Tag: Eat the rich

3527. Bragg’s Lane (1)

It always pays to explore the city. It is easy to get trapped into only visiting the places you know or are familiar with. Hunting for street art has taught me to leave no stone unturned and to always look over your shoulder to see if you have missed something.

Object..., Bragg's Lane, Bristol, February 2021
Object…, Bragg’s Lane, Bristol, February 2021

I caught sight of this beauty from Object… out of the corner of my eye a few weeks ago while driving by and resolved at that moment to return to take some pictures, which I did last weekend. This is a big bold and angry piece from the people’s champion Object… and features some of his recurring motifs, such as ‘eat the rich’ slogan and disfigured body parts, in this case a hand. I like and have always liked his work. There is so much passion and anguish, and it bursts out from the wall, even if it is a little uncomfortable to look at. A fabulous large piece.

3283. M32 Spot (88)

It has been a very, very long time since I last saw a piece from Object… and at this time of political turmoil I have missed his interjections and commentary defending the less well off and downcast members of our society.

Object..., M32 Spot, Bristol, October 2020
Object…, M32 Spot, Bristol, October 2020

Another rather grotesque imagining of a hand being eaten by hungry mouths… a piece with a lot of pain anguish and rage. The whole scene is rather unpleasant and uncomfortable, but I think that is the point, this is a challenging and political piece. The slogan ‘Eat the Rich’ accompanies th work as in so much of Object…’s art. A provocative and compelling piece.

2902. The Bearpit (186)

This prophetic piece by Object… in The Bearpit was a protest and exposure of Bristol City’s determination to shut down the space and clear it of all ‘undesirable’ activity and make it a safe, clinical space. Object… quotes from Tom Flemming a creative consultant for Bristol City Council:

“…it will also be vital to champion the messy, the marginal and the avante garde, where imagination drives the city of the future.”

The Council shut The Bearpit down, expelled the homeless people (some of whom I note have returned), removed skateboarding and buffed all the walls with anti-graffiti paint. The space is now sterile (and indeed safer), but street art and graffiti were not contributing to a lack of safety, but perceptions seemed to rule the Council decision making. A council, I would add, that celebrates its association with Banksy. Some muddled thinking here.

Object..., The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2018
Object…, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2018

Object…’s piece once again features a contorted and strangely proportioned figure propping up the rights of the overlooked, the messy, marginal and avante garde mentioned above. He is a true champion and I salute him.

 

2843. St Werburghs tunnel (161)

I don’t get to see too much work from Object… these days, but I seem to have a fair amount in my archives and this wonderful piece in St Werburghs tunnel was painted back in October 2018.

Object..., St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2018
Object…, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2018

Object… specialises in these political commentary pieces in which contorted figures agonise and tentacles are often involved. I have a feeling that this might have been a collaboration with another artist contributing the colourful flower on the left hand side – it looks altogether too upbeat to be Object…’s work. I like his work a lot, Nd it feels good to release this one from the archive.

1952. Upfest 2018 (116)

Well, I’m not too sure where to start with this one from Object… really. The piece features a fairly grotesque headless, winged, multiple-armed torso with a speech bubble containing a well-used phrase ‘eat the rich‘. The phrase itself is attributed to Jean-Jaques Rousseau and alludes to the suggestion that when the people have nothing more to eat, they shall eat the rich.

Object..., Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
Object…, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

As political as ever, Object… is tireless in his championing of the underclass, the unrepresented and the unfortunate. His work always comes across as very passionate, and often pained by the injustices of the world…visceral is perhaps the word I am looking for. I realise his work might shock or leave you cold, but I am actually a fan of this thoroughly decent man and artist.

Object..., Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
Object…, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

1104. The Bearpit (102)

No prizes for guessing the artist who sprayed this in one of the tunnels in The Bearpit. It is a political piece with the slogans ‘I resist’ and ‘eat the rich’. The work depicts a hero figure (batman) saying ‘pay me I’m yours’ which is a fairly direct reference to corruption. if none of that helps with identifying this artist, then the organic style and tentacles should.

Object..., The Bearpit, Bristol, July 2017
Object…, The Bearpit, Bristol, July 2017

It is, of course, by Object… and if the piece itself didn’t tell you that, then the signature at the bottom would have. I like his pieces. Edgy and no beating about the bush. Part of the fabric of The Bearpit.