Tag: Europe

1763. Upfest 2018 (57)

The candle has blown out on the European project for the UK and this wonderful piece by Christian Boehmer (Böhmer) a German artist whose work I first saw at Upfest last year and have tracked on Instagram ever since. His trademark is that all the people in his works have paper bags over their heads to play with the idea of anonymity.

Christian Boehmer, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
Christian Boehmer, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

I still find our national vote to leave Europe deeply embarrassing and depressing and can’t believe what a pig’s ear we are making of it. The ‘Britain first’ narrative does not chime for me. It stinks of arrogance and intolerance – behaviours I and many others dislike. This piece I find quite a poignant reminder of our collective folly.

Christian Boehmer, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
Christian Boehmer, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

I do like Christian Boehmer’s work and was pleased to have seen his return to Upfest. I rather hope he comes again next year and that I get a chance to meet him.

 

 

1363. Upfest 2017 (142)

This was most certainly one of the highlights of my Upfest experience last year even before I knew that it was by an artist whose work I admire greatly, Braga Last 1.

Braga Last1, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Braga Last1, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

I saw this piece early in its genesis on one of my first circuits around South Street Park, but inspite of Braga being scrawled all over it, the penny hadn’t dropped. It wasn’t until the end of the second day that I was able to see the finished piece and grab a few moments chatting with Braga Last 1, or at least I should say with his girlfriend as he struggled a litle with English.

Braga Last1, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Braga Last1, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

The piece is a self-portrait with a crazy bag of stuff in a back pack…but where is he off to? If you take a closer look, this is actually a Brexit piece – there are some clues in the bag.

Braga Last1, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Braga Last1, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

If you look carefully, you can see that in the rucksack is a book ‘Brexit for Dummies’ a brilliant title. What saddens me is that Europeans view our departure as utter folly, and I can’t help agreeing with them. I feel embarrassed and ashamed that our nation voted to leave and I am left feeling closer to the Europeans than to my own countryfolk. I fear an unhealthy legacy for many decades to come.

Braga Last1, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Braga Last1, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

Conventional wisdom

 

In the seventies

the country was much greener;

rose-tinted glasses.

 

by Scooj

 

  • A convenient narrative adopted by pro-Brexit campaigners urging a return to the ‘good old days’ before we were told what to do by Europe. The facts rather contradict this romantic notion, and certainly my recollection of growing up in London in the 1970s is not a pleasant one – choking car fumes, filth and litter everywhere and heavily polluted rivers, our countryside didn’t fare much better. What did European regulations ever do for us…? (Habitats Directive, Water Framework Directive, the Birds Directive, Bathing Waters Directive, Air Quality Framework Directive and others).

 

The 48 per cent

 

I’m sick of hearing

it’s the will of the people.

It is not my will.

 

by Scooj

  • Every time I hear the Government trot out the words that the Brexit is the will of the British people, they are excluding the 48% who voted to remain. Are we not British people? This lot will never carry me with them as long as they use this bullying kind of coercive language.

EU Autumn 

.

Torn from slumber, green

leaves not ready to detach

fight on to remain. 

.

by Scooj

Phoenix

 

Fire within me burns;

a rage fuelled by passion and

love; a phoenix forged.

 

by Scooj

 

Keep calm and carry on?

 

Seismic changes on

the way; this is no time to

sip a cup of tea.

 

by Scooj

Post Brexit blues

 

Hollow victory

and simmering resentment;

country divided.

 

by Scooj

 

 

Really sorry to draw this out. The wounds here are still sore. In my life I have never known such a divided nation before and unusually, the injured parties are younger people and graduates. What a bad idea the referendum was. The phrase ‘be careful what you wish for’ has never been so apt.

Own goal

 

European league

loses one of its members;

self-inflicted wound.

 

by Scooj

 

Unlike the 51.8% in the UK today, I feel a huge sense of loss. The tolerant, stable and inclusive world my children have grown up in is under real threat. I dearly hope they will be a part of ensuring we continue to embrace our European neighbours in the years to come.

232. North Street hoarding (3)

John D’oh is a very naughty political artist whose work I enjoy immensely, whether I agree with his assertions or not. Whenever I see his stuff I can’t help smiling at his cheeky nerve. I suspect it gets him into trouble occasionally, but I like the edge he brings to the Bristol street art scene. This time it is the turn of the Queen, a reference to the band of the same name and her position on Brexit as portrayed by some media outlets (in particular the Murdock News International Media group).

John D'oh, North Street, Bristol, May 2016
John D’oh, North Street, Bristol, May 2016

Not only is the content of his work noteworthy, but his execution using stencils and his profusion of work is impressive. I have a large backlog of his work, much of which is politically no longer contemporary, but nonetheless an indicator of political issues in 2010s Bristol.