Van

Rear of Custard Factory, Digbeth, 28th May

Popped into Digbeth today to figure out a vague route for the next Flickrmeet on June 11th and couldn’t resist taking some shots of the graffiti garden behind the Custard Factory. It appears to be a condoned space but given that it’s in a run down car park presumably in the shell of a demolished building it has all the elements necessary for that sort of environment. What I find interesting about graffiti is how it can work with the physical structure of the surfaces creating new shapes and perspectives on it, much as how a photographer changes a view by framing it from a certain angle. Or some shit.

Here’s a selection of my graffiti photos.

On the way back I found myself in the middle of Gay Pride, which was not hard given that Hurst Street, the heart of Birmingham’s gay quarter, doubles up as National Cycle Network Route Five. Last year Pride was kinda quiet on the Sunday but this year it was rammed to the gills. By accident I cycled into the tail end of the parade and found myself stuck on the wrong side of the barriers, which would have been great since I had my camera, except I also had my bike and nowhere to park it. Ah well. Then, since it was a wristband event, I had to blag my way into the rest of Hurst Street using the “I’m just a lost cyclist try to get home” excuse, which was true but a handy tip should you want to get in free next year.

Actually there’s a shitload of stuff going on in Brum this weekend. A music festival in Digbeth, the “fun” fair in Canon Hill Park, some 10 mile sponsored walk, and that was just on my route. Must be summer.