Art / King Street
Mural on pub’s wall explores modern femininity
The artist of a new mural on the wall of a pub said she wanted to “create something beautiful, eye-catching and that almost proves that nudity isn’t inherently sexual or daring”.
Alba, which is the name of the piece, was recently painted by artist Beth Kirby (@bethcub) who used the exterior of Small Bar’s building on King Street as her latest canvas.
Her work discusses issues of the female body and the female experience through drawing, painting, murals and 3D mediums.
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The reference for the image is taken from a illustration created in a life drawing class that Kirby runs weekly in Stokes Croft.
Kirby’s art centres on the female experience and female form
Explaining the meaning behind the mural, Kirby told Bristol24/7: “Even though it’s 2023, the acceptance of nudity in art, even in the most classical sense, seems to be going backward.
“Censorship of my artwork is something I’ve had to deal with online, on social media, and even with people defacing my murals in the past.
“As soon as you create work with nudity, especially female nudity, it’s automatically put in this weird category of shocking or challenging, when in reality the human body is the most normal and familiar thing in the world.
“I wanted to create something beautiful, eye-catching and that almost proves that nudity isn’t inherently sexual or daring.
“I hope people view it as bold but not aggressive or gratuitous, just as they would a piece of nude art in a gallery.”
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She added: “I wanted to replicate the feel of a simple, energetic charcoal drawing over a much larger scale, so I sketched this piece up in chalk and painted it in emulsion and ink.”
“The piece is named Alba after my friend’s new baby daughter, so it’s got a lot of layers of female experience and celebration weaved into it.”
All photos: Betty Woolerton
Read next:
- Nature-inspired murals brighten up high street
- Bar of the Week: Small Bar
- Finding community on Bristol’s walls
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