Modern Love: The People's Art Fair

Thank you to all the artists, musicians, makers, volunteers and visitors who helped to make our first ever People’s Art Fair such a success! Over the course of a weekend Modern Love was celebrated in all it’s selfie loving, polyamorous, Tinder tinted vibes.

On Valentines night the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence made the place look fabulous and forgave us all for our sins (which was a relief!), Claudio invited us into his luxurious Love Booth, Rita Lynch woke us all up and got us dancing and the Suspicious Jazz Roll Ups kept the party going into the night. On Saturday the Bristol Womxn’s Mural Collective and the Domino Project made sure there was plenty of creative activity for people to engage with all afternoon.

Art exhibition opening and live music 6-9pm Friday 14th February

• Exhibiting artists included Object…, Bev Milward, Marta Zubieta, RTIIIKA, Colin Moody, Mona, PIXSELIS, Amber Phillips, Ffion Thomas, Emily Snell, Beatriz Leonardo, Claudio Ahlers, D.F.T.E, Disphoria Art, Scot Burgoyne, Octopus Odessy, Sue Vallance, Oshii, and Beautiful Things in Foreign Lands
• Our feature wall was be taken over by the Matchbox Gallery Crew including artists DNT and Mr Sleven, with a display on the theme of ‘Broken Love’
• Street artist Ghostboy was selling his distinctive Valentines cards at the opening night
• Special blessings and the forgiveness of sins from the Order of Perpetual Indulgence
• Claudio Ahlers, the photographer who made the 24 Hour City project in collaboration with Sarah Middleton, set up a ‘Love Booth’ for the weekend
• Live music from Bristol based singer/songwriter Rita Lynch
  Rita has a powerful stage presence and unique voice. She has been described as ‘intense and mesmerising’, ‘like hearing rock n roll for the first time again’. She has recorded many albums, had songs used in films, and gigged extensively. She plays and records with drummer John Langley (the Blue Aeroplanes), and violinist Will Pearce Smith. She also gigs as a solo act. She has been described as ‘Rita Lynch, the Artist. Bristol’s best kept secret’.
• Followed by an open mic and jam session featuring the Suspicious Jazz Roll Ups and other Bristol heroes

Art show and creative market 12-6pm Saturday 15th February

• Stalls included china and prints by PRSC; illustrations by Amber Phillips; glass, ceramics and painting by Sarma Krumins; DIY punk patches and stickers by Zlyzab; self-care bears and tiles from Serafina Kiszko; prints and cards from biro-artist Disphoria Art; paintings and drawings by Wistful Horizons; slide magnets, prints and lights from Beautiful Things in Foreign Lands; and notebooks made from reclaimed paper by Object…
• PRSC presented a ‘stencil your own t-shirt / bag’ workshop (£5 if you bring your own teeshirt/bag, £10 includes a blank tote bag from PRSC)
• Community paint jam from 2-4pm, facilitated by the Bristol Womxn Mural Collective
• The Domino Project – a “portable” offshoot of the Brick Project, which created the popular public community mural outside Hamilton House.  Initially developed to take the Brick Project concept to differently abled participants, sanded and primed wooden dominoes are used as individual canvases for participants to create a miniature piece of artwork. The painting of something miniature has a calming, meditative effect on participants, allowing them to become absorbed in an activity that helps them to contemplate their interactions with other members of the local community and society as a whole.

Check out The People\s Art Fair for more info on how to get involved in future events.