Artist Ben Brumpton Shares His Ideas Behind The New More Song Poster
I can pinpoint the exact moment the idea for a new More Song poster enters my mind, tracing back the influence to baroque style buildings and their terracotta exteriors. I can give you the number, street and postcode of where each poster was born.
However, the architectural element I drew inspiration from for the latest poster is instantly recognisable, the humble breezeblock.
The specific flower pattern reminds me of the front garden walls of the houses I would walk past on my way to school. I could date the walls by how much mould was growing on them, like the rings in a tree trunk.
To start with I laid out various compositions on to get the cogs turning. I decided not to go with the cut and stick approach, as it did not compliment the hollow space the breeze block has to offer.
Plus I wanted to get my hands dirty.
I made some stencils of the blocks and set to work with a can of spray paint. The spaces in the blocks lent themselves naturally to the stencil and highlighted the pattern.
I knew here the poster was well on the road to being done, all that was left was for me to write the names of the readers and outline the information text along with a new scribbled title which cohesively tied everything together.
Thanks to Vera and her garden walls for inspiring the poster to this unique poetry event.
– Ben Brumpton, January 2025
