Bristol Street Art and Graffiti through the Ages
People have been declaring their existence by making marks on walls for hundreds and possibly thousands of years. As we walk the back streets and alleyways of Stokes Croft, Montpelier, St.Paul's and St. Werburgh's in search of individual tags, stencil graffiti and political slogans we will consider the origins of modern street art. Is the 30,000 year old cave art of France graffiti? Possibly. We will discuss. Ancient Egyptian pyramid builders left their mark on the monuments they created. Viking warriors left messages in the Neolithic chambered tombs they raided on Orkney and in Eastern European temples they guarded. Roman Pompeii is littered with graffiti; some political and some drunkenly obscene! Prisoners in the Tower of London made one last scratch to declare their existence before they went to Tower Hill to be beheaded. Parisian revolutionaries charcoaled their names on the walls of the catacombs beneath the turbulent eighteenth century city. So did Bath stone quarrymen beneath the hills around that city. And, yes, we will seek out a couple of early works by Bristol street artist, Banksy! At the end of our walk through the story of street art we will have a better understanding of the historic roots and cultural importance of graffiti as a form of expression for those who often do not have a voice in society. A set of historical research notes will be emailed out to walkers after our walk. This will allow you to hold on to what you have picked up from our exploration of the story of Graffiti through the Ages. A Walk in the Past is a friendly group where regulars and newcomers are always welcome. Our aim is to combine a good walk with pleasant company in historic landscapes.
