Vandals strike at Bristol's 'black cloud'
Three people have been arrested after a new temporary pavilion in a Bristol park was vandalised.
The Black Cloud pavilion, which is made of triangular timber panels, was installed in Victoria Park in Bedminster at the end of June by a team of 40 volunteers.
Police say the structure was vandalised at 6.30am yesterday. They are appealing for witnesses.
A man and two women have already been arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage.
The structure, 5m high and 17m long, is a community project commissioned by the University of the West of England. The wood has been treated using a Japanese scorching method which makes the panels weatherproof and gives them a blackened colour, which shimmers in sunlight.
The Black Cloud was expected to stay in the park until December 6, when Bristol City Council will be given the option of buying the pavilion to install permanently in a Bristol park.
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by Magdalena, Bristol
Friday, August 21 2009, 10:41PM
“To Suggestion. If it supposed to be funny then it wasn't. It was pithful and pathetic comment.”
by stephen, bristol
Friday, August 21 2009, 4:18PM
“anon msn ,could have done with that sandwich,lol,but it makes my blood boil when things like this happen ,and the scum bags get away with it and then just laugh in our faces”
by Kate Gordon, Bristol
Friday, August 21 2009, 2:59PM
“I work for Situations and we and the artists were really disappointed by the senseless damage to The Black Cloud yesterday. As a project involving over 60 local residents, the Cloud has received fantastic support from the Victoria Park and Bedminster community. Residents and visitors to the park have been making use of it throughout the summer and we have received a lot of positive feedback and comments.
The Black Cloud is going to be repaired tomorrow and no permanent damage has been done to the structure itself. We are looking forward to a number of community events that are taking place over the autumn, including Cloud Jam, an open mic afternoon on Saturday 5th September.”
by Paul, fishponds
Friday, August 21 2009, 2:47PM
“malik:
What is the matter with St Georges flags flying in the street?? you are in England!”
by Suggestion, Suggesting
Friday, August 21 2009, 12:24PM
“Banksy...!?!?!?”
by Farouk Shabal, Bristol
Friday, August 21 2009, 11:45AM
“Good luck with the piano installation.”
by Malik, Bristol
Friday, August 21 2009, 11:44AM
“I went to Bedminster yesterday and I felt quite uncomfortable. I saw a lot of St George's flags and families sitting around drinking and smoking together. It was a long paved area stinking of cigarettes, pastie smells and general body odour. I think this says a lot about the people who may have done this.
I haven't been in Bristol very long but it was possibly the worst area I've yet to visit. I won't be going back there.”
by Hugh Fuquartson-Lettesdants, St. Martins
Friday, August 21 2009, 9:36AM
“It's public art in a public park for goodnes sake!
I'm of the opinion that the 're-interpretation' of this work actually improves it enormously.
For me, this latest evolution of the the piece represents a ray of light breaking though on an otherwise dull day.”
by derek, Nuremburg
Friday, August 21 2009, 9:25AM
“From what I can gather reading the daily news,it appears that ANYTHING that anyone does to make life a little more pleasent in Bedminster is doomed to failure.Keep trying.Maybe one day,the senseless scum who do these things will grow up and the good people who live there will have a better life.”
by K10, Bristol
Friday, August 21 2009, 9:20AM
“I suspect most people welcome change in the local community esp if it's art, afterall art (whether they like it or not) is about encouraging people to see things in a different way. Demonstrated by the enormous surge of interest in the Banksy exhibition...it's the brain dead scumbags who commit acts such as this who ruin it for other people. Maybe (if they're guilty) the perpetrators should help to repair the damage”