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Faking the truth to make a good headline.

8/7/2014

So it’s no Banksy in Ledbury.

It emerges that the fabulous stencilled painting of poet John Masefield has been claimed by We Love Art, Malvern’s guerrilla art group.

And the Ledbury Reporter’s headline? “Priceless Banksy street art? Sorry, but it’s a fake.” Journalists – especially headline writers – love to paint their stories in lurid, simple colours and this is a great example of their craft.

The painting would be a fake if it had been passed off as something it wasn’t, if the We Love Art group were claiming it was actually a Banksy. They weren’t. It was their own, original work. The real thing. Authentic We Love Art.

A fake is something that isn’t genuine, a forgery or a sham.

Ledbury’s Masefield piece is none of these things. Ok, maybe not quite so illustrious or sought- after as a Banksy, but no less a piece of art for that.

Sorry, but the only fake in that headline, was the headline itself.

The Ledbury Reporter Responds...

The deputy editor of the Ledbury Reporter, John Wilson, has taken me severely to task for my comments above. He's sticking by the headline and the use of the word "Fake". I still don't think it's warranted, personally.

In our exchange of tweets, John says: 'Fake: a thing that is not genuine (OED). We have not suggested any cynicism. You're having a cheap pop, Rich'. To which I replied: 'Nah. A genuine pop. It's only fake if the intent was to deceive. I don't believe that to be the case. But if I'm wrong...'

So by way of right of reply, I'm happy to publish Mr Wilson's response:

'The picture of John Masefield is unsigned, and no one had publicly claimed responsibility for it until the Ledbury Reporter revealed that it was the work of the We Love Art team.

In the meantime, speculation had been allowed to grow unchecked that it was painted by the famous street artist Banksy (not surprising since the Masefield picture is strikingly similar in style to Banksy’s work).

Anonymous Banksy-type street art has appeared in other towns recently, and the interest it has generated has generally been welcomed.

I have no idea if this was the intention in this case, but the picture was certainly not the genuine article, and your venomous criticism of the Ledbury Reporter for revealing the truth is wholly unwarranted.'

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Safe is Risky.

7/7/2014

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Quote du jour: If you don't like change, you're going to like irrelevance even less (Gen Shinseki, former US Chief of Staff)

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More (Than) Poetry Please: Why Ledbury Needs Art

2/7/2014

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The eyes of the art world are turned on Ledbury. It’s not only that the world famous Poetry Festival has just launched, but a mysterious painting has appeared on the wall in Tilley’s Alley. Everyone is asking, is it a Banksy?

(Update: It's not a Banksy as far as we know: it's the work of the Malvern-based We Love Art collective. But hey we still love it! Thanks from Ledbury)

John Nash who owns the wall was visited yesterday by an art critic up from Oxford who believes the artwork may be the genuine article. If that’s true, he could be sitting on an asset worth millions. It’s a work that is extraordinarily alive, a very accomplished piece of street art, whoever painted it.

The one certain thing is that the image of local-born poet John Masefield is already lighting up that famously gloomy Ledbury passageway. A steady stream of visitors are eagerly making the pilgrimage to contemplate the haunting figure, captured reading a red book from which the opening line of his Sea Fever drifts out like a line of music, I must down to the sea again…

The delighted public reaction is no surprise. Public art has a transformative effect on people and places.

Writing for The Guardian Tim Smedley observes the way that public art contributes to well-being and people’s sense of belonging:

‘An ongoing study by Durham University (yet to be published) using the Angel of the North as a case study has found that 72% of local residents say the Angel of the North makes them feel good whenever they see it, and it makes 64% proud of Gateshead.

Alex Coulter, director of the arts advocacy organisation Arts & Health South West believes that: "Particularly when you look at smaller communities or communities within larger cities, [public art] can have a very powerful impact on people's sense of identity and locality. A lot of sculptures are related to the local history in some way, and I think they can give people a connection to their place and a sense of continuity."

Surely we need more art, festivals and performances, formal and random in Ledbury, lots of it, everywhere. The town is an unfulfilled cultural capital. We may be small, but we’re bursting with artists, writers, musicians and poets, a magnet for talented, creative souls. And yet… There is that nagging feeling that when it comes to art and culture, we are very good at hiding our genius, missing our creative tricks. The sports people are excellent at staking their claim for new and better facilities – and good on them. But where are the organised groups hammering on the Town Council’s door calling for an arts centre, cultural festivals, rehearsal rooms and workshops, iconic pieces of public art? Now is the time to make your voices heard with the Neighbourhood Plan, Ledbury’s blueprint for spaces and places until 2031.

Just maybe the new artwork is a subtle reference to Ledbury’s diffidence in the art department. Lurking in the shadows, there he is, one of the great voices of English lyric poetry and our most important son, reminding us ever so gently to do the things that are important, to live life in the moment, to feel the pull of the ‘vagrant gypsy life’. Sea Fever is an ode to freedom and self-fulfillment. Let’s now take our cue and live Masefield’s dream in every corner of Ledbury.

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Sorry to Bob

2/7/2014

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In the article below I earlier incorrectly reported the voting patterns in the planning decision relating to the 100 house development of the cricket field.

Although my recollection was that Cllr Barnes voted in favour of the proposed development, I am apparently wrong: he says he voted against it.

This being the case, then I am happy to set the record straight and apologise wholeheartedly for any embarrassment this may have caused.

The error arose because of the wide difference between the way that Cllr Barnes spoke during the debate, which was positively in support of the housing development on the cricket field, and the way that he reportedly went on to vote when the matter was actually decided, which he says was against. Nor am I alone in having experienced confusion on the Town Mayor's position. Other present say they are now unclear about the actual voting numbers.

It is regrettable that a 'named vote' was not undertaken as this would have officially recorded which way each councillor cast their votes. Even better, a recording of proceedings of Council meetings would very effectively eliminate any dispute as to who said what, and how they voted.

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Thinking around.

Faking the truth to make a good headline.

Safe is Risky.

More (Than) Poetry Please: Why Ledbury Needs Art

Sorry to Bob

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