2. Frogmore Street (1)

This is really one of my favourite works by my second favourite artist. It appeared about a year or so ago on a clean wall in Frogmore Street, yards away from the bridge on Park Street. It is called ‘Big Deal’ and signed by JPS.

JPS, Frogmore Street, Bristol, July 2015
JPS, Frogmore Street, Bristol, July 2015

John Paul Scanlon is a local artist who was born, and still lives in Weston-super-Mare. His early inspirations include M.C. Escher, Dali, Cezanne and DaVinci. There is no question though that his street art ‘career’, which began in 2009, was directly inspired by a Banksy exhibition.

JPS, Frogmore Street, Bristol, July 2015
JPS, Frogmore Street, Bristol, July 2015

There are several interesting interviews on the inter-web with JPS. He is reasonably prolific and will feature regularly in this blog.

8/10

Trial part 2

Interview over.

Head home feeling slightly sick.

Did I do enough?

 

by Scooj

Trial part 1

Sprinklers chattering;

a secluded London park.

Peace…pre-interview

 

By Scooj

1. Park Street

The first in a series of short articles on street art.

Bristol, thanks in part to Banksy, has become a centre for some great street art, so much so, that the tourist information office advertises tours of some of the best. How things have changed over the last thirty years.

Today a new installation appeared at the bottom of Park Street, right in front of one of the most famous Banksy murals (the naked man hanging out of the window one).

Unknown artist, Park Street, Bristol, July 2015
Unknown artist, Park Street, Bristol, July 2015

It is a protest piece, but the messages are somewhat confusing, and it seems rather out of place in Bristol. Maybe there is some political jibe (that links it to Bristol) that I am not aware of; but it is new, and unusually a sculpture rather than a mural and for this reason I have decided to feature it. It is not clear who created it. If I find out I will update this article.

4/10

 

Shaun the Sheep

The sheep are in town;

families roam clutching maps –

gotta catch em all.

 

By Scooj

Following the success of the Gromit Trail two years ago, Bristol is hosting the Shaun the Sheep Trail, which was officially started today.

Princess candy

Bulging eyes, wet skin.

Ma said ‘you’re no oil painting’;

your ship will come in.

 

by Scooj

9. Bread

Wednesday 30 March 1988, Koei Maru 30.

Bread – will I ever be able to look another piece of white bread in the face again and say ‘I want you’ ? It seems unlikely.

Since telling Nananuma (the ship’s cook) that I liked bread and butter, he has produced this stale stack for me each breakfast of up to ten thick slices. It is not only stale, but tastes of the plastic it has been kept in.

He thinks he is doing me a kindness by this service, for which reason I oblige him by eating what I can and taking what is left to my cabin, where, I am sorry to say, having festered in my fridge for a couple of days, it is destined for the waste disposal unit which is my toilet. It is slowly driving me bonkers and I feel that somebody, somewhere is watching me do this! Am I guilty?

I saw a beautiful flock of white birds, their reversed silhouettes emphasised by the black sky background and the bright lights of the ship shining towards them. I took unsuccessful photographs. They looked heron-like or egret-like and tried to roost a while on the masts, but were unable to remain long due to the winds forcing over the bow. They had yellow beaks and long black legs with large feet. What were they doing here? (I found out some time later that they get blown off course from the mainland and probably perish at sea.)

Thursday 31 March 1988, Koei Maru 30

At last March is almost over – roll on April, May, June, so that I may be home again.

The sea has come up in a terrible fury, but is still nowhere near as bad as I am sure it can become. I think fishing may be abandoned in this weather, although I am not sure. It will certainly be affected. Good for the squid I say. I cannot help thinking myself that the season ought not to start until April, to enable all those immature females the chance of at least producing and spawning eggs.

Friday 1 April 1988, Koei Maru 30.

So, I can’t play any tricks on anybody – but I might be able to do something in a letter or two. Yesterday was maddening – no fishing last night and passing the time was even more difficult than usual. I watched ‘Rocky 2’ – wow, some film! And also two really shitty Japanese films, both looked like they were made on Super 8 or something like that.

I can’t remember when I last ate – eating times were all up the spout yesterday! I must keep up with my letters.

image

Only another ten days or so on board and then aaah land ho!

The crew are much better for their enforced day off – no longer do they walk about like zombies.

Mr Chiba (the fishing master) has had a haircut (it was short to start with)

Abe radar has had a shave. They have all slept well and look refreshed.

image

All is much calmer, but we still roll -like right now for example. Wrote to Jazz and Michael.

Saturday 2 April 1988, Koei Maru 30.

A day just like any other passed by. This is a maelstrom of tedium. I want to go home.

 

 

 

2/2 Optimism

Incredible world.

Natural bounty sustains;

with care we can thrive.

 

By Scooj

1/2 Pessimism

Habitat loss and

excessive exploitation.

Death knell for nature.

 

by Scooj

Second Division

Day in Birmingham,

‘Venice’ of middle England.

Canals, not beauty.

 

by Scooj