Our latest research project is looking at how the physical fabric of abandoned and derelict parts of cities influences urban art (e.g. graffiti writing and street art). We’re interested to learn more about why urban art is done in the places it is, what the artists’ motivations and hopes for their art pieces are. And what influence this art has on how people think about an area. We’ll be focusing our research in Birmingham, mainly in Digbeth and exploring the rich history of urban art here and its links to the rise and fall and rise again of the fortunes of the area.
This project brings together Geomorphology (Simon Dixon), Contemporary Archaeology (Geneviève Godin) and Urban Geography (Amy Yueming Zhang) where we will work collaboratively in novel ways to learn more about how urban decay and urban art are interlinked.
We are currently seeking for funding to support a long term project, as well as some pilot data collection. Whilst also making connections with local organisations and artists. If you’d like to know more please get in touch.
Urban Art in Birmingham
Related Publications
Dixon, SJ. Landscape processes as site context. (Chapter in Site Matters, 2nd Ed – Now available in all good book shops!)
Dixon, SJ., Viles, H., Garrett, B. (2018) Ozymandias in the Anthropocene: The city as an emerging landform. Area 10.1111/area.12358
(Winner of the 2019 Royal Geographical Society Area prize)
Anthropocene Landscapes and Processes Group 