1. Urban » Nothing’s simple when it comes
to art, that’s what makes it so
refreshing. Creating a label for
Jungle
a certain type of art is pointless
because as soon as you set boundaries,
someone will break them. Which is
what’s happened to urban art. Once
called graffiti, then street art and now
urban art... it is impossible to pinpoint
what falls into which genre. Bristol has
been at the forefront of helping artists of
all persuasions break such boundaries;
which is why the city boasts a plethora of
graf artists, street artists, illustrators and
designers who have all taken inspiration
from the once simple graffiti genre.
Bristol’s long been a hotbed of urban talent, from Ronnie Jotun, who writes a regular
blog on Bristol street art (bristolgraffiti.
street art and graffiti to urban fashion design. But wordpress.com), is keen to explain what
it is that’s made Bristol such a hotbed of
what is it about the city that breeds such creativity? urban creativity. “Everyone knows Banksy,
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2. Urban Profile
illegal graf ti artist turned mysterious College Green [outside Bristol Cathedral] RIGHT A self-portrait of Nik in his studio,
celebrity,” says Ronnie. “But too few and all the older kids would want to see my which he personalised with illustrations.
realise that Banksy didn’t happen in a black book.” Again, for the uninitiated, Nik BELOW One of Nik’s designs printed on a
vacuum: Bristol has long had one of the explains this is a portfolio graf ti artists sweatshirt based around his tag ‘Love the leaf’.
most respected street art scenes in the carry to show off their work. “It’s not wise BOTTOM The original illustration before it
world. Artists who started on Bristol’s to carry one if you’re wanted by the police, was transferred onto the sweatshirt.
streets like Nik Walker, Inkie, Xenz and but these kids would borrow my book and
Sickboy all now sell work for thousands. pass it round for hours because
But why Bristol? Partly its history: they liked my stuff so much.
before founding Massive Attack, Robert It all started when I bought a
‘3D’ Del Naja brought back graf ti styles graf ti magazine from Forbidden
and in uences from New York to Bristol. Planet in Broadmead,” says Nik.
This in turn inspired the likes of Nik Walker “I used to sit there for hours
and Inkie. The reputation spread, other sketching and trying to be just
artists moved here, including many of the like the guys in the book.”
legendary Twentieth Century Frescoes From then on Nik was hooked
crew. The reputation of the TCF in turn and started to exhibit his work at
attracted a new wave of street artists, then different venues around town. “I
going on to make their own mark on the had an exhibition of my paintings
city through groups such as the What? in Seven on Park Row. I also did
Collective and Keep Yourself Strong. a T-shirt design for the guy and
But it would be foolish to think all of this he ran up a batch of shirts to
talent could have happened without fertile sell alongside the paintings. The
ground to grow in. Bristol’s always had a paintings sold really well and so
rebellious edge, attracting and helping instead of taking the money I made
people who aren’t afraid to do things from them, I asked Seven to do me
differently and then wait for the rest of a bigger run of T-shirts. I used to
the world to catch up. Nearly 20 years ago take them round in a backpack and
many Bristol street artists were arrested sell them to people or people would
as part of ‘Operation Anderson’. Nowadays search me out and ask for one.”
*NikilL
they’re the ones doing the charging for This artist is a great believer
their art in galleries across the world. that if someone sees your work
and likes it then they will nd you.
◆ One example of the fresh underground “With mainstream artists,” says Nik,
talent to come out of Bristol is NikilL. “you sell 20 million records because
When two close friends of graf ti everyone hears it. They have no
artist NikilL got arrested for tagging the choice as it’s being rammed down
streets around Bristol, Nik saw this as a their throats. With underground, I love
sign. Instead of continuing to spray walls the feeling you get if 100 people buy your
and buildings he turned his attention to music or your art.This means you have to
designing unique items of clothing. “I be good! There’s also a huge collaborative
wanted to still do graf ti but in a different network of creative support in Bristol,”
way,” explains Nik. “Really, graf ti is just
“I used to sit for
about getting your tag out there; clothing
is like this AND you get to see people wear
hours sketching,
it, so it’s an added bonus.”
Nik started out back in 2001 when
trying to be just
he nished school and decided to go
to college in Brislington to study art,
like the guys in
business and biology. Being a keen skater,
he soon found a whole new culture in
the book.”
Bristol that instantly fell deck over hoodie
with his designs. “I used to skate on
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3. *Motorboy
explains Nik, which is great for emerging designers and artists like
him. “I didn’t go into this knowing I wanted to design clothing,
I just did graf ti. Then I got into T-shirts as people liked my
illustrations.Through my clothing I got to know the music heads
around Bristol and they all wear my stuff and like my art. From
there I got into producing and music.”
Strange as it may seem, a young graf artist who had little idea
what he planned to do with his life was lucky enough to nd a
◆ Motorboy is not about proli c art, but he still remains one of
network of creative culture in Bristol that wanted to help take his Bristol’s most distinctive artists. His Mickey Mouse logo and political
designs further. But if it wasn’t for Nik’s passion for illustration slogans appear in a few odd corners of the city. The unusual medium of
none of his designs would have travelled further than his bedroom. paste-ups certainly sets Motorboy apart but his deliberate juxtaposition
of easily identi able logos, bold colour and subversive messages
“If I could spray on clothes and it would go through the wash
makes his work stand out where others come unstuck. The use of iconic
then I would do that. These designs, for example (he points to
commercial imagery to carry an essentially anti-fashion statement stays
the T-shirt he is wearing: one of his own, of course), feature brush
true to his situationist inspiration.
strokes and splats that I add with a brush and can before I scan
it into Illustrator, where I chop it up and mix designs together.” This kind of found art has won Motorboy acclaim from the artistic
Nik is proud that his work is original and unique, and unlike most community and has proven popular with collectors. Despite this level
designs on the market, is not all done on Illustrator. I use a biro of success, Motorboy spends more of his time organising events and
most of the time,” says Nik. “ Then I just compose it in Illustrator. exhibitions that promote the extended urban and street-art scene.
Collaborating closely with other members of the community such as
But the ultimate question remains: with student debts and Nik’s
Cyclops, he recently hosted the Steal From Work shows, 12 Days of Xmas
increasing desire to get his own place and be independent, if a
and Not A Penny Off The Pay, which featured names from across Europe
multinational agency offered to buy his brand, ‘Love the Leaf,’
and further a eld. Motorboy is also helping to run
would he sell it? “No way,” says Nik. “Unless... I was living in the
www.graf e.co.uk, the urban art raf e that raises thousands for
streets in a box. But seriously, no. I am a roots kinda guy. Bristol children’s charities. With further plans to open a gallery in Bristol at the
is where I have come from and where my brand has developed.” end of this year, Motorboy’s vision is certainly dynamic.
(Tamasine Johnson) www.motorboy.info
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