Art Attack's Neil Buchanan heading back to Rubery

By Tristan Harris 12/06 Updated: 14/06 09:15

Buy photos » Neil Buchanan in one of the Back Street Games scenes. s

AHEAD of the London 2012 Olympics, the star of TV's Art Attack, Neil Buchanan has created a brand new collection entitled 'Back Street Games', which will be on display at a Rubery gallery.

The five quirky, and often cheeky, pictures will be on show at Jamie Leigh Fine Art throughout the summer and Neil will be making a personal appearance in the gallery to launch the collection between 12midday and 2pm next Saturday (June 23).

Whilst everyone limbers up for the Olympics, Neil's collection is aimed at pushing the boundaries and creating a 'witty bit of sporty naughtiness'.

As oppose to track and field events going on inside the Olympic Stadium, this collection looks at those alternative games played out in alleyways, gardens and parks around the country. Winners' podiums are replaced by crates, dustbins become hurdles and battered old fences provide the challenge for high-jumpers.

Among the mixed media pictures, done in acrylic paint and ink pen, are: 'Didn’t Wanna Win Anyway,' 'The High Jump Bunk', 'The Mad Dash', 'The Hurtles' and 'On Your Marks, Get Set ... CHEAT!'.

Neil said: “I’m celebrating smallness and the littlest victories around the whole of little Britain.

"This is what really goes on in the alternative little ‘lympics in the alleys, the parks and the gardens of the nation, long after the final race has been won at the biggest sporting event of the year.

"So if you’re anything like me and have thought ‘oh no not another bloomin’ souvenir’, the Back Street Games is the ultimate antidote to souvenirs.

"This is 100 per cent not the Olympics - this is smallness on a big scale.”

This inspirational and aspirational collection is beautifully reproduced on 46cm x 57cm canvas on board, giving each work of art the look and feel of an original painting, but at a fraction of the price. And every one is personally signed by Neil Buchanan.

He added: “Art should be accessible to everybody, not just a bunch of art historians in art galleries.

"My Back Street Games is bringing art back to street level, or even gutter level."

For more on the collection, call 0121 422 2503 or visit www.jamieleighfineart.co.uk