EXCLUSIVE: ‘Racist’ all-male Bristol art club could be disbanded

An an-all male art club in Bristol long accused of being a racist organisation seems to be attempting to erase all mentions to its name.

Founded in 1904, Bristol Savages refers to itself as a “private members club for artists and hobbyists… concerned with the pursuit of the fine arts, painting, music, poetry and performing arts”.

Their detractors, however, see their logo of a Native American chieftain as an endorsement of the genocide of Native Americans, and also accuse them of offensive cultural appropriation.

Their headquarters since 1919 has been in a building called the ‘Wigwam’ and the club use several other Native American terms and imagery, with members known as ‘the tribe’.

But their sign has now been removed from their front door next to the Red Lodge on Park Row, their website has been placed into ‘maintenance mode’, their social media accounts deleted and Google entry marked as ‘permanently closed’.

The ‘Wigwam’ in the garden of the Red Lodge is the Bristol Savages headquarters and where they put on an annual exhibition – photo by Lowie Trevena

People have written to Bristol City Council and Arts Council England expressing their concerns, as it is thought that due to their location in the garden of the Red Lodge, the organisation may have benefited from public funding.

Bristol24/7 has attempted to contact Bristol Savages by phone and email but has had no response.

In an email seen by Bristol24/7, however, Bristol Savages joint secretary Arthur Noonan told somebody pointing out her concerns with the club that “these will be duly considered once we have reconvened after the Corona Virus Pandemic has hopefully subsided”.

An email sent by Bristol Savages

More than 100 people have currently signed a petition calling for Bristol Savages’ to change their name and remove their racist iconography.

Petition founder Rosa Eaton said: “In the many years that the people have called for this organisation to change their name, they have had ample time to research why their naming is insensitive and cannot be unaware of the genocide and land theft that the English committed against the Native American people.

“We believe that now is the time for them to change their racist name, racist iconography. As Bristol has made international news taking down one symbol of white supremacy, we call for this public display of racism also be stopped.

“In addition, we call for them to donate to the Navajo and Hopi Covid Relief Fund as reparations for benefiting from their culture for so long.”

Although mentioned in the petition, Bristol School of Art confirmed that they have “no partnership or affiliation” with Bristol Savages.

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Bristol24/7 Production Editor Lowie Trevena visited Bristol Savages in 2019

Sent on what I thought would be a pleasant and charming story about an arts group based in the heart of our city, Bristol Savages should have ticked every box: community, beautiful paintings and a long and proud history.

When I visited, however, I was shocked to find that not only were the Savages using a name and logo that was downright racist, they were proud of a history built on oppression.

Their main hall was named the wigwam, they had paraphernalia appropriating North American culture along their corridors and the three sub-groups of the club were named after different coloured feathers, after North American headdresses.

Bristol Savages share their address with the Bristol City Council-owned Red Lodge on Park Row – photo by Martin Booth

“It’s okay,” said the member showing me around, pointing to a photo of a group of white men posing with a Native American. “We brought over a chief from a tribe in the early 1900s and he said he was fine with everything.”

Not only was the group racist in its appropriation of indigenous American culture and painfully white membership, it was acutely sexist and classist.

It was an old boys club for only the elite of Bristol and only men.

Tucked away in the heart of such a diverse and changing city, the Bristol Savages remained a painful reminder of the ongoing problems of racism, classism and sexism in 21st century Britain.

Main photo by Lowie Trevena

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