Art / Photography
Pizza restaurant transformed into gallery space
A pizza restaurant has provided new dimensions to its interiors, installing the artwork of renowned photographer Colin Moody on its walls.
Known for capturing the raw, pulsating energy of Bristol’s streets, Moody’s photography now serves as the backdrop for Pizzarova on Park Street, blurring the lines between a casual eatery and a contemporary art gallery.
Photographer Colin Moody at the launch of his exhibition at the restaurant on Park Street on Tuesday – photo:Vihan
The collaboration marks a deliberate shift for the venue, moving toward a more immersive, community-focused aesthetic. For the staff working among the new installations the change is not just a decor, but an inspiration.
“It feels very much like us to embrace the vibe of this whole place,” says Hector Leach Clay, a chef at Pizzarova. “I’ve never seen this anywhere before where they take the risk to showcase such raw art.
“I like to express my creative side through pizzas, and so I love having unapologetically bold artwork around me which is very different from all my previous workplaces.”
The exhibition documents the energy, glamour and grit of Bristol’s nightlife – photo: Vihan
The “raw art” Leach Clay described perfectly mirrors Moody’s signature style, which often documents the candid, unpolished moments of Bristolian life, notably explored in his book Up All Night: A Bristol Nightlife Story, released last year in collaboration with writer Jasmine Ketibuah-Foley.
While the book portrays five years of the city’s shifting night economy from grassroots clubs to the quiet corners of the post-pandemic resurrection, this new installation brings that same sense of ‘nowness’ into the daylight of Park Street.
The idea for this ambience upgrade sparked when Moody’s work in Bristol Life magazine caught the eyes of Pizzarova’s owner Alex, who felt so moved by it that he decided to bring that feeling onto the walls of his restaurant after a few meetings and discussions with Moody.
The writer and photographer described their book as ‘a love letter to Bristol’s nightlife’ – photo: Vihan
About his expectations with the exhibition, Moody said: “Starting their evenings at the heart of Bristol over a slice of pizza, people can look at these pictures of Bristol’s nightlife and get motivated to participate in it.”
He also emphasised that Bristol is very soulfully connected to its nightlife and so it is important to embrace it through as many spaces as possible.
Pizzarova serves sourdough pizzas across the city, having spots on Park Street, Whiteladies Road, North Street and Gloucester Road.
Moody hinted towards the expansion of this exhibition to the other branches in future.
Main photo: Martin Booth
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