It was an accident of fate that took me to this encounter yesterday. I spent my lunch break walking to the Post Office in the Galleries, and then nipped into M&S for sandwiches…a treat I don’t usually afford myself. I intended to return to work, but thought I was so close to The Bearpit, I would just see if there was anything new.
Better than that…a graffiti artist was spraying in one of the tunnels. The colours of paint on his trousers pretty much gave him away – red, grey, white and black – I approached him and asked “excuse me, but are you Decay“. Not a phrase I use often. It was, and we struck up a conversation.
Decay has only recently moved to Bristol, but it would explain the proliferation of his work around the place. I asked if he would be at Upfest 2016, and indeed he will. I will look him out. Finally I asked if he would mind if I took some pictures, and he said it was fine, but not the face. The whole experience was a bit ‘Exit through the Gift Shop’, a Banksy film I thoroughly recommend.
My first real contact with an artist in action. A good day, which only got better, as on my way home I spotted Alex Lucas working on a commission, and chatted with her too…more on that in a future post.
Happy.
Natural adventures 
So cool! Are you going to photograph Upfest? Can’t wait. I have meaning to ask: how did the Bearpit get started? Was it organized or did it just sort of evolved?
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I’m going to try and photograph Upfest…an insane number of artists are coming, but not all of them do permanent walls. The Bearpit has always been there, but was very seedy and intimidating. Money has been spent on improving the access points and generally tidying up the planting. There are still down and outs there, but somehow it all feels less scary. All of the tunnels have boards for art, and they are publicly available for anyone who wants to spray. I’m not sure how formal the arrangement is, but it just seems to work. And yes, it was very cool.
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the upside of it being a small word
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So happy for you! I believe you’re quite giddy 🙂
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Does it show?
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Just a tad. 😃
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