Bristol paintings

Created between 1989 and 1993, a series of painted backdrops was made for bands and club nights across Bristol, UK. Most of these works have since been lost, which accounts for the low-quality photos. The opening image shows the backdrops in use by The Moonflowers at Gloucester Town Hall in 1990 (photo: Jim Cemlyn Jones). These backdrops varied in size from 1 x 2.5 meters up to 2.5 x 7 meters and were painted in unconventional spaces such as squats, stairwells, and cramped city rooms. Using salvaged fabrics, bedsheets, and leftover paint, a raw and intuitive style was developed, deeply influenced by Outsider art traditions. Often featured as part of immersive live performances alongside film projections and slideshows, the backdrops captured portraits of friends and scenes from Bristol’s vibrant social landscape. The final six paintings were produced for the band Nautical William, and the last four drawing works served as posters for gigs and techno nights between 1989 and 1992.