New exhibition explores the 30-year evolution of jungle in Bristol
Charting the genre's journey from the '80s to present day, the exhibition has been curated by DJ Krust, DJ Flynn and author, Gary Thompson
A new exhibition charting the 30-year evolution of jungle in Bristol has launched at the Royal West of England Academy (RWA).
This Is Jungle Takeover acts as an “immersive” exploration of the city's early drum 'n' bass and jungle scenes from the late '80s, with displays including album covers, flyers, photographs, and memorabilia which celebrate the artists who helped craft the genre.
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Curated by Kirk Thompson, AKA DJ Krust, and Flynn Ites, AKA Flynnites, alongside Gary Thompson, the co-author of The Art and Sound of the Bristol Underground, the exhibition highlights the pioneering work of Full Cycle Records, Independent Dealers, More Rockers and the Ruff Neck Ting Crew.
Speaking to BBC News, Kirk Thompson gave recognition to his brother, Gary Thompson, who’s idea it was to start the exhibition. “The obvious people get mentioned but there were a lot of people who contributed to the culture, who should be getting more recognition,” he said.
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“That’s not just the people who made the music, that was also the people in the surrounding cultures like photographers, radio stations, and label owners,“ he continues.“We’re trying to highlight that, the history, the pioneers, but more from the south west’s point of view.”
This Is Jungle Takeover will be available to view at the RWA until June 28. Find out more information here.
Katy Strong is a freelance music writer, you can get in touch with her here.