Features / Video

Video: The Art Bastard Show

By Ella Wills  Friday Feb 19, 2016


The Art Bastard Show is a new satirical documentary that follows the creative journey of a not so like-minded trio of Bristol artists in the run up to a major exhibition.

Conceptual masking tape artist Toby Glass, taxidermist Lily Rose and feminist street artist Vaj are brought together by “pioneering London tastemaker” Vicky Yentob.

The result is a clash of creative visions in the city described as “a provincial art mongrel”, with Vicky facing the pressure of keeping her team together.

You may know Vaj already – she caused quite a stir in January with her graffiti on the statue of Queen Victoria on College Green.

“I got so much respect for [Queen Victoria] so when the Bristol City Council said that by me putting a little minge on her was offensive I was torn up about it.

“She had a vaj and she was proud.”

She is determined in the purpose of her work: “There are cocks fucking everywhere man and I’m talking big cocks spray painted on the wall. I gotta redress the balance, gotta put my stamp out so I put my vaj up.”

Toby Glass and Lily Rose both express the passion and individual nature of their work in the film.

“You call this a piece of masking tape, I call this Toby Glass, this is me,” Glass says.

Vicky describes Rose as being “at the height of woodland fashion”. The documentary shows Rose at home among the elements, listening to the untold secrets of the trees in the company of her childhood friend Thane.

Tensions are high in the run up to the exhibition, with Toby’s work demanding that the Arnolfini be closed to visitors for the duration of the show.

Read more: Queen Victoria gets Vaj-ed

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