Poetry gracing our City Centre

If you've ventured around Stoke-on-Trent recently, you may have noticed some large pieces of text adorning walls and buildings across the city.

Here in the City Centre, in the beautiful Bethesda Gardens, the words ‘Mercian Rain God Laughter’ overlook the area. 

But what does it mean and how is behind these mysterious artworks?

Scottish-born Robert Montgomery is collaboriating with B Arts in their 100 spaces for Art project, which aims to display art across a hundred different places in the city. 

The words at Bethesda Gardens is part of his poetry series called ‘Stoke Works’ at Bethesda Square and is just one of ten pieces of text which are plastered on walls throughout the city.

Robert said: “In Bethesda Square, we have a large but very short text that says ‘Mercian Rain God Laughter’ which is a celebration of the ancient history of Stoke when it was part of Mercia, the time before England.
“The Madonna and child sculpture in Bethesda Square is beautiful but I wanted to do something about the pagan gods too. 

“It came about because I find the architecture of Stoke beautiful and I really like the old brickwork, it’s really unique. Stoke-on-Trent is a city where if you do look up at the buildings and the rooftops you will find unexpected beauty.”

This series of artwork was unveiled following National Poetry Day. Robert said: “The language of politics and capitalism is a very harsh one because it just treats us like consumers, numbers or a demographic.

“Poetry is one of the few kinds of languages that treats the interior world inside of us and reconciles the world inside of us with the reality we live in. 
“It should be able to reconcile our emotional selves to the world and it should have a therapeutic and spiritual function. Poetry is a language that should speak to the whole person.

“I’d like it to be an access point for art and poetry. I’d people who don't read much poetry or see much art to get intrigued and read more poetry.”
The project aims to ensure that poetry is more accessible to everyone and anyone. 

It was on the Etruria canal where Robert found the inspiration he needed.

He added: “I was on one of my first visits to the Etruria canal and I saw this hand painted lettering that said ‘Etruria’ so I thought I'd jump off from that and use a local medium on brick for my work.

“I want my work to come out of the art gallery and reach people in the streets, I want it to be more accessible.

“The work is quite playful – it is poetic and about love, the city and kindness. 

“Art is for everyone and I think coming out of the art gallery and into the street is an open gesture to make people feel they can come to the gallery and find out more about art. 

“Hopefully it’s bringing a little bit of poetry to a wider audience.”
Susan Clarke, artistic director at B Arts, says that poetry is a way of ‘sparking ideas and thoughts’.

The 58-year-old said: “Poetry doesn't work in a very straightforward way, it's not like a code you’ve got to crack. It sparks a thought in your head or a feeling perhaps and so it can convey quite complicated things and look at quite complicated ideas in very few words and in a very distilled way.
“I think people are scared of poetry and its funny because we actually listen to poetry every day and that’s everybody because what are pop songs if not poems set to music.

“Robert puts his work into extraordinary places and he works at such a big scale. You don't have to go out and think I must buy a book and read it, it’s there in front of you and I think that's what's exciting about his work.”
Here are some examples of Robert’s poetry and where you can find his work:

Mercian Rain God Laughter – Bethesda Garden, Hanley
The next century here with its rumours of flood – Canalside, Etruria
Fearless Hailstone Optimism – Film Theatre, Staffordshire University, Shelton
Wild sky calls at the edge of the city – B Arts building, Stoke
All your youth cackling up through this flat history like angry flowers – Kingsway, Stoke

Article from: https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/unmasked-mystery-artist-responsible-poetic-3390116