Art / Photography
Finding the beauty in shabby Bristol
Photographer Carl Smith finds beauty in unexpected places and at the same time documents Bristol buildings that may not be with us for much longer.
On his Instagram account @bristol_shabby, he shares photos of boarded up pubs, derelict factories and empty offices.
“The account was inspired by a quotation from the film Withnail and I,” Carl told Best Of Bristol.
is needed now More than ever
“The line spoken by Uncle Monty was, ‘there can be no true beauty without decay’. This led me to photograph decaying objects and buildings that many of us consider eyesores and walk past without taking a second look.
“However, to me, many neglected buildings have truly wonderful architectural features with beautiful colours and textures. Sadly, many of these buildings have been left to decay and are now very vulnerable. Many are likely to be demolished or redeveloped.”
Here is a selection of some of Carl’s best photos:
1. The Albert Inn, Bedminster
2. Arnos Vale top lodge
3. Back of King Street
4. Barton Hill School
5. The Bell, Redcliffe
6. Brooks Dye Works, St Werburgh’s
7. Cattle Market Tavern
8. Cave Street, St Paul’s
9. The Chequers, Kingswood
10. The Crown Tavern, Lawfords Gate
11. Gardiner Haskins
12. Hill Avenue, Victoria Park
13. Hill Avenue, Victoria Park
14. Locksmiths, Redfield
15. Long Ashton
16. The Lord Nelson, Barton Hill
17. Marsh Street Chambers
18. The Palace Hotel, Old Market
19. Pastimes, Lower Park
20. Prewett Street, Redcliffe
21. The Printers Devil, Broad Plain
22. Redcliffe Wharf
23. The Rising Sun, Windmill Hill
24. St Thomas Street, Redcliffe
25. Victoria Park
26. West Street, Bedminster
Read more: 35 photos of Bristol’s former tram network