And this corner is where the ghost is usually seen…
says David ‘Hoppo’ Hopkinson without a speck of irony, as we cross the large echoing stage of The Cube Microplex cinema. To refer to The Cube as “only” a cinema would be an enormous oversight. Whilst the venue’s core programme is built around a rich and informed programme of art house and second-run films, international cinema, and what could variously be described as cult or occult movies – this is only the tip of the iceberg.
Read MoreTales from The Wasteland is, in their words, “an improvised post-apocalyptic adventure comedy”. Inspired by the likes of The Last of Us and Fallout, the twisted cast of raiders and mutants craft an absurd plot, inspired by a prompt picked by random and provided by an audience member. The show can go literally anywhere, as there is no pre-prepared characters or plot. Everything is, as you’d expect with improv, made up then and there.
Read MoreWhile hunting for vintage photos for the project, John stumbled upon a box of old negatives at a local auction. The images, mostly from 1960s Chicago, didn’t suit the book, but something about them stayed with him. Months later, he began scanning them. Though he had no background in photography, the work struck a chord. Inspired, he picked up a camera himself — first a point-and-shoot, and soon a Rolleiflex, just like the woman behind the images: Vivian Maier.
Read MoreWe talked to experimental screenprinter, Daniel Speight, ahead of his opening night of ‘Turn The Page’ - a showcase of his work in Bedminster. Not only will the event be a chance to mingle with some Bristol creatives, but also to try your hand at live printing!
Read MoreThe premise of this play is simple. It starts with an eight-year-old Patrick meeting his estranged and unfeeling Father in a pub, being taught a bar game. From this point onwards, Patrick navigates various moments with his Father from their strained relationship, meandering from optimistic if anxious beginnings, to resentful endings where love is given reluctantly, if not still deeply.
Read MoreCreativity isn’t a blessing for just some of us - it’s something we are born with. Each and every one of us uses creativity in daily life; some of us just falsely think we are not creative at all.
Read MoreBased within the creative hub of Bristol at Jamaica Street Studios, Annie Clay’s work finds beauty in the everyday as her captivating landscapes demonstrate the beauty of Bristol and its surroundings. Her style is both unique and distinctive with the time and precision in each piece so evident within her work. There is something about Annie’s work that seems to trigger a sense of familiarity with a place and it was great to sit down and have a chat with Annie about all things inspiration and how working as an artist in Bristol influences her work.
Read MoreAn evening at one of Bristol’s newest venues, The Mount Without, is something to look forward to. The space in this big old church is fantastic and its versatility really shone for this event as it hosted a staged performance by Tom Marshman and a broader floor space for the dance pieces from Cree Barnett Williams and Yos Clark. The Crypt provided drinks and DJ’s Mister Morgan and Jim Carna gave us some pop joy; the perfect end to a magical night.
Read MoreJess Knights’ illustrations are certainly ones that you’ll recognise if you’re into your food and drink around Bristol. Her passion for food and drink really shines through within her work as her unique images are rich in texture and life, making what could be considered mundane into art.
Read MoreJazz Thompson’s work is so integral to the city of Bristol as her captivating illustrations tell stories of individual experiences and community. Her murals have been placed all over the city from the M Shed, to The Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, speaking of individual experience and displaying a wealth of characters.
Read MoreArt is an immortal representation of our culture, identity, and personal histories. The gradual censorship of artistic expression in Russia has been presented as more than censorship, but a simple disregard for what art is. Putin would have you believe that art is simply an additional extra, a visual option that does not express anything deeply political or particularly relevant.
Read MoreYes, so in the book I created, and in the exhibition text in the handout, at the beginning I wrote “I invite you to view the shape of each woman's body, and then read her story and hear her voice connect her form to all that it carries and holds and think of its future, and all that it deserves.” I think that is the thing that unites them; every body has a story. And everybody deserves so much. And every story deserves to be heard.
Read MoreGiving that message to children, especially young black kids... that's my favourite thing in the world. That's what I want to do. I think a lot of it is because I never had any of this growing up. I didn't really have like any black role models and I just wasn’t exposed to them. I guess I just want to do everything I can for black people; everything I do is because of black people, my ancestors.
Read MoreIn this review roundup Lucy Pratt heads down to the Arnolfini to see their latest offering and Arts Editor George Trueman stumbles on a exhibition in the heart of Southville
Read MoreLiving in Stokes Croft, I just ended up being aware of Beth’s work. You pop into Jamaica Street Stores and you see her work, you go to the little shop at the bottom of the hill to end all hills, Nine Tree Hill, and you see more of her work; you pop into the Canteen for a pint and you see posters for the Life Drawing Classes she runs - you just get this sense that she has this momentum behind her; this sense of an artist being woven and fused into a city. That’s always how I saw Beth.
Read MoreIt’s time for our February Arts Review Roundup - kicking off with satirist Armando Ianucci in conversation at the 2022 Slapstick Festival, then Jonathan Buchanan shows us a new take on an old master - Van Gogh. Self Portraits at London’s Courtald Gallery.
Read MoreI’ve always been infatuated with the way jewellery can transport us back to a time and place or remind us of someone. I have such vivid memories of rummaging through my mum’s jewellery box as a child and being so fascinated with the stories behind each piece. I really believe jewellery has a story to be told and can carry an energy or hold a feeling. This Story implies the beginning of a tale. That’s how I feel when I send out my treasures to their new homes.
Read MoreConceived to celebrate contemporary – and sometimes controversial – artists working with the same visionary spirit as painter JMW Turner, the Turner Prize has long bestowed us with sensationalist, headline clinching artworks. A number of its alumni are now household names: Tracey Emin, Steve McQueen and Anthony Gormley, for example. To question its relevance may feel somewhat unwarranted given the aforementioned, but I’d argue it’s a more complex matter.
Read MoreEbony enchantress and the reigning Queen of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Symone, graced us with a drag show like no other last Thursday night. Why was the show like no other? Well, because it was an all-black cast.
Read MoreMary Magdalene is mentioned around fourteen times in the canonical gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) and is arguably one of the most important women in the Bible. Whether you believe in Christian doctrine or not, the treatment of Mary Magdalene throughout Church history is a fascinating (and very revealing) lens to investigate gender and power. To explore the afterlife of Mary Magdalene is to dip into the murky theological and theoretical foundations of Christianity, and to consider why the men who decided on Christian canon wanted women to behave.
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