded by knautia.

So I haven't been blogging much because i've been out of my head on fumes taking pics as the in credible Crimes of Passion graffiti show being put on at the Royal West of England Academy.

Over 50 artists, all who live and work, or haved lived and worked in Bristol. There's no point listing them, check the website....

The show runs from Saturday 21st March to 2nd May, and there are a whole host of events - including free entry to the gallery on Saturday 11th April (it's normally £5 entry - and a whole host of outdoor painting....

I'll say more later - but in the meantime imagine me full of paint fumes and kind of insane....

Radio 4 piece on graff

continuing flx's domination of the known world, he was on Radio 4 on Friday - but if, like me, you missed it, check it out on BBC iplayer here - apparently he starts about 22 minutes into the programme...

12 Days of Xmas 2008

12 Days Press release - sent to me by the lovely Steal From Work collective, who organise these fantastic shows...

12 DAYS OF XMAS

Bristol Contemporary Urban Art Show

Once again Steal From Work have crow-barred their way in-between the mince pies, mulled wine and bumper Radio Times to cram 70 of the world's most loved & loathed contemporary urban artists together under one leaky roof for 12 festive fuelled days.

Last year was the first 12 Days of Xmas exhibition. It was held in Bristol's former Bridewell Police Station, and was hugely successful, attracting over 4,000 visitors over the 12 days. It has gone down in history as one of Bristol's best ever art shows and certainly kick started a huge interest in Street Art in the city. As well as proving that you don't need to be in an established, white walled gallery to show brilliant art and attract the crowds.

This year they've assembled art from 70 local, national and international artists, once again mixing some of the scenes leading lights with up and coming artists to provide a massive range of work available to buy at prices to suit all purses or simply just to gaze at…

Artists:

45RPM, Acerone, Andy Council, CHINA MIKE, DICY, DORA, EMMA CATON,FLX, GHOSTBOY, MOTORBOY, MR JAGO, PATCH, RICHT, ROWDY, SEPR, SIMON MILLS, THE ART TART, TOM HINE, WE DREAM OF MEAT, WHAT COLLECTIVE - Bristol

MAU MAU, TRXTR - Devon

CHU - Warsall

IMBUE, PAM GLEW - Brighton

PREFAB - Newcastle

ACE, CEPT, DOTMASTERS, DSCREET, IAMCXXX, MARK WARD, MIGHTY MONKEY, PANIK, SWEET TOOF - London

ADAM KOUKOUDAKIS, BEN SLOW, CYCLOPS, DOC VEK, EELUS, FILTHY LUKER, GOLDIE, HUSH, INKIE, IRI5, JAMES BAKER, JOHN CLARK, LUKE DIXON, SICKBOY, SPQR, WILL BARRAS - UK

WILL ST LEGER - Dublin

ALEXANDROS VASMOULAKIS - Greece

BON, KATE WESTERHOLT - Thailand

DAN - Italy

DOLK, PØBEL - Norway

SIXTEN - Sweden

M-CITY - Poland

EMESS, LINDA'S EX, M:M, SP38 - Berlin

GUY DENNING, JEF AEROSOL - France

GOLDEN SNAFU, OZZY MANDUST - unknown

Once again they're using an interesting venue that is not an established gallery, as they believe this breaks down the 'fear' lots of people have that they 'won't like' or 'won't understand' the art shown.

VENUE: 15 -19 Stokes Croft, Bristol, BS1 3PY
Friday 12th - Tuesday 23rd December
OPENING TIMES: 12pm-7pm (everyday from Saturday 13th December)

www.12daysofxmas.co.uk

Children of the Can Jam!

Dicy-Soker-Feek-Ponk, originally uploaded by knautia.

It was a freezing weekend, but despite the sub-zero temperatures and Arctic winds off the Avon, a huge posse of fabulous and talented writers from waaaaay back in the day through to the brandest of new mustered on the harbourside to paint the Bristol Museum fence.

All this choreographed by FLX, in honour of the publication of Children of the Can: 25 Years of Bristol Graffiti. For more info, see FLX's blog here... Had such a good time, meeting people whose stuff I've loved from the book (and being too shy to say hello to others - if you ever read this, hello!) as well as catching up with a whole load of people I admire... Am just about thawed out, and i just turned up at the ends and took pics!

Because of cold, life, all sorts of things, the fence isn't finished yet... but watch this space for the joiner to end all joiners in a few weeks... and in the meantime enjoy these - with more here

Magic:


Sepr:


Kai:


Andy Council:


Boswell:


Feek:

Children of the Can - it's here!

Looky looky, Check the booky!, originally uploaded by knautia.

You might have noticed me wittering about this already, but the book is out!

FLX, a highly respected writer who's been painting Bristol on and off for over 20 years, has just published "Children of the Can: 25 years of Bristol Graffiti. FLX has interviewed pretty much all the major writers who've painted the city, and put it in the context of the politics and society... he's got superb photos that span graff from right back in the day to just a month or so again. I have to admit, it includes some of my pics too - but I've got no financial interest in it at all.

It's bloody good! You can see bits that didn't fit into the book on FLX's blog here, and order it from the publishers here.....

Children of the Can: pre-order now!

Over on FLX's Children of the Can blog there are now some page spreads, to give an idea of how the book will look.... which as I know you know, is 25 Years of Bristol graffiti, 288 pages of stories, photos, interviews and fabulousness.... and better yet, there's a link to the online order form - so pass it on to everyone you know - it's got to be the perfect Xmas stocking filler!

Children of the Can: 25 years of Bristol graffiti

It's no secret that I'm going crazy waiting for the release of Children of the Can: 25 Years of Bristol Graffiti, the forthcoming book by Felix Braun aka FLX. It'll be out before Xmas - 233 pages with over 1,000 photos (some by me!) and interviews of pretty much everyone who's painted in Bristol over the last 25 years. It's very much at the top of my Xmas list, if i don't die of impatience first....

....but, to keep me going until it comes out, there's the brand new Children of the Can blog. It's got some stories and thoughts from FLX that didn't fit in the book, and will have a whole load of pics and stuff he just didn't have room for.... This is pretty much the strongest recommendation I've ever made - check it out! It'll also have news about when we can pre-order it, and the launch party (yeah, I know, I'm a lush, but I can't resist the lure of opening nights and launch parties!) and other exciting stuff.... seriously, get over there right now!

Weapon Of Choice presents: The Bristol Festival Exhibition

Weapon Of Choice presents: The Bristol Festival Exhibition, originally uploaded by cheba.

Cheers Cheba!

The BRISTOL FESTIVAL
Exhibition

The largest collection of street art and graffiti from over 50 of Bristol’s most influential urban artists. Featuring:

INKIE
CHU
FLX
Kato
Cheo
SOKER
LOKEY
MR JAGO
TCF CREW
China mike
KTF crew
Nikill
Cheba
+ many MORE

A unique opportunity to purchase works created at the Bristol Festival & hugely successful Weapon Of Choice club night, through sealed bids. Profits going towards next year’s Bristol Festival Art Fund and Great Ormond St Children’s Charity.

With Bar, Live Painting, DJs, Projections
Canvases and YrWall Digital Graffiti Wall
Opening Night Fri 24th Oct 7pm
Sat 25th Oct - Sunday 2nd November Open everyday noon-7pm
or by appointment. further info: www.thebristolfestival.org/exhibition

Lynwood rd, Bedminster, BS3 3HH
Also showcasing artist studio space available after the exhibition. Contact Christopher Collins on: 0117 9736948

Project 360 graf - FLX Paris & Feek

Project 360 graf!, originally uploaded by knautia.

Check out Project 360 - www.project360.org.uk/ a huge urban sports & arts thing this weekend at the Ampitheatre. Looks great, huge show tomorrow night as well

Apparently there's a 50 metre free-for-all graff wall and graff workshops - see here - www.project360.org.uk/art.html

underpass

underpass, originally uploaded by knautia.

haka/sepr

haka/sepr, originally uploaded by knautia.

FLX

FLX, originally uploaded by knautia.

things to watch

you are being watched...., originally uploaded by knautia.

ok, so this isn't graff, but it's at the site for this huge, amazing, huge show that's taking place in Bridewell, the empty and abandoned police station, starting on Friday 7th December and lasting til 22nd December.

www.12daysofxmas.co.uk

Check it out

Other shows in the next fortnight:

30th December (eek! that's today!): kuildoosh/wet shame show

Now until 30th December: Guerrilla Gallery, 140-142 Gloucester Road
Lots of lovely things from inkie, ziml, cheba, ghostboy, dan, leon, flx, dicy, rowdy and many more

6th December: launch of the new book on Banksy in Bristol - 6- 8 at Arnolfini, 8-12 at the Apple, with live graffiti

7th December: Matt Sewell show at Workshop

so much to do!

I must not write on walls

I must not write on walls, originally uploaded by knautia.