Art / News
Artists take over Temple Meads platforms
Photos by Charlotte Chambers
Passengers at Temple Meads are enjoying brighter journeys thanks to a new collection of 60 paintings of city landscapes by Bristol artists.
The pieces across platforms seven to 15 form part of a new permanent exhibition and are the brainchild of station manager Jon Curnow.
“We wanted to create a really good first impression of Bristol”, said Jon. “We wanted to show what Bristol is about and I hope we’ve achieved that.
“The reaction has been really good on social media and from the passengers on the platforms.”
This isn’t the first time local artists have created installations for the station, with Juke Jerram’s pixelated statue of his daughter Maya standing on platform three since 2013 until it was vandalised earlier this year.
Bristol artist Jenny Urquhart, who has designed a Shaun in the City sculpture for this summer’s trail, was one of the artists asked to display her work.
She said: “I’m really thrilled to have some of my work displayed in such an iconic building in Bristol. The city is brilliant at supporting and celebrating local art, and its great that so many passengers will be greeted to Bristol with such a variety of images along the platforms.”
Artist Emmeline Simpson called it a “real privilege” to be included in the collection.
She said: “I started my business because I felt that Bristol was not being celebrated enough, I wanted to create artwork that would appeal to Bristol dwellers and visitors alike.
“It’s so exciting to see this gallery of images that will bring life and colour to the platforms, and both showcase the creative talent that is so alive in Bristol and which I am proud to be part of, as well as celebrating the diverse and colourful scenes that Bristol has to offer.”
Jamaica Street Studios’ Abigail McDougall is also displaying her work in the collection. “It’s a great honour to have been asked to feature my art on the platforms at Temple Meads,” she said.
“It’s the first place people see when they come into Bristol and I hope we’ve been able to give it some new life and colour.”
Jon added: “The artists have really put their hands in their pockets to help – all we’ve done is provided the space.
“The space is there for as long as the artists want it. It’s going to be a permanent exhibition space.”
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