Over the Christmas break I decided to spend a bit of time trawling through my archives of 2018, to see if I might have missed some pieces that deserve a post. This piece by Khoi had been overlooked, probably because I am not familiar with the artist, and rarely see his/her work.
Khoi, Raleigh Road, Bristol, January 2018
I am guessing that Khoi is an occasional visitor to Bristol, because the artist’s pieces are few and far between, or maybe they are just an occasional writer. This piece was created in January last year and was part of a paint jam with Sled One and Corupt. There is something unusual and rather compelling about the piece, and while perhaps not to everyone’s taste it does have a charm to it.
This is a piece that passed me by in many ways. I hadn’t been aware of it on social media and only found it on a recent mission to seek out the Muckrock piece at the far end of North Street. In fact I had walked straight past it, and only saw it on my return. What a treat.
SPZero76, Greville Street, Bristol, December 2018
This is a large commission by SPZero76 at Beaver Electrical on North Street and is a scene that conflates all sorts of ideas, with a robot, a Samurai warrior, A tiger/robot and some ladies and in the centre of it all a paddle boat/junk sort of thing.
SPZero76, Greville Street, Bristol, December 2018
I am sure there is a wonderful story to all of this, but I expect it resides in SPZero’s mind and we can just sit back and admire the whole thing. To round it all off and as a little nod to the owners of the store, SPZero76 has added some beavers at the bottom right corner of the work.
SPZero76, Greville Street, Bristol, December 2018
All in all this is a magnificent piece with so much to look at. A real treat for anyone strolling through this part of Bedminster – just remember to look behind you in case you walk past it.
Although not her best work technically, I love this piece by Tasha Bee in Dean Lane, because of the incorporation of the budlia bush as the character’s hair. I love it when artists incorporate the surroundings of a piece into the work, and Tasha has done it beautifully here.
Tasha Bee, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2018
I think that this was done as a little extra while she participated in a recent collaboration with Soap and Stupid Stupid Meathole, posted a week or two back. A quick one with that touch of magic.
I have held back for a long time from posting any work by Spoilt (I am guessing that is the artist’s name) because I know nothing about them nor the work he/she produces. All I have seen is a few pieces of writing about the place with the word SPOILT.
Spoilt, St Werburghs, Bristol, December 2018
On going back through my archives, the odd piece keeps popping up and maybe the time is right to start posting a few. I have noticed that Spoilt has painted with members of RAW, but I don’t think that Spoilt is a member of the crew – maybe just a friend. Technically this is a good piece which is why I am posting it. One of a growing number of Bristol graffiti writers.
So here we are again, different venue, different rabbit, same artist. I have said before that for as long as Nevergiveup paints them and as long as I find them, I will continue to post his bunnies here.
Nevergiveup, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, December 2018
This one is on a door which is sited in the concrete wall underneath the Brunel Way bridge. There is a rich vein of rabbit material down here, and it seems that Nevergiveup will spray in places that others haven’t yet tried. Adventure.
My fondest discovery from my November trip to Shoreditch was dozens of these unusual and fabulous wheatpastes by Sten and Oli. There were so many, that they will keep me busy for some time to come. These paste ups were the first three I found by this talented partnership.
A monkey skeleton with an Idiot crown…
Sten and Oli, Shoreditch, London, November 2018
A rather sad-looking character mask positioned over a faint portrait…
Sten and Oli, Shoreditch, London, November 2018
A curious rabbit kind of thing with button eyes…
Sten and Oli, Shoreditch, London, November 2018
All three pieces are full of imagination and curiosity. Positioned quite low down on walls, these beautiful wheatpastes are missed by many going about their busy lives. Their loss. Regulars will know that I am a sucker for wheatpastes, and ones such as these tick all my boxes.
Street art door, A Year Outdoors, Bristol, December 2018
It would seem that just before Christmas, all my Christmases did actually come at once, which is a rare occurrence.
On my way to work I walk past City Hall, and on one of my last days in the office before the Christmas break, something caught my eye on the long ramps outside the front of the building. That something was not one or two, but several framed doors, each one painted by artists from Bristol.
Naturally I had to take a closer look and of course some photographs. Imagine how I was feeling…doors and street art combined and laid out neatly right next to where I work. I was in heaven.
The only thing missing was any kind of explanation, and it wasn’t until writing this post that I found out what this exhibition was about (Christmas got in the way a little bit).
The exhibition ‘A Year Outdoors‘ was conceived by artist Beau as a way of raising awareness of the pressing issue of homelessness, and these doors were created as a metaphor to challenge austerity cuts. I felt a small whiff of irony that it was the local authority who were hosting the exhibition, perhaps that’s why there weren’t any interpretation boards explaining what the doors were all about.
The doors have been packed away now, but they will be going on tour around the UK and to the United States.
So here they are:
Street art door, A Year Outdoors, Bristol, December 2018Alex Lucas, Street art door, A Year Outdoors, Bristol, December 2018Street art door, A Year Outdoors, Bristol, December 2018Street art door, A Year Outdoors, Bristol, December 2018Street art door, A Year Outdoors, Bristol, December 2018Alex Lucas, Street art door, A Year Outdoors, Bristol, December 2018Street art door, A Year Outdoors, Bristol, December 2018Street art door, A Year Outdoors, Bristol, December 2018
Natural adventures 