5561. Queen’s Road (7)

This absolutely sensational piece by Andrew Burns Colwill, is another from the paint jam celebrating 650 years of Bristol, and is the one that probably most closely follows the brief. The idea behind the paint jam was to celebrate Bristol, to paint with brushes (no spray cans), and to paint in a Renaissance style. Andrew Burns Colwill manages to nail it with this outstanding mural.

These pictures somehow got stuck in my pipeline system for publication, and were prompted (rediscovered) by yesterday’s Martin D’Acy piece, which is pretty much adjacent to this one. The elephant in the room with these pictures is the rather unfortunate and prominent street furniture, in the form of scooters and bins. I thought long and hard about waiting to get some ‘clean’ pictures of the piece, but felt publishing them ‘warts and all’ was probably more authentic, and the scooters in particular are directly referenced in the work. I will return however and get a clean shot to post here in due course.

The piece is in two halves, split vertically down the middle, with the left-hand side being the old city and to the right the modern city. His soak stain technique creates a washed appearance and extraordinary atmosphere. The old city, painted in light optimistic hues, is prosperous and on the up, and alludes to its merchant connections and seafaring trade. There is beauty in the characters, oxen and architecture that Andrew Burns Colwill has captures perfectly.

Contrast this with the right-hand side of the piece, which is a little darker in shade and mood. There is an impersonal sense that prevails as individuals rush from one place to another on their scooters, emblematic transport of our time. Like so much of his work, Andrew Burns Colwill tells a story here, and it is not all good. The optimism and vibrancy of our past has not ended with the social progress and cohesion we might have expected, but with an almost dystopian present.

The story is clear, and most beautifully painted. If you happen to visit Bristol, take a moment to seek out this piece and spend time looking at it and feel the history of the place.