Beyond the Canvas
Discovering the power of street arts through the streets of Bristol (and Banksy)
I haven’t paid much attention to murals until my partner and I randomly visited Bristol during my trip to the UK. We decided to stay in the city since the hotels were cheaper compared to our actual destination, Bath. We had a day trip to Bath by train and we secured the day after to explore the city before leaving for Southampton at 8PM. There were no particular shows or events that drew our interest on the day we visited Bristol. So we were left with two main activities for the day: visiting the Clifton Suspension Bridge and checking out a Banksy mural or two.
As someone not familiar with the world of mural art, Banksy might be the only street artist that I know. His stencil prints stood out in auction viewings and museums because they’re always surrounded by visitors who tried to get a picture with the high-valued pieces. His anonymous identity and unannounced art work launches created even more buzz in the community. So it wouldn’t hurt to get to know a little bit more about the artist when I was in his hometown.
Even though there are different groups offering Banksy Mural Walking Tours, we decided to do it on our own by typing “Banksy’s…” on our Google Map and went for the ones closest to us. We thought that it would be good to also enjoy the area while checking out for the street arts. Apparently, we were lucky that we located two of his early works. The murals were painted rather than stenciled, which resulted in a different style compared to his recent works. The profound rebellious spirit in both pieces triggered our curiosity on the situation in Bristol back when they were produced, which got us to learn not only about the artist himself but also the Bristol community that he grew up in.
His earliest graffiti was located in Easton, the area where he used to live. This piece titled Cat and Dog consisted of a cat working on graffiti using spray paint while being approached by two guard dogs. It came with a caption on the upper right corner saying “There are crimes that become innocent or even glorious through their splendour, number, and excess.” It somehow reflected the street art movement in Bristol. Back in the 90s, wall murals were regarded as illegal acts of vandalism. Street artists, including Banksy, had experienced times in prison because of their art works. This work envisioned how the street artists need to unite and push this legal boundary in order to shift the perception towards street arts.
Their persistence came into fruition: today, the strong sense of unity was amplified by the other beautiful murals surrounding this artwork done by other artists, introducing the collective beauty of street art. Not only that they’re accessible for people from all walks of life, but it can be enriched by touches of different artists. Beyond this wall, thousands of murals can be found in the streets of Bristols, especially along the Stokes Croft road where Banksy’s other early mural was located.
Mild Mild West comically voiced the resistance of the hipster community against the attack of riot police during New Year’s eve of 1997/1998. The title itself referred to the position of Bristol in the west side of England. Hipsters who were perceived as mild and powerless depicted by the cute bear in the mural. The bear threw a molotov cocktail towards the three police as a display of power of the community against the government.
Aside from gaining a deeper understanding of the Bristol community and their beloved artists, this mural-hunting tour also struck me with a personal reminder through the most subtle mural we searched for. We were pretty sure that we had arrived at the correct building—it's a library—but the work was nowhere to be found. My partner found it by trying to match the red brick wall used as the base of the mural. It turned out that the mural was located outside the loading bay facing a landfill. It consisted of a half-circular text that read: “You don’t need planning permission to build castles in the sky.”
For me personally, the text itself wasn’t the only component of the mural. The contrast between its location and what lies above it intelligently visualized the strong message that he tried to deliver. Even though a library provides a window for ideas and imagination, the landfill underneath could be the least hopeful place in the area. It's filled with unwanted items and sometimes unwanted individuals. They forget that regardless of where they are, they are still capable of dreaming and building a future of their own.
Well, not only them, but I’m also often too afraid to look up and aim higher. I’m too busy dwelling with proof that I am a mediocre being who's incapable of doing great things. Why didn’t I just shoot for what I actually want to be? Why do I keep seeking for acceptance on what’s feasible and not? Haha, the good news is neither your people or mine have the legal right to judge the right or wrong for our dreams. So, why bother?
My short stay in Bristol turned out to be a lot more interesting than I thought it would be. Aside from their vibrant cultures, their continuous effort to push boundaries really inspired me. Not only the boundaries on how and where art should be, but how and where I should take myself to. The paths ahead are still foggy and I’m still yet to see the end of the tunnel. But just like the murals, hopefully it’s fun(ny).
Other Banksy’s along the way
Pain-Pot Angel - A beautiful 3-dimensional piece from the Banksy versus Bristol Museum Exhibition in 2009. It was a celebration of the successful marriage between classic and street art in Bristol, which gave a unique identity of the city.
Rose on A Mousetrap - Despite being a bit annoyed by the wooden frame surrounded the mural, it really helped us in finding this tiny piece. The blooming rose on top of the mousetrap smartly depicted modern human (particularly feminine) love baits.
Well Hung Lover - This mural could be easily missed if we’re walking on the side of the road. But it was clearly visible from the opposite side of the road because there’s a crossing light in between. The woman might have cheated on the suited man with the naked one and the suited man was searching for the suspect. I wasn’t sure if this was intentional, but this first legalized street art was located on the side of a sexual health clinic.
