The Clifton Suspension Bridge dominates the upper half of the scene - elegant, steadfast, and bathed in the soft glow of dusk. It stands as a celebrated symbol of Bristol, framing a pristine view admired by many.
Yet below, the scene tells a different story. The railings are heavy with clustered padlocks, worn by time and weather, symbolic of claims, promises, and barriers. Next to the locks, graffiti - vibrant, raw, and urgent - a refusal to be hidden or ignored.
This painting captures the sharp contrast between the polished image held up to the world, and the gritty reality lived beneath it. While some are granted the privilege of a view, others fight to claim their voice - scrawled in paint, dripping with defiance.
It is a meditation on who is seen and who is heard, on ownership and exclusion, and on the unspoken stories that pulse just beneath the surface of a city’s celebrated landmarks.
Original artwork by British Artist Diane Griffiths
Acrylic, oil and enamel on 50x50cm canvas with painted sides
Framed in a high quality black wooden floater frame
