A mural on Nelson Street by acclaimed Bristol graffiti artist Inkie, painted as part of this year’s See No Evil festival, was being removed today by the landlord of the building before it is sold to new owners who evidently care little about the world famous street art by a world famous street artist on their wall.
Inkie’s piece is the first image on the See No Evil page on the Visit Bristol website, the government-funded body who describe the event as “an inspiring masterpiece and a legacy for the city”.
Part of that legacy is no more, and with massive cutbacks in council spending due to bite the Bristol arts sector hard, it is unlikely whether Nelson Street will once again be transformed next year.
A new See No Evil book is being launched at The Bank on Stokes Croft tomorrow. Only four months since this year’s festival, it will be the only place to see the painting by one of its principal organisers.
UPDATE: November 29
Inkie has responded to a comment below calling his work “ugly, saccharine, ubiquitous and meaningless”.
He wrote: “for your knowledge i was more than extremely lucky to paint my contemporary doodles on this ugly building and slightly more then a tad gutted it has been removed but i am well aware that in a modern society nothing is permanent or for that matter appeals to everyone.”
Responding to another comment, he said: “I am from Bristol and was not ‘paid’ a packet to attend rather i was attempting to beautify my home town and put our proud city on the map, much more than most people bother to do.”
Am I being a little cynical here?…
See No Evil not on the cards for next year due to cutbacks by the council… The new Mayor of Bristol (George Furguson) would have a big say in the council’s spending on something like this surely?
Is it just coincidence that he hosts Upfest and this would effectively be knocking out the competition to make his event more profitable as a result?
Upfest is more interactive for the public and less corporate sponsored, i take upfest.
Your not cynical at all thats the truth. pretty sad and desperate to steal an idea..move it to another area and re name it.
^^ Nonsense.
I dont think Mr F would see it as competition at all, quite the contrary. Both events strengthen the publics interest in all things street art and would only boost interest in UPfest. Both have contributed massively to arts culture in Bristol and it will be a shame if SnE doesnt go ahead again this year… UPfest however has just been confirmed for May 2013 which is great news.
apart from u guys arguing in the politics/business, myself i wonder where was the landlord wen this painting was happening. that pix is a classic Inkie pic & i feel deeply that it’s social art, it makes my heart lift in the grey wet city i live in.
now it’ll one less gem to view.
so it this because the new owners don’t want it? or the existing owners think it’ll damage their chances of selling it?
Either way it’s bollocks!
[...] The piece was produced this year for legendary graffiti festival See No Evil. The motives of the mayor, who is responsible for overseeing competing festival Upfest, have come under scrutiny on popular local culture website Bristol Culture. [...]
When Money speaks Art is Silent
it’s hardly a masterpiece is it. I think we can live without it. nobody’s got a right to keep their work on a private building, he was very lucky to be allowed to do it in the first place. It’s not a shrine, graffiti shouldn’t last forever – it should be of the moment.
i agree, i cannot stand his ugly, saccharine, ubiquitous, meaningless offerings, surely there is enough of this ugly rubbish everywhere else?
Conny,
Thanks for your highy valued input…. for your knowledge i was more than extremely lucky to paint my contemporary doodles on this ugly building and slightly more then a tad gutted it has been removed but i am well aware that in a modern society nothing is permanent or for that matter appeals to everyone, as far a ugly, saccharine, ubiquitous and meaningless offering…. i would really love to see your sketchbook or any creative offering to this world but i sincerely doubt you have one… if you in future come up with anything more worthful than sitting your plump belly in front of your aging, decrepid and somewhat sad PC spouting such nonsense please let me know. I truely hope you have a great day.
i know i will
100% agree
I’m gonna be controversial and say that i would rather my council tax money went a fair wage to bin men or housing benefit to a family struggling with money. Than paying for some artist who sells his work for a packet anyway getting paid to come and paint in Bristol. I’m all for street art but with youth clubs getting shut down and people losing there jobs the fact is that there are better things the money can go on.
Max,
Controversy appreciated everyone has their view… for the record this event raised more money for the city than was put in (by external sources for London 2012 and without which it wouldn’t of happened) and still will do going forward as a tourist attraction compared to the previous incarnation of this squalid street, also you are obviously not aware of the outreach work that was done in Knowle West and various other deprived spots of our wonderful city that was designated by a public vote…
I am from Bristol and was not ‘paid’ a packet to attend rather i was attempting to beautify my home town and put our proud city on the map, much more than most people bother to do.
For the record you will probably get a better bin service or housing benefit having this event occur than not….
Which would you honestly prefer?
Regards
Inkie
To see the outreach work that Inkie refers to in Knowle West, point your mouse here: http://bristolculture.wordpress.com/2012/08/10/see-no-evil-in-knowle-west/
What a tradegy, the owners and buyers must be clueless??
this years budget from BCC £300k, 2011 was £50k. Maybe go back to £50 and cut back on the stages…?
Has it been confirmed that George Ferguson was nowhere near the grassy knoll or the Taxan Book Depository? Just asking…
bring back the boring grey bricks!!! Great!?! … NOT!!!
What Inkie has done in terms of adding colour and creativity to these dullard walls is superb. Maybe this one bites the dust, but there are so many beautiful works you’ve brought to various walls in cities we support you and all the other incredible artists ongoing efforts…
How sad to see this go… the street art that is a feature of Bristol is something that is interesting, challenging and sometimes brilliantly crafted, not to mention that it brightens up our dull grey city. I do hope that the exhibition will be repeated next year.
that building, and nelson street, are horrible concrete cesspits. What cretin would want to remove something which actually gave them a little aesthetic worth?
glad to see that it appears most people agree that a bright walk to or from town is far better tha a grey one. I recall Banksy with the child painting bright flowers & some poor worker greying them out following behind…
He had a good run. Graffiti is ephemeral by nature and you can’t (and the artist obviously appreciates this, reading his comments) expect your work to last forever. Just look at the stuff in Stokes Croft that is continually being over-painted by other artists. The owners of the building has every right to do what they want with it – when it was made available as a temporary ‘canvas’ no-one would have thought that the works were to be permanent. Take a nice photo and move on.
Graffiti is ephemeral by it’s very nature. Having said that I like your piece inkie and living just round the corner from Nelson St I’ve witnessed its transformation from grim thoroughfare to colourfull tourist attraction. It’s a testement to the uplifting power of visual art. Bravo! Sadly the new owner has removed a patch in the top right corner – about as much as shown in the pic above – and just stopped there! What? Why? Perhaps they realised it was a mistake once people started taking pics. Kind of worse than just buffing the whole piece really. Nutters!
I can’t quite believe some people are using this to have a pop at Inkie especially without knowing any of his history or even that he is actually from Bristol! I remember seeing him paint in the world championships back in 89, this man has paid his dues and is a legend amongst graffiti fans worldwide but above all he is an amazing artist, Bristol should be proud
feel so bad for inkie! your mural will be remembered though dude… serious respect for you man.
So Southville stole the see no evil idea! what a crock! Southville stop being sooo try hard and get your own ideas!..Dont be the sad twat that steasl other peoples sht!..Im not going..southville trendys are the most annoying twats who have just appeared in the last few years and think they are cool..they aint..and this kinda crap just proves it..
And yes Proactive that is exactly what happened! your not cynical at all! thats the truth right there.