Month: June 2020

3002. M32 roundabout J3 (219)

Nothing seems to last for long on any wall at the moment, but if you are going to get painted over, then it might as well be by an epic Nightwayss piece like this one. This large coronavirus piece is a tribute to NHS staff and another fine piece cataloging the crazy times we are living in.

Nightwayss, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2020
Nightwayss, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2020

Nightwayss has used the double wall space well to accommodate the figure lying on its back. Starting with the background which rather nicely ‘hosts’ the whole body, Nightwayss has used a lilac wash with a whole bunch of purple viruses dotted about.

Nightwayss, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2020
Nightwayss, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2020

In the body itself, little scenes are played out , for example a patient and two medical staff on the far left and some microbiologists at work in the torso. This is quite an unusual piece by the artist, especially as I can’t find a monkey which normally make an appearance in his work. A special piece marking a particular moment in our history. (Note to self, run a gallery of coronavirus pieces in about a year).

3001. St George skate park (11)

We live in strange and sometimes farcical times. This rather nice stencil from John D’oh at St George skate park satirises one of the more surreal moments of Trump’s utterly catastrophic presidency. How do Johnson and Trump keep their jobs in the light of such gross incompetence and stupidity? It is a mystery. If I behaved in the way they do, I would have been fired a long time ago.

John D'oh, St George, Bristol, June 2020

So Americans, injecting disinfectant might be worth a try, you know it makes sense huh? And now we see Jair Bolsenaro, another populist leader, equally driven by self-interest and fame entering the competition to see who can manage the coronavirus epidemic the worst. These leaders love being at the top of international league tables that it matters not what the rankings are about. How did it come to this? Thank you John D’oh for reminding us with your running narrative about the desperate state of world leadership.

Thursday doors – 18 June 2020

Doors 111 – Lock down walk doors

It should come as a rather refreshing change that this week’s doors are not from my street art archives, but doors I photographed during lock down on my walks with the dog. I know that the street art doors are popular, and will return to them in due course.

This week’s selection of doors are mainly from the Montpelier and St Werburghs area on what were sleepy streets back in March, but have now resumed almost normal levels of traffic.

An ordinary door with an extraordinary tile surround, Montpelier, Bristol, March 2020
An ordinary door with an extraordinary tile surround, Montpelier, Bristol, March 2020
Fancy pants door, Montpelier, Bristol, March 2020
Fancy pants door, Montpelier, Bristol, March 2020
Great colours, a mask and a wall built into the door surround, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2020
Great colours, a mask and a wall built into the door surround, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2020
Former door bricked up, Montpelier, Bristol, March 2020
Former door bricked up, Montpelier, Bristol, March 2020
Garden door, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2020
Garden door, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2020
Back yard door (note the tagged wheely bin), St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2020
Back yard door (note the tagged wheely bin), St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2020
Tagged door (that tag again), St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2020
Tagged door (that tag again), St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2020

So a little canter around the streets of Sy Werburghs an Montpelier in Bristol, I hope you enjoyed looking at the dors as much as I enjoyed finding and photographing the. That’s it for another week, so I hope you all keep well until next time.

If you have made it this far, you probably like doors and you really ought to take a look at the Norm 2.0 blog – the originator of Thursday Doors where there are links to yet more doors in the comments section at the end.

 

by Scooj

 

A long wait

.

Arsenal are back

the premiership resumes

I am conflicted.

.

by Scooj

* I am not sure about the rushed resumption of football. I always favoured an abandoned season and reset to starting this season next season, but the money gets in the way.

3000. St Werburghs tunnel (170)

I am told that Rezwonk doesn’t like this piece so much so that he didn’t share it on his Instagram account. Well the great thing about writing about other people’s artwork is that I am not in a position to be self-critical, instead I critique what I see and how it makes me feel. I think this is a fabulous piece of writing and the colour selection alone is worthy of praise.

Rezwonk, St Werburghs, Bristol, June 2020
Rezwonk, St Werburghs, Bristol, June 2020

Whether he was short of space or whether he was simply switching things up I don’t know, but the usual REZER has been replaced with REZR. The orange/copper tones bordered by beautifully worked alternate black and white fringes leave us with a tight piece that the artist is turning out with almost alarming regularity. Great to find this one.

2999. M32 roundabout J3 (218)

A second post of wheatpastes by Jarvis only this time there are three individual paste ups for the price of one. I posted a piece by this artist about a week ago, knowing nothing about him, but a rapid comment from theartblogger54 confirmed the artist’s name and even shared his Instagram account.

Jarvis, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2020
Jarvis, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2020

As far as I can make out, Jarvis appears to live in Bristol and I think probably in Easton, which would explain the location of these paste ups. On the left hand side of the triptych is a bare chested male figure with an interesting six-pack on display and an all-seeing third eye.

Jarvis, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2020
Jarvis, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2020

In the middle is a blue face with some kind of atomic structure in the neck area. It is a decent coloured sketch amplified by being one of three posted on the M32 roundabout notice board.

Jarvis, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2020
Jarvis, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2020

On the right is the third figure with a very long neck and a flower in his/her hair, and if I had to choose I would say that this drawing was the pick of the bunch. It would be great to see more of these sketches appearing about the place. This is what street art is all about, a spectrum of different styles, abilities and techniques which gives it such broad appeal and accessibility.

Identity theft

.

Appropriation

the nationalist right wing

steal St George’s cross

.

by Scooj

2998. Dean Lane skate park (324)

I have a feeling that this is the first piece from Turoe One post-lock down easing or at least if it isn’t then I have missed something. Situated in one of his favourite spots, at the left hand end of the first wall in Dean Lane, this is a striking and well executed piece.

Turoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020
Turoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020

Such is the turnover at Dean Lane at the moment that this didn’t last too long, and even some of the bigger pieces there are being over painted. This is what happens when you restrain artistic talent for months, there is a surge of activity. It is difficult for folk like me to keep up. This Turoe One burner is a high quality piece from an experienced hand.

2997. Dean Lane skate park (323)

This pair of rabbits from Nevergiveup in Dean Lane appeared alongside at least two other bunny pieces by the artist at the end of May just as lock down restrictions were easing.

Nevergiveup, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020
Nevergiveup, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020

With every new rabbit, Nevergiveup is improving and fine-tuning his technique and adding subtle decorative motifs. If you take a look back at some of his work from two years ago, it is possible to see the dramatic improvement. These are a lovely pair.

Urban Frome

.

Canalised river

beneath the motorway where

an acacia grows

.

by Scooj

This one is for Paul H who showed me how to access a graffiti spot alongside the River Frome today.