Vandalism (3)

Continuing the theme of less showy forms of public art here's some Tree Art.  Found in woods near the miller's pond they are the work of not one but a group of artists.  From the positioning on the trees I would suggest that the most accomplished of the artists was of average height, while other members of the crew may have been Little People. Or children.

Evoking the spirit of The Green Man or modern ceramic pieces by Gregos these pieces exist, not waiting to be noticed, not seeking likes or shares.  I liked them so I'm going to share them.

Lady Raglan said (in 1939):

This figure I am convinced, is neither a figment of the imagination nor a symbol, but is taken from real life, and the question is whether there was any figure in real life from which it could have been taken. The answer, I think, is that there is but one of sufficient importance, the figure variously known as the Green Man, Jack-in-the-Green, Robin Hood, the King of May and the Garland King, who is the central figure in the May Day celebrations throughout Northern and Central Europe.

Luke Mastin said:

The disgorging Green Man, sprouting vegetation from his orifices, may also be seen as a memento mori, or a reminder of the death that await all men, as well as a Pagan representation of resurrection and rebirth, as new life naturally springs out of our human remains. The Greek and Roman god Dionysus/Bacchus, often suggested as an early precursor of the Green Man, was also associated with death and rebirth in his parallel guise as Okeanus.

Several of the ancient Celtic demigods, Bran the Blessed being one of the best known, become prophetic oracles once their heads had been cut off (another variant on the theme of death and resurrection) and, although these figures were not traditionally represented as decorated with leaves, there may be a link between them and the later stand-alone Green Man heads.

Go and tell Aunt Nancy:

In West Africa, the spider is portrayed as a trickster god, much like Coyote in the Native American stories. Called Anansi, he is forever stirring up mischief to get the better of other animals. In many stories, he is a god associated with creation, either of wisdom or storytelling. His tales were part of a rich oral tradition, and found their way to Jamaica and the Caribbean by way of the slave trade. Today, Anansi stories still appear in Africa.

Snail says

Snails have been put to a variety of uses in folk medicine. According to North American folklore a snail soaked in vinegar, rolled in meal, and worn around the neck had the power to cure rheumatism. Snails have also been used to treat warts, made into broth to cure consumption, and snail slime was once thought to help straighten deformed limbs.

Photos by William Silverbeach-Bradshaw

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Vandalism (2)

Here's another form of street art.  Not so fancy as a Masai tiger or a Snub23 robot and, maybe, all the more interesting for that.  Bus stop diaries.  Diary pages pasted on random bus stops.

Above are two of 107 entries.  Below are two more.  Well, there would be but someone has removed them.

What do they say? Are they worth reading? Do we learn something of the author, do they teach us something about ourselves, or our selves, or the human condition? Do they entertain? Do they serve a purpose?

I saw two people in a pub talent show one time. They danced a tango.  They weren't very good.  I was with a former minor rock star.  As they finished I said "people will do anything for attention".  He said "yeah, right", picked up his guitar and took the floor to play a medley of a more popular former rock star's songs.  Anything for attention.

So, are these diary entries worth reading?  Well, you have to judge.  You, the unseen audience.  Are they worth pasting on bus shelters? Wouldn't it be easier to set up a blog?  The number of readers might be similar and there would be less litter.   Here's the first:

A bit like a found snapshot.  A little glimpse of someone else's life.  Not especially interesting.  In fact, its banality is all.  How about the other one.

 That's more like it.  I want to find out more.  I'll keep an eye out.

 To round this off, here's something I  would like to think of as a Wayside Shrine or a roadside art installation.  It might just be that someone has been tidying up.  But if I present it as an Art Installation does it become one?

Vandalism (1)

This bridge was built in 1888 part of a south coast line connecting Southampton with Portsmouth.

Originally a single track, it was doubled in 1910 (the builders having done the right thing and made it wide enough).  It was electrified eventually.  Some graffiti has recently appeared on the bridge, subtle in its execution, if not subtle in its message.

To carry out this act of senseless vandalism the senseless vandal must have taken his life in his hands.  The graffiti is repeated five times, along the full length of the bridge, meaning that aforementioned vandal had to know his train timetable backwards to avoid getting mown down.

  

Did you spot it? This one hasn't been vandalised.

But on this side it can be seen five times.

 In fact there are fewer trains these days because the government has allowed Southern Trains to cancel 350 trains per day in order to circumvent industrial action by staff.

Impact of industrial action on services

When are services going to be affected? 
The reduced service will operate all day on the dates affected.

Should I attempt to travel?
On routes shown in green on the map, we anticipate services will operate normally. On routes shown in grey, journeys will still be possible on other train operators, but may take longer and be exceptionally crowded at certain times. On routes shown in blue, you are advised to allow longer for your journey and to avoid peak times if possible. On routes shown in yellow you are advised to seek alternatives or to travel only if your journey is essential, noting particularly the limited hours of operation of services. On routes shown in red, there will be no train service at all.

What services will you be running? 
A map showing the effect of the action on a station by station basis is available above. Trains on many routes are expected to be extremely busy.

Routes with no Southern service (shown in red or grey on the map)
No Southern trains will operate in either direction on the following routes:

• Clapham Junction to Milton Keynes via Kensington Olympia
• Dorking to Horsham
• Oxted to Uckfield
• Haywards Heath to Lewes
• Preston Park to Hove
• Lewes to Seaford
• Eastbourne to Ashford International via Hastings (Southeastern services will operate between St Leonards Warrior Square and Hastings as normal)
• Chichester to Portsmouth Harbour and Southampton Central (South West Trains and Great Western Railway services will operate between Havant and Portsmouth Harbour/Southampton Central as normal)
• Redhill to Tonbridge
• Redhill to Reigate (Great Western Railway services will operate on this route as normal)
• Earlswood, Salfords and Faygate stations will not be served
• Guildford to Leatherhead (South West Trains services to/from London Waterloo will still operate)

Routes with a limited service between approximately 07.30 to 22.30 (shown in orange on the map). 
A limited service will operate in both directions from approximately 07.30 to 22.30 on the following routes:

• London Bridge - Norwood Junction - East Croydon - Sanderstead - Riddlesdown - Upper Warlingham - Woldingham - Oxted - Hurst Green - Lingfield - Dormans - East Grinstead
• London Victoria - Clapham Junction - East Croydon - Redhill - Gatwick Airport - Three Bridges

Routes with a limited service between approximately 07.30 to 18.00 (shown in orange on the map). 
A limited service will operate in both directions from approximately 07.30 to 18.00 on the following routes:

• Three Bridges - Crawley - Ifield - Littlehaven - Horsham - Christs Hospital - Billingshurst - Pulborough - Amberley - Arundel - Ford - Barnham - Chichester (note that the last trains from London to Three Bridges connecting with this route will be at approximately 16.30 to some stations)
• Brighton - Hove - Aldrington - Portslade - Fishersgate - Southwick - Shoreham - Lancing - East Worthing - Worthing - West Worthing - Durrington - Goring - Angmering - Littlehampton - Ford - Barnham - Bognor Regis (note that the last connecting trains from London to Brighton will be at approximately 16.30)
• Brighton - London Road - Moulsecoomb - Falmer - Lewes - Glynde - Berwick - Polegate - Hampden Park - Eastbourne(note that the last connecting trains from London to Brighton will be at approximately 16.30)

Trains on these routes are expected to be extremely busy and we cannot guarantee there will be space for you to travel. We strongly advise you to travel outside peak times where possible. We also advise you to avoid planning to travel on the last trains of the day - if you are unable to board services we will not be able to arrange alternative transport. 

Timetables during strike action (please check before travelling for any last minute alterations):

manifesto

I've always liked graffiti.  For one thing it is a truly democratic art form. For the artist, you don't need to have been accepted by the "art world"; you don't need Saatchi behind you.  You can just rack up with some cans, spray and you've got a show.  For the art lover, you don't need to be told what is good, you don't need to have your art curated. You just have to go look, if you like it: great; if you don't, walk on.  Imagine walking through a subway and seeing a piece like this -

Lark 37, Avenue Subway, Southampton

or this

Samer, Avenue Subway, Southampton

Another reason I like graffiti is because it is a way of "sticking it to the man".

Occupy, Shoreditch

Which man? Well, this is where a lot of protest falls down.  Like the rock star who trashes a hotel room and imagines he is telling society to "Do one" but in reality is just creating extra work for a housekeeper on minimum wage and causing an increase in charges for other hotel users.  The graffiti that needs to be cleaned off by the local council is paid for by you and me through our taxes.

Weston, Southampton

I've always liked graffiti but it is only in the last couple of years that I have really paid a lot of attention.  And the more I learn the less I know.  The more I see the less certain I am about what is "good", the less certain I am what I like.  Let's digress.

When I wuz a punk

I remember 1977.  Punk happened.  Punk declared 1977 year zero.  Kicked out the jams and the guitar solos and Rick Wakeman on ice and the wimpy singer songwriters. A return to the democratic ideal of rocknroll: music of the people,for the people, by the people.  We're one chord wonders and we don't give a damn (as TV Smith of the Adverts declared).  Furthermore, don't trust anyone over 21.

Vic Scezesnowicz  changed his name to Vic Vomit and formed The Killermeters.

Of course as soon as it started it was over.  As a musical form Punk was quite limited.  The best music of the time - Talking Heads, XTC, Costello - had a punk sensibility but musically nothing in common with Slaughter & the Dogs or Generation X.  By the time the Pistols album came out we'd all moved on. It wasn't long before any bands that were a little bit different became known as New Wave.

Vic Vomit changed his name to Vic Vespa and the Killer Meters became a mod band.

Johnny Rotten became John Lydon and his public image was post-punk.

Still, if you were Punk then New Wave was the biggest insult you could throw at something.  It meant sell out.  It meant watering it down.  It meant pop.

Turville St, Shoreditch

The same thing happens with graffiti.  This is too good to be called graffiti.  This is art,  Art on the Street. Street Art.

But come on. That's the biggest insult you could throw. It means sell out.  It means watering it down.  It means pop. Pop, not punk.  And graffiti should be punk.

Jip Crem, Southampton

I can't put my finger on exactly why, or exactly where, graffiti and Street Art differ.  I guess if it would look good on a Boardroom wall then I don't like it.  Is that narrow minded?

This is my favourite wall.  This is graffiti.  This is punk.

This is another wall.  This is Street Art.  These days we can comment online on every news story, every status update, every instagram photo.  Apparently this extends into the real world too and a commentator has added his view to the picture.  Harsh, but . . .

Big Al and Mr Phil and Dallas

Big Al photo by Jonathan Bachman/Reuters

There's a million words been written about all this and none of them say anything you don't already know.  Marvin Gaye said it best in 1971. We don't need to escalate.  And Prince said it in Baltimore last year Let's take all the guns away  

If there ain't no justice then there ain't no peace

If there ain't no justice then there ain't no peace

If there ain't no justice then there ain't no peace

If there ain't no justice then there ain't no peace

We have to interrupt the regular scheduled programming 

to bring you up to date on a developing situation in Dallas

brandalism

Once upon a time graffiti was all about identity.  Tagging a subway car that would be seen all around the City, a way for your name, or at least your nomme de guerre, to travel out of the block you called home, boy.   It was also a way of sticking it to the man, man.

And then what happens? The Man signs you up to design sneakers.  The Man wants your mural behind the reception desk.  The Building Society wants to hire you for a promo wall.  The gallery called.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - we need more vandalism, less brandalism. But until then, it's time for the Corn Poppy to get on the gravy train with some very exclusive merchandise.  Here it is: the first Corn Poppy t-shirt.  Are you ready?  Here goes:

Now, this is a one off.  We want to keep the scarcity value high.  It's no good if you bump into someone else wearing the same supposedly exclusive shirt.  For this reason, precisely zero shirts will be produced.  That's right, people, none.  The cost will be £100.  So, if you want a shirt, this is what you have to do: donate £100 to Water Aid.  Tell no-one.  That's all.

You will have the moral high ground, knowing you are one of the few people worthy of the shirt.  You won't have the shirt (but let's face it you've probably got another one - I mean you're the kind of person who can donate £100 to Water Aid) but you will feel good.  And somewhere a child will be drinking clean water because of you.

Here's a few other Poppy designs you won't be able to buy in the shops but wish you could.

All images, designs and ideas on this post are the intellectual property of The Corn Poppy. 

Hands off.

What if Bowie really was the glue that was holding it all together?

 

Shadow Man is close at hand 

Take a turn and see his smile made of nothing but loneliness. 

Just take a walk and be a friend to the Shadow Man.  

There`s a man back a-ways who believes in where he is 

and there`s a girl up ahead who says she knows 

and the street overflows with the folk who understand 

but for the guy who can`t be seen, 

he`s the Shadow Man

You can call him Joe, 

you can call him Sam, 

you should call and see who answers, for he promises to come running, guided by the truth

You can call him foe, 

you can call him friend; 

you should call and see who answers for he knows your eyes are drawn to the road ahead 

Shadow Man is waiting round the bend

But the Shadow Man is really you

look in his eyes and see your reflection.  

Look to the stars and see his eyes.  

He`ll show you tomorrow, 

he`ll show you the sorrows of what you did today.  

Shadow man 

lyric by David Bowie

living statue - unknown, Lymington, July 2016