Books / Street Art
Artist documents the past year through coronavirus-themed work
Since the coronavirus pandemic began, an urban artist from north Bristol has been creating themed street art.
John D’oh has now released a book as “an informative, vibrant and occasionally-humorous diary of the unprecedented events”.
John has been painting throughout Bristol, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Glastonbury, Weston-super-Mare and Worcester.
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Coronavirus Street Art has been self-published through Bedminster-based Minuteman Press.
John, who is “motivated by a sense of political or social injustice”, says that creating street art over the past year has been challenging, as supplies have been hard to come across and the art had to be completed during the permitted daily exercise when lockdowns have been in force.
John has been resourceful, reusing what would otherwise be considered rubbish, with empty cereal boxes becoming much-needed cardboard for stencils. Photo: John D’oh
“One might question the need to paint on an actual wall if everybody is inside isolating themselves,” says John, who has exhibited across the world.
“Yes, people will still be able to see the images on their phones through the internet. But it should also be remembered that, with the increasing popularity and use of social media, street art risks becoming overly virtual and decontextualised from the very city streets that it was born from and that gave it meaning.”
John, who has previously published a book through Tangent Books, created the book as a way to collate his work made over the past ten months.
“Exploring the issues raised by the pandemic allowed me to create a book that could focus in on a singular topic and explain its social, cultural and economic implications in more specific detail,” says John.
“Moments that caused scandal and outrage during the outbreak may very well become forgotten or misremembered in the near future, allowing public figures, businesses and politicians to avoid responsibility for their mistakes.
“So hopefully, by documenting some of these failings, I am doing my bit in my own way to hold these people to account.”
The book is being sold via John’s website, alongside his book on graffiti and several prints.
The book costs £9.99. Photo: John D’oh
“Although my humour can be pretty quirky and idiosyncratic, the artwork has hopefully added a few smiles in these troubled times” says the street artist.
“Often my aim is to reengage the public with political action and to reengage them with their local community, especially in cityscapes that have been dominated by anonymity and individualistic consumerism.”
Main photo: John D’oh
Read more: Creative lockdown: John D’oh
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