In August 2008 the Golden Thread Gallery hosted a ground-breaking participatory art project called Splattered. The project showcased range of contemporary urban artforms, with events run by the Trans Urban Arts Academy and aimed to encourage innovative crossovers between street art and more established forms of contemporary visual culture.

Splattered was an ambitious project combining contemporary urban art forms such as graffiti, VJing and low-tech filmmaking, with the added attraction of a paint-bombing event that linked with an exhibition of new work by Carlos Llavata: an internationally renowned artist & explosives expert, known for using fireworks and other kinds of explosives to create artworks that reflect on the human condition and the tension that lies between creativity and destruction.

It was an unbelievable opportunity to paint bomb an art gallery and join forces with an international explosives expert / artist. Participants listened to the sound of paint splatter and the newest beats as they took turns exploding with Carlos!



Splattered included:

Bodyscapes – an exhibition of new work by Carlos Llavata (Spain) connecting audio-visual projections with live actions and dramatic undertones.

Graffiti – Filth & Duncan Ross with the Splat Pack transformed the walls of the Gallery using graffiti techniques.


And now… it’s your turn!


CREATE YOUR OWN SPLATTER ART AT HOME

There’s no getting around it, splatter art can be SUPER messy… but that’s part of the fun! So, you need to do a bit of preparation, and definitely ask a grown-up for permission and some help!

The very best way to do it is outside so you can spread your paper out on the ground. If you are inside, paint in a space that you can clean up easily – avoid anywhere with wallpaper or carpets – and wear an apron or old clothes.

The great thing about splatter is that you don’t even need a paintbrush… there are so many possibilities.

It’s really all about THE FLICK! If you’re indoors, use a smaller flick of your wrist. But if you’re outside, go big and use your arms!

You need:

  • Runny paint in pots (or cups or yoghurt cartons or bowls)
  • Paper (or cardboard or an old t-shirt or an unfolded cereal box)
  • A paintbrush (or a spoon or an old toothbrush)

Are you ready? Ok!

Dip your brush or spoon into the paint then FLICK your wrist to splatter the paint across the paper!

Keep splattering with different colours. Try splattering close to the paper, and then further away, for different effects.

Leave your picture lying flat until the paint is dry… unless you want to experiment and see what happens if you don’t!

SHARE YOUR SPLATTER ART WITH US! Email pictures to [email protected]