Month: August 2021

3871. Cumberland Basin

It was really great to catch up with DFC1848 when he was painting this piece during a paint jam for Eman’s birthday at the beginning of August. The sun was out, there was a fabulous turnout of artists and all was good with the world.

DFC1848, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2021
DFC1848, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2021

DFC1848 has painted a few of these ‘double’ characters and in this one continues to add in title flashes and decorations, always looking to add complexity to his designs. One of the things I really like about this is how he has ‘stitched’ the two halves together with a bit of cord, rather like Andy Councils recent pieces.

DFC1848, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2021
DFC1848, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2021

A nice clean piece and a fun character, DFC1848 is going from strength to strength. During our chat he kept on telling me to get out and paint. I really do need to do something about this state of affairs having talked about it for the last couple of years.

3870. Upfest 2021 75×75 (39)

One of the street artists I admire the most is Zabou. Her portraits are legendary and I am constantly left in awe and admiration every time I see one of her pieces. This huge wall on the Redpoint Climbing Centre is her contribution to Upfest 75×75 and is jaw-droppingly brilliant.

Zabou, Redpoint Climbing Centre, Bristol, July 2021, Upfest21
Zabou, Redpoint Climbing Centre, Bristol, July 2021, Upfest21

The portrait is of a fellow artist called Slim Safont, who is a bit of a global superstar, and whose works are not too dissimilar in size and style to this one. Zabou is a French artist who, I think, lives in London, and there are plenty of examples of her incredible work in the capital.

Zabou, Redpoint Climbing Centre, Bristol, July 2021, Upfest21
Zabou, Redpoint Climbing Centre, Bristol, July 2021, Upfest21

I like the way she has combined the grey-scale portrait with lots of colour around it, something that our own Kosc has been playing with lately. I guess that this would be classed as a photorealistic piece set on an abstract background. Whatever it is called, it is a truly magnificent piece and painted on such a grand scale. She will have worked her way through several cans of paint on this one.

Zabou, Redpoint Climbing Centre, Bristol, July 2021, Upfest21
Zabou, Redpoint Climbing Centre, Bristol, July 2021, Upfest21

It is so good that Zabou comes to Bristol from time to time, and she has also painted in Cheltenham for the festival there. Zabou is without one of my all time favourite street artists.

Prang

.

Sickening clatter

just a momentary lapse

in concentration

.

by Scooj

3869. M32 roundabout J3 (339)

At the time I took these pictures, I didn’t know who the artist was, so I left them lurking in my archive. Every once in a while I like to go back and see if I can unlock these hidden gems with any new information or insights that I might have, and fortunately I have been able to do so with this one. It is a very unusual early piece by Maesyhook.

Maesyhook, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2021
Maesyhook, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2021

When I say an early piece, I mean that it was one of the first Maesyhook pieces that I photographed. I am a fan off protest pieces because they document the political landscape of the time, and this pink feline creature has joined the Kill the Bill protest. The protests are about the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, and this article in ‘the Big Issue’ explains a little bit more and demonstrates why this is vexing people who wish to voice their right to protest, and also protect the rights of travellers and the homeless.

I’m not sure what this pink creature has to do with the Bill, but I love it nonetheless.

3868. Dean Lane skate park (423)

From time to time unusual pieces appear in the regular spots in Bristol, unusual not only for the content or subject matter but also for the rarity of the artist’s work. This is a piece from a street artist called Stif or Stiff, who I know absolutely nothing about, but who has hit this Dean Lane wall a couple of times over recent months.

Stiff, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2021
Stiff, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2021

This piece from January this year features a kind of of robot wasp creature in grey and lime green. Definitely an unusual piece but set out nicely on the black background. I have another more recent piece from the artist which I will try to post soon.

3867. Upfest 2021 75×75 (38)

Nothing from Rowdy for a long while and then two posts in close succession, what joy. Rowdy is held in high regard in Bristol. He is a friend of Banksy and one of the early graffiti artists emerging from the Bristol scene in the 1980s. Probably the biggest public impact that he has made is his trademark crocodile which adorns various buildings around the city.

Rowdy, Redpoint Climbing Centre, Bristol, July 2021, Upfest21
Rowdy, Redpoint Climbing Centre, Bristol, July 2021, Upfest21

This magnificent beast for Upfest’s 75 walls in 75 days festival is the largest and most prominent piece I have seen by Rowdy since his piece in Stokes Croft that came tumbling down with the demolition of buildings around the Carriageworks.

Rowdy, Redpoint Climbing Centre, Bristol, July 2021, Upfest21
Rowdy, Redpoint Climbing Centre, Bristol, July 2021, Upfest21

I am very fond of Rowdy’s crocodiles and other crazy creatures and it is fitting that Upfest should honour him with such a large wall, which just happens to be a perfect fit. Wonderful stuff.

Rowdy and Sweet Toof, The Carriageworks, Bristol, December 2016
Rowdy and Sweet Toof, The Carriageworks, Bristol, December 2016

3866. M32 roundabout J3 (339)

The giant has awoken. For much of the lockdown period Soker had kept a low profile, with only two or three pieces painted over a very long period. Thankfully that lean time has come to an abrupt end and in the last couple of months Soker has graced us with his presence once again with some superb graffiti writing.

Soker, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2021
Soker, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2021

This is a lovely piece spelling out SOKEM, a variant of  his usual SOKER. So much colour and energy is contained in this piece and it has been painted, as we expect, with consummate expertise. More to come from Soker… when I have a moment.

Acceleration

.

Too fast time passes

the short days merge into one

I am left behind

.

by Scooj

3865. West Street (6)

I love this piece. I have driven past it many times but never stopped to study or photograph it. Had I done so, I would have posted it a long time ago. It is by the magnificent American street artist Muckrock, and I presume was painted during a trip she made to the UK and Bristol in September 2018. I have followed her on Instagram since then and am a big fan of her work, so to finally capture this was a major boon.

Muckrock, West Street, Bristol, July 2021
Muckrock, West Street, Bristol, July 2021

Painted doors will always find favour with me and this blue tone piece is an absolute beauty. I think it is a portrait of Tina Turner but I can’t be sure, but Muckrock has made sure we all know who the artist is with her name displayed on the singer’s cheeks. Muckrock has such an easy and accessible style but her pieces can be quite challenging. A brilliant artist and one I would love to see back in Bristol again one day.

Muckrock, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2018
Muckrock, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2018

Muckrock, North Street, Bristol, December 2018
Muckrock, North Street, Bristol, December 2018

3864. Upfest 2021 75×75 (37)

I first encountered Mind Control’s work at Upfest 2017, and since then, the young artist has been improving steadily. Much of his work is themed around animal rights and this piece aligns to what is obviously a strong motivation for the artist. His perseverance and hard work has been rewarded with this Tobacco Factory spot for Upfest’s 75 walls in 75 days event.

Mind Control, Tobacco Factory, Bristol, July 2021, Upfest 21
Mind Control, Tobacco Factory, Bristol, July 2021, Upfest 21

The piece itself feels a little bit threatening and menacing with a masked and hooded hunt saboteur set in front of a stark background with barbed wire strung across it. Two foxes feature in the piece, presumably freed or protected by the character. This is a piece full of passion and not a little anger and it comes across in the colours, style and subject matter. Rather different from the more mainstream fare we have been used to seeing from Upfest this year.