Bristol Unpacked

Growing up in poverty on the north Bristol council estate of Lawrence Weston, Jimmy didn’t read a book until he was 20. His life changed when his girlfriend took him to the Tate gallery in London. Now Jimmy is a renowned artist, composer and curator and has exhibited alongside the UK’s leading figures, including Mark Quinn, sculptor of the Jen Reid Black Lives Matter statue that was temporarily on Edward Colston’s former plinth. He even brought Yoko Ono's work to Bristol, curating an exhibition of her work at the Georgian House.He is eccentric, opinionated, and in many ways an outspoken outsider in the arts community, railing against what he sees as the dominance of the cosy art world of Banksy. Openly critical of ‘brand Bristol’, he challenges the appetite for urban edginess and cool chic, over the need for real and radical change.His mission is to make art accessible and reclaim it for working class communities– in which all his heroes from Lennon to Bowie to Coltrane came. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Show Notes

Growing up in poverty on the north Bristol council estate of Lawrence Weston, Jimmy didn’t read a book until he was 20. His life changed when his girlfriend took him to the Tate gallery in London. Now Jimmy is a renowned artist, composer and curator and has exhibited alongside the UK’s leading figures, including Mark Quinn, sculptor of the Jen Reid Black Lives Matter statue that was temporarily on Edward Colston’s former plinth. He even brought Yoko Ono's work to Bristol, curating an exhibition of her work at the Georgian House.


He is eccentric, opinionated, and in many ways an outspoken outsider in the arts community, railing against what he sees as the dominance of the cosy art world of Banksy. Openly critical of ‘brand Bristol’, he challenges the appetite for urban edginess and cool chic, over the need for real and radical change.


His mission is to make art accessible and reclaim it for working class communities– in which all his heroes from Lennon to Bowie to Coltrane came.



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is Bristol Unpacked?

Bristol Unpacked with Neil Maggs brings you fascinating and challenging conversations from characters of all stripes on big topics facing the city and beyond. 


Brought to you by the Bristol Cable, a new kind of newspaper for Bristol 100% community owned by 2,200 members. Join them for just £1 a month and own your media. 


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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.