Graffiti artists come out of the shadows

Aug 9 2008 by Kim Carmichael, The Journal

A TYNESIDE alley has been transformed into a beacon for urban artists. Bell’s Court is a narrow pathway, dubbed Newcastle’s Secret by chalk artists, which branches off from Pilgrim Street and has become home to a growing mural of drawings and poetic messages.

Contributors to the mural run a dedicated page on image-sharing website Flickr where they post photographs of their latest chalk creations.

The web page has been running for more than three years and has a cult following of members who have added markings to the wall over time to transform it into a pocket of colour in a concrete street.

Bell’s Court has attracted would-be artists from all over Britain who make the pilgrimage to take part in the chalk graffiti.

Pete Sonntag, from Brighton, a member of the Flickr site, he said: “Some may say we are slightly mad or sad admiring such scrawl, but I feel it is not the scrawl or the alleyway, but it is the process of documenting something different and raw.

“Actually taking time out to do something like that is slightly strange. That is what is interesting, to participate in something bizarre.”

The wall has captured the imaginations of so many people that it is to feature in a film which will document the story of Newcastle’s newest best-kept secret, as it is described on the Flickr site.

Katie Strachan, co-ordinator for the film project based at the Tyneside Cinema, said: “We are working with a group of 15 to 18- year-olds who will be speaking to those involved and documenting how the wall has developed.

“We were looking for interesting topics for a documentary and came across Bell’s Court. It is unique and everybody involved in the project thought that it would make a great subject.

“The completed film will be screened at the Northern Lights Film Festival in November and at the Liverpool Cultural Film Festival in December.”

:: To see the Flickr group featuring the chalk art click here