After a busy Christmas we decided to take a couple of days out for a break and headed to Bristol as it is easy to get to on the train from Reading.
We had wanted to do a trail of some of the globes from The World Reimagined initiative as we’d seen in Reading but they had long gone, apart from some which were underwraps. Instead, we decided to do a walking tour based on Bristol’s most famous contemporary artist – Banksy.
Banksy
Banksy, whoever he might be, and I think it is commonly accepted now that he is a he, clearly lived in and around Bristol at the early part of his career, as there are quite a number of his works around the city. This meant that it was possible to do a meaningful walk around the city taking in a number of his outdoor works and a couple in museums and galleries.
Probably the most striking of those that we saw was The Girl With Pearl Earring which is in a pretty good state. Others, however, have not fared quite so well given that these works are, mostly, outside and open to the elements. Some of the older Banksy works are looking worn and faded and in one case had gone completely which shows the transient nature of them.
This is what we saw on the walk and if you wanted to follow it there is a Google Map here.
- M Shed, Princes Wharf, Wapping Rd, Bristol BS1 4RN
- The Girl With Pearl Earring, Hanover Pl, Bristol BS1 6UT
- You Don’t Need Planning Permission to Build Castles in the Sky, 99 Lower Lamb St, Bristol BS1 5TL
- Well Hung Lover, 1 Unity St, Bristol BS1 5HH
- Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, Queens Rd, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1RL
- Cave St, St Paul’s, Bristol
- The Mild Mild West, Jamaica St, St Paul’s, Bristol BS1 3QY
- Rose on a Mousetrap, Thomas St N, Cotham, Bristol BS6 5TN
Others
Banksy aside there are plenty of other interesting murals around the city. It is pretty clear that the local council takes a relaxed attitude to graffiti and painted houses. Not something that I can imagine Reading Borough Council countenancing, more on which tomorrow…
