Led by Donkeys Pop Up

Last weekend Bristol had a UK first - a pop up art exhibition by Led by Donkeys, the artivision group responsible for some of the country's most stunning political interventions in recent years, all aimed at calling government(s) to account. 

Think painting the road outside the Russian Embassy with the colours of the Ukrainian flag (right), or all those poster sized tweets throwing politicians quotes back at them, or the projections on the White Cliffs of Dover and so on. The most important of these in my view is the Covid Memorial Wall opposite the Houses of Parliament. 

In a tiny gallery at Midland Road and the rest of which building is usually an Airbnb, the three day event attracted quite a crowd. We queued for over an hour to get in, but it was a good natured wait and was worth it to see the huge Tufton Street plaque up close and personal. Photographs adorned the walls, along with the more recent Truss lettuce poster (left). In the basement the film of children' clothes on a beach (Gaza memorial) was hard to access, but very moving once down there. 

Art it probably isn't, but witty, whilst being clever and serious in intent is most certainly is. The recently published book of the same documents it all for posterity and now has pride of place on my coffee table. Thanks guys, it was an enjoyable afternoon laughing, once again, at the heinous politics of the last decade or so. 

Forgotten Bristol - The Piper Windows

In All Saints on Pembroke Road, my parish church were I of a religious inclination, all the windows of the restored church are by John Piper. But first a little on the 1868 building, erected at the same time as my house when this part of Clifton was developed from fields. The architect was G.E. Street - you'll know his work if you've ever walked on the Strand past the Royal Courts of Justice. All went well until the Luftwaffe turned their attentions to Bristol. They did that a lot, it being a major port and having much aircraft industry. More of this in almost ever future Bristol post, no doubt. A fire-bomb hit the church in December 1940. 

Little of it remained standing, so in the 1960s a shiny new modern church was designed incorporating parts of the old. You either love it or hate it, especially the spire, which urban myth has it was helicoptered into place. It wasn't, there are apparently photos of a crane doing the job. An integral part of commissioning the new church included Robert Potter, the architect, hiring Piper to design the windows. Piper was well-known, of course, for his war artwork depicting bomb damaged churches and other landmarks.

And they are magnificent examples of his work, encompassing all of the windows of the church, the only such which can make this boast. Plus they are not stained glass, Piper's usual medium as in Coventry Cathedral, Liverpool RC Cathedral, Eton College, the Betjeman Memorial Window at Farnborough and that for Britten in Aldeburgh, but rather fibreglass. Into these large sections of fibreglass and polyester mix Piper poured coloured resins to create designs much influenced by Chagall and Matisse. The depth of colour is stunning. Go on a sunny day and see for yourself. Even on a dull day they are impressive. And they were much cheaper than stained glass would have been for the cash strapped War Damage Commission. 

The Baptistry window is from the Book of Revelation - the tree of life and the water of life. The north and south windows depict darkness coming into light. In art historical terms they have been hailed as internationally important examples of post-war Modernism. Just a few steps from my door, who knew? Actually, I do remember seeing them a few times as a teenager.

The problem though with this use of new materials is that they subject to splitting and cracking in the sun. Thankfully in recent times the church researched a solution and installed secondary protective glazing, laminated against UV radiation. Fingers crossed Piper's masterpieces will last to their centenary and beyond.