the corn poppy: July 2016

Tuesday 26 July 2016

The Road to Rouen

The last month has been pretty crazy, from Orlando to Tokyo, via Munich, Nice, Baton Rouge, Dallas and Rouen.

The initial reaction from politicians and commentators has been to give credit to IS, followed by a realisation that, in fact, the atrocity has been carried out by an individual with mental health problems.

We as a society need to recognise the needs of all the members of our community; we need to make sure that people have the support they need. We need more understanding, we need more compassion.

There are undoubtedly those who believe that it's all a conspiracy and the attacks are co-ordinated; there are doubtless others who cling on to the hope that these are the End Days and the messiah is about to return and sort it all out. Politicians seeking election are happy for you to be scared, it stops you thinking about other issues. And IS are happy to claim any atrocity so long as it increases the fear that westerners feel going about their day.

Don't be scared of your neighbour, don't be scared of every stranger, don't judge others because they're different, don't be swallowed up by the madness and the hatred being whipped up. Do take care, do use your common sense, choose life.

And remember that for every bomber or shooter there's a hundred, a thousand, paramedics, nurses, doctors, fire officers, police officers, bereavement counsellors clearing up afterwards. For every evil deed there's an untold number of heroic and humane responses. Choose life.

The Corn Poppy, Poppy

Monday 25 July 2016

Your mother shouldn't like it

Cheo, Mister Men, Upfest, 2016

Cheo, Mr Graff, Upfest, 2016

Many years ago, back in the '70s, there was a radio show, hosted by Charlie Gillett, called Your Mother Wouldn't Like It. Mostly the music played was pub rock, until punk came along. I thought it was a great title for a radio show playing new music. It should be a prerequisite of rock and roll music, your mother wouldn't like it.

Should the same be true for graffiti? Cheo has been painting Mr Men around Bristol for Upfest 2016. Great for the kids, great for families. But should it be? Isn't Your Mother Wouldn't Like It part of the deal with graffiti?

Here's a few shots from the local skate park. Your mother might not like it bit I do.

upfest faces

Some or my favourite faces from Upfest, Bristol 2016.

The Thomas Brothers, Forever, Upfest 2016

Pronk-Stukken, Upfest 2016

Mister Feeney, Upfest 2016

Ron4RT, Upfest 2016

Pocka, Upfest 2016

Caro Pepe, Upfest 2016

Odeith, Upfest 2016

RIP, Upfest

Title, Upfest 2016

Upfest 2016

Rocket 01, Upfest 2016

Karl Read, Upfest, 2016

Sunday 24 July 2016

Upfest Bristol July 2016 - the first of a few

Fin DAC painting The Nursery, Bristol

Upfest 2016 this weekend: Europe's largest Street Art & Graffiti festival, with over 300 of "the most ground breaking, talented urban artists in the world". There's some great art, some great graffiti. Not everything here is graffiti, for sure. I would argue that there's a proportion that isn't even street art. But I'll save that for another day.

Let's start with a couple of easy ones. In a minute Pichi and Avo's big rock n roll extravaganza piece. But first . . . Wonderful use of colour in a rather more playful than usual, cartoon like offering from Fin DAC.

Fin DAC

Looking back down the hill, you can just make out the Upfest shop and if you look across the way there, you can see the Clifton suspension bridge. Here's another shot of the Upfest shop:

Thanks, everyone at Upfest for organising a pretty amazing festival.

Pichi and Avo

Awe and wonder from Pichi and Avo

Monday 18 July 2016

What goes on

Wandering the streets of Southampton, trying not to be run into by Pokemon hunters, I came across this on the wall of a shopping centre:

Osch, DeEvolution

After my rant a couple of weeks ago about the difference between graffiti and street art - coupled with a bold (and rash) statement that I liked graffiti but not street art - I should have walked on by. Definitely Art, definitely Street Art. Of course I love this. Beautifully executed with a simple message (my take is "civilisation is on the brink, pondering its future", you might see it differently).

Osch: the internet explains it all: Osch is a chilean-german artist, architect and urban sculptor living in Europe since 2004. He has been painting since 1996. His work shows 2 different typologies of paintings. One related with the dreams, onirics situations (surreal). The other one related with the abstract world in which he has been experimenting with layers, creating deepness in his sort of espacials representations. He has also been experimenting with collages and graffiti. He usually works on canvas, paper, boards or walls.

This isn't all that Otto Schade has left behind in Souhampton. He is also responsible for a zany zebra, named Silver, which is inside the Marlands shopping centre. This is one of almost 200 across the city advertising a local zoo (Marwell) and highlighting the plight of the Grevy Zebra.