Comments on: Graffiti in Birmingham http://www.createdinbirmingham.com/2008/02/01/graffiti-in-birmingham/ Linking up Birmingham's Artistic and Creative Communities Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:58:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Shorkie http://www.createdinbirmingham.com/2008/02/01/graffiti-in-birmingham/comment-page-1/#comment-46393 Shorkie Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:08:12 +0000 http://www.createdinbirmingham.com/2008/02/01/graffiti-in-birmingham/#comment-46393 Pete, have you watched 80s Channel 4 documentary 'Bombing'? If not I strongly recommend you get hold of a copy as part of it is filmed in the West Midlands. Birmingham council in the mid 80s set up an ambitious graffiti art battle in the old Bull Ring with artists from all over the world. It was legal and by all accounts, a feather in the city's cap for modern culture. Martin Jones also brought the youth of the West Midlands together in various pioneering events from breaking to graffiti (see zulu dawn). I think that, by the very nature of hip hop culture, it has been commercialised so much that graffiti art is maybe the one area that remains underground... secretive and untrusting. I think Selly Oak area used to have some amazing art but as time has gone by, it is often now just a complete jumble and mainly messy tags. To my mind, Digbeth could be a very good 'graffiti zone' to coincide with the regeneration of the area, make shift events could take place. I hope that one day the whole of the area around Digbeth could be designated as a Bohemian quarter which would cater for all this kind of stuff. Just my musings. Pete, have you watched 80s Channel 4 documentary ‘Bombing’? If not I strongly recommend you get hold of a copy as part of it is filmed in the West Midlands.

Birmingham council in the mid 80s set up an ambitious graffiti art battle in the old Bull Ring with artists from all over the world. It was legal and by all accounts, a feather in the city’s cap for modern culture. Martin Jones also brought the youth of the West Midlands together in various pioneering events from breaking to graffiti (see zulu dawn).

I think that, by the very nature of hip hop culture, it has been commercialised so much that graffiti art is maybe the one area that remains underground… secretive and untrusting. I think Selly Oak area used to have some amazing art but as time has gone by, it is often now just a complete jumble and mainly messy tags.

To my mind, Digbeth could be a very good ‘graffiti zone’ to coincide with the regeneration of the area, make shift events could take place. I hope that one day the whole of the area around Digbeth could be designated as a Bohemian quarter which would cater for all this kind of stuff. Just my musings.

]]> By: nick berte http://www.createdinbirmingham.com/2008/02/01/graffiti-in-birmingham/comment-page-1/#comment-42838 nick berte Fri, 12 Dec 2008 16:33:04 +0000 http://www.createdinbirmingham.com/2008/02/01/graffiti-in-birmingham/#comment-42838 tight art tight art

]]> By: Pete Ashton http://www.createdinbirmingham.com/2008/02/01/graffiti-in-birmingham/comment-page-1/#comment-11977 Pete Ashton Fri, 04 Apr 2008 14:32:57 +0000 http://www.createdinbirmingham.com/2008/02/01/graffiti-in-birmingham/#comment-11977 Chris, If you're in Birmingham get in touch with the In A City Arts people on York Road in Kings Heath. That seems to be a good place to start. http://www.myspace.com/inacityarts Chris,

If you’re in Birmingham get in touch with the In A City Arts people on York Road in Kings Heath. That seems to be a good place to start.

http://www.myspace.com/inacityarts

]]> By: Chris Drayton http://www.createdinbirmingham.com/2008/02/01/graffiti-in-birmingham/comment-page-1/#comment-11963 Chris Drayton Fri, 04 Apr 2008 12:12:03 +0000 http://www.createdinbirmingham.com/2008/02/01/graffiti-in-birmingham/#comment-11963 Hello, I am a keen graffiti artist and would love the chance to spray my work on a public wall so everyone can see any ideas of how this can be done legally so that i can share my passion of art with everyone else please? Chris Hello,

I am a keen graffiti artist and would love the chance to spray my work on a public wall so everyone can see any ideas of how this can be done legally so that i can share my passion of art with everyone else please?

Chris

]]> By: graffiti http://www.createdinbirmingham.com/2008/02/01/graffiti-in-birmingham/comment-page-1/#comment-10931 graffiti Fri, 21 Mar 2008 00:09:41 +0000 http://www.createdinbirmingham.com/2008/02/01/graffiti-in-birmingham/#comment-10931 Hmmm I don’t know any writers that have got blogs. Hmmm I don’t know any writers that have got blogs.

]]> By: Sister 45 http://www.createdinbirmingham.com/2008/02/01/graffiti-in-birmingham/comment-page-1/#comment-7824 Sister 45 Wed, 06 Feb 2008 21:22:56 +0000 http://www.createdinbirmingham.com/2008/02/01/graffiti-in-birmingham/#comment-7824 Hmmm I don't know any writers that have got blogs. Sounds pretty utopian to me. Hmmm I don’t know any writers that have got blogs.
Sounds pretty utopian to me.

]]> By: Pete Ashton http://www.createdinbirmingham.com/2008/02/01/graffiti-in-birmingham/comment-page-1/#comment-7694 Pete Ashton Mon, 04 Feb 2008 20:41:17 +0000 http://www.createdinbirmingham.com/2008/02/01/graffiti-in-birmingham/#comment-7694 Don't take this as blind evangelising of Utopian nonsense, but I think this is where the internet and blogging comes into its own. I don't think one overarching website that tries to unite everyone is going to work at all. But if people start telling their own stories (as it were) on their blogs, explaining what they're up to and documenting the history of the artform in Birmingham, and if these start overlapping and forming informal communities naturally and organically, and if they do so in public, then you can start to get some real communication, understanding and sharing of ideas and strategies going on. Don’t take this as blind evangelising of Utopian nonsense, but I think this is where the internet and blogging comes into its own. I don’t think one overarching website that tries to unite everyone is going to work at all. But if people start telling their own stories (as it were) on their blogs, explaining what they’re up to and documenting the history of the artform in Birmingham, and if these start overlapping and forming informal communities naturally and organically, and if they do so in public, then you can start to get some real communication, understanding and sharing of ideas and strategies going on.

]]> By: Sister 45 http://www.createdinbirmingham.com/2008/02/01/graffiti-in-birmingham/comment-page-1/#comment-7693 Sister 45 Mon, 04 Feb 2008 20:27:24 +0000 http://www.createdinbirmingham.com/2008/02/01/graffiti-in-birmingham/#comment-7693 Hi Pete, this is articulauted well. I was there, at the meeting and was disapointed that Martin Mullaney did not take down any numbers at the end. There was some up standing members of the community at the meeting who could all advocate for a legal spot, in their day to day lives, meetings and on their websites, but this was not followed up. I agree with your point re. artists communicating. But in my experience everyone has their own agenda so it is hard. Thank you for documenting this though. Sister 45 (funk DJ, stencilist and graffiti enthusiast) Hi Pete,

this is articulauted well. I was there, at the meeting and was disapointed that Martin Mullaney did not take down any numbers at the end. There was some up standing members of the community at the meeting who could all advocate for a legal spot, in their day to day lives, meetings and on their websites, but this was not followed up.
I agree with your point re. artists communicating. But in my experience everyone has their own agenda so it is hard.

Thank you for documenting this though.

Sister 45 (funk DJ, stencilist and graffiti enthusiast)

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