About John Bulley & Camden Lock Bridge
Hello my name is John Bulley and I painted the Camden Lock Bridge way back in 1989.
Camden is an amazing place. I knew it
when it was still a complete dump, by the
time 1989 came around they've turned it
into a really good market. It's always
been about individuality & difference.
Painting the Camden Lock Bridge has had
an amazing influence on my life,
it's such an iconic image and it's
become a symbol for Camden and of course
whenever there's a picture taken of
Camden you see the bridge.
I've earned an enormous kudos from doing that bridge, from the street scene boys and I've milked it as much as I can, obviously you know because I'm going to. It's a huge influence, massive influence. In terms of artistic stuff, it's the biggest influence in my life.
The original project came about, I was been doing some sign writing for the original Junglers, and Eric Reynolds who was in charge there at the time said we need to get something up on that bridge, he knew that British Rail were going to repaint the bridge. They said can you come up with some ideas. I gave him the idea, I only came up with one idea which is the one he liked, which is the one that's there.
Working with Eric was brilliant, and he loved it and said “great go and do it” so that was it literally that simple. I love walking out from the station and walking over the rise, and seeing my bridge. I really do see it as my bridge.
Designing the bridge was just another job. We had a week to get it done, we had to do a lot of faffing about with British Rail and checking their paints & stuff. So we got up there and did it.
It's ridiculous how iconic it has become.
The only collaboration I had was with Eric Reynolds, I'd worked out the typeface, I'd worked out the colours, had worked out the idea of the two figures and photographed them, so all I had to do which was beautiful was get up there and do it.
I loved jobs like that, it's so simple. It was lovely.
