Month: December 2017

1199. Backfields Lane (3)

I think this is the largest Decay piece I have seen, and I like it. Going large suits his work in my view. When I first saw this wall, there was a large white van obscuring the bottom half, and I was rather fed up. But by the next time I visited, the car park was empty and I got a good unobstructed view.

Decay, Backfields Lane, Bristol, November 2017
Decay, Backfields Lane, Bristol, November 2017

Decay has taken to adding some philosophical text next to his pieces recently, and I think mit works quite well. Here he says ‘living in the days of  ill soul’ and I kind of get what he’s talking about.

Decay, Backfields Lane, Bristol, November 2017
Decay, Backfields Lane, Bristol, November 2017

He has worked hard to make it look like the piece is emerging from a hole in the wall and I think to a greater extent it works. On seeing a previous piece by the artist, my wife rather spoiled things by pointing out a phallic undertone…which I hadn’t noticed. Now when I see his pieces I kind of see it again, and especially in this piece. I am not sure if it is deliberate or accidental, but it is difficult to ignore once it has been pointed out. Sorry.

A great piece from Decay.

1198. Stokes Croft

This part of Stokes Croft is quite a difficult area to set up a business, especially in the food sector. There are already quite a lot of cafés and restaurants which cater mostly to the Bohemian set from Montpelier. This particular restaurant ‘Meat Liquor’ was targeted more at the young student market, but I understand it had to close after less than two years, due to incidents in the area and in the restaurant. The area has the highest incidence of drug dealing in Bristol and maybe the closure was connected to that. Anyhow, the hoardings have gone up, and not long after that the graffiti art arrives.

Ryder and Aspire, Stokes Croft, Bristol, December 2017
Ryder and Aspire, Stokes Croft, Bristol, December 2017

This, I believe, is a collaboration between Ryder and Aspire (the bird man) who must have been visiting from London where he now lives. The writing says Ryder and the bird I think is a turkey, so this must be a festive piece. I looks a little like it might have been done reasonably quickly, but it certainly adds colour and vibrancy to the hoarding.

1197. City Road (5)

It is always worth taking a look in places that you don’t go to too often, just to check if there is anything new. Well I hadn’t been to this spot for a long time, I know not since before the end of July, because this piece is by Dabuten Tronko, who visited Bristol for Upfest 2017.

Dabuten Tronko, City Road, Bristol, December 2017
Dabuten Tronko, City Road, Bristol, December 2017

It is an interesting piece and picks up the theme of his other boats that he sprayed where the A38 meets The Bearpit roundabout. This is a curious piece of writing set on a red and grey background and picking out a rowing boat within the letters. I am not sure what the word says, if it says anything at all. I like making discoveries like this.

Antiperspirant

.

Unbelievable!

girl on the train applies mist

to her whole body

under and over her clothes;

the smell of it lingers on.

.

by Scooj

1196. Broome Street, New York (1)

Perched on the side of a five storey block and partially obscured by the building below is this fabulous pop art piece by London street artist D*Face. This was another nice surprise for me while out shopping in SoHo with my children, who I have just noticed are in the featured image.

DFace, Broome Street, New York, October 2017
DFace, Broome Street, New York, October 2017

The piece is called ‘double crossed’ and features a couple of his D*Face dogs. There is an interesting short article about the piece in street art news which talks about the little clown in the bottom left hand corner, which D*Face left there when he was asked to paint this wall.

Like so many excellent pieces in the area, this was organised by the LISA project.

Critic

 

Unremarkable

devoid of any talent;

I’ll write about it.

 

by Scooj

New beginning

 

Feel the light

intensifying

from here on

for a while

revitalising my soul

and making my day.

 

by Scooj

1195. Little Italy, New York (2)

Deep in the heart of Little Italy, in amongst all those wonderful restaurants is this incredible piece by Tristan Eaton. It is of course a portrait of the gorgeous Audrey Hepburn, disguised in a patchwork of colours and patterns, a little like the work Louis Masai produces.

Tristan Eaton, Little Italy, New York, October 2017
Tristan Eaton, Little Italy, New York, October 2017

Tristan Eaton has a wonderful website which is well worth a click or two. His description of this piece is as follows:

This piece was painted in August or 2013, for The Little Italy Street Project and The Little Italy Merchants Association. Located at the corner of Broome & Mulberry at the entrance of Little Italy.

This was one of the outstanding street art pieces from my recent short trip the New York.

Churchyard

 

Eighteen crows skulking

laboured hops on misty ground;

they’re up to no good.

 

by Scooj

1194. Bowery, New York (1)

Wandering around the East Village and SoHo districts of New York was such a pleasure. I had no destination in mind and just went where my instincts led me. How exciting then to come across this magnificent Blondie tribute piece by Shepard Fairey.

Shepard Fairey, Bowery, New York, October 2017
Shepard Fairey, Bowery, New York, October 2017

In have not seen a Shepard Fairey street art piece before and the style and colours of this one are captivating. I am aware of his ultra famous ‘HOPE’ portrait of Barack Obama. I understand that the piece was created to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Blondie’s first album which was debuted at the CBGB’s club opposite. The wall was curated by the LISA project.

Many thanks to Sarah Sansom, street art hunter and contributor to Street Art Cities.