Crimes of Passion

In Spring 2009 the Royal West Of England Academy in Bristol is hosting a major show of new work by the city’s best known and most successful graffiti and street artists. Crimes Of Passion is the first major show of its kind in the city since the Arnolfini’s groundbreaking 1985 show, Graffiti Art and is a celebration of the city’s rich and diverse contemporary scene.
Crimes Of Passion takes the love of (and heartfelt dedication to) the art form as its starting point, with Bristol’s leading street and graffiti artists working both directly onto the walls of the gallery and exhibiting works on canvas, as well as exhibiting threedimensional pieces and installations. The show will also include a city wide programme of large-scale painting, a film season at local arts cinema The Cube (www.cubecinema.com) and a series of painting workshops and talks run in conjunction with the local Council and schools in the city.
Bristol has nurtured many of the UK’s most successful graffiti and street artists, including 3D, Inkie, Banksy, Nick Walker, Sickboy and TCF Crew, to name a few. The city continues to be a breeding ground for a wealth of exceptional creative talent and continues to have one of the UK’s most diverse and thriving scenes.
The Royal West of England Academy (RWA) is one of only five Royal Academies of Art in the UK. It is a registered charity that has been self-supporting for over 150 years and possesses an outstanding Grade II listed building, galleries and permanent fine art collection. Opened in 1858, the RWA was Bristol’s first art gallery.

In no particular order, artists involved in the show include: 3D, Nick Walker, Filthy Luker, FLX, Sickboy, Cyclops, Rowdy, Inkie, Mr.Jago, Acerone, Dicy, Feek, Ponk, Seza, Banksy, Xenz, Ziml, Eco, Paris, Mudwig, What Collective, Cheo, Soker, Will Barras, and Andy Council.

Book Signing

Many thanks to Mr FLX for my copy of his Children of the Can book...

Last night at The Bell was a great little meet up for the artists involved in making the book to meet up, grab a copy and run around the place looking like excited little children on a treasure hunt, collecting tags from as many of the heads who turned up as possible...

I think i got y'all!

Children of the Can

OK, so you have probably heard all about Felix 'FLX' Braun's book, Children of the Can - 25 Years of Bristol Graffiti by now, but having just had the pleasure of a preview i have to tell y'all... It is awesome.

I was more than happy to help Felix out with this book and gave him a good chunk of the Bristol graffiti photos i have collected over the 15 or so years i have been snapping away in this city - and it is great to see how many of those flicks made it into the publication.

A book about the past and present of Bristol graff has been talked about by writers for as long as I have been painting - I have even thought about putting something together myself, although thinking about it was honestly as far as i ever got...
In my opinion, it needed someone who has the patience to collect and collate all the photos, carefully write up all the text, and deal with the huge task of piecing it all together - as well as mix with all the writers from both the early days in the '80's through to the hardcore boys who are keeping the illegal side alive and kicking today. And I couldn't think of anyone to handle the job better than Mr FLX. I know how much time, effort and thought he put into producing this book and that dedication has certainly paid off. So good on ya mate - you did what we have all talked about doing for so long, and fully did it justice too. I tip my purple beanie in your direction...

After dropping in on FLX for a quick cuppa, I left two hours later - having read not a bit of text, only scanning the photos. I cant wait to loose a few more hours in the text.

Go and grab yourself a copy here. Highy recommended!