.
Yey, the sky is blue
so make hay while the sun shines
time in the garden
.
by Scooj
Month: March 2024
5906. Cumberland Basin
Marckinetic and Kid Krishna have been having a rather productive spring following what might be described as a reasonably lean winter. This collaborative pair of pieces, sharing a background and elements of a colour palette, is on the long wall at Cumberland Basin.
To the left Marckinetic has written the letters FFS, which would be difficult to know if you didn’t already know, if you know what I mean. His trademark galactic space cloud kind of fill is incorporated in the letters and the semicircle, to great effect. He has also painted a very nice black shadow, in the same mode as often used by Acer One. This is a creative and, as ever, interesting piece.
Kid Krishna, who has recently changed his Instagram account to @name_dropin, has been smashing it of late, and here he is again with one of his CRIE pieces so full of colour and interest in a fairly abstract presentation. I particularly like the ‘canyon’ at the bottom of the piece. I have so many unpublished pieces by Kid Krishna in my archive, and I am trying to figure out how I can post them all. A very nice collaborative wall.
5905. Dean Lane skate park (700)
Collaborations from Fade and Dibz are becoming part of the furniture these days, and it would be easy to slip into complacency or to take their work for granted. What I have to remember is that we are very lucky in Bristol to have two artists of this calibre at the top of their game and painting on at least a weekly basis.
It is becoming increasingly difficult to determine who paints which bits of their collaborations these days, but my guess is that Dibz painted the letters FADE and Fade painted the character piece. It appears that the pair are on a bit of a Dragon Ball frenzy at the moment, as this is the second recent character from the cartoon series to appear in Dean Lane. This time it is the turn of Majin Buu.
The work of Dibz and Fade is pretty much always tight, and rarely, if ever, do they turn out anything that looks scruffy or rushed. This is what they do and they look like they are absolutely loving doing it. The benefactors of their labours are those that seek out and find their work.
5904. Southampton Row, London
Serendipity is real – some things are just meant to be. I recently ran a workshop in Holborn, London and had engineered enough time, after the event, to walk from Holborn to Bedford Square where I lived with my parents for a few years when I was home from University. I simply wanted to see the old place and feel that nostalgia for a time when I was in my prime. To get there, I did a spot of psychogeography, knowing roughly where I was heading, but taking a random route to get there. My reward was to stumble across this Dan Kitchener extravaganza on the NYX Hotel in Southampton Row. I had no idea of its existence.
I imagine that Dan Kitchener charged a hefty sum for this extraordinary commission incorporating a collection of pieces. The first section features one of his incredible rainy urban Tokyo scenes full of nocturnal buzz and bustle – a scene that he has perfected over many years.
Adjacent to this is a beautiful portrait, stunningly painted, of a woman wearing a see-through plastic coat and pink neon glasses, straight out of the dystopian world of Blade Runner. Indescribably brilliant.
Next up, opposite the entrance to the hotel, is this concrete column painted with an outstanding ‘wet window’ effect piece. This is such a clever technique that leaves you wondering, how on earth does he do this?
Finally, and on a huge elevation, Dan Kitchener has painted a piece which extends from the top of the hotel to the ground, a total of eleven floors I think – a truly world-class piece.
The top section of the mural features some stylised views of the city, while the bottom is a busy wet London scene, complete with red buses and black cabs – perfect for a tourist audience. Rarely does one get to see such a collection of artwork, and yet here it is in the centre of London – I wonder how many people simply walk past it without so much as a glance – more fool they. A perfect end to a great day in London.
5903. M32 Cycle path (256)
What a wonderfully playful and cheeky piece by Evey alongside the M32. This is the second time I have seen her use this device of replacing the ‘V’ in EVEN with a saucy bottom, and I have to say I rather like it. If anything, I would say that the Bristol street art scene is quite earnest (and sometimes up its own backside), so it is great to see a bit of seaside postcard humour being injected from time to time.
The letters are nicely presented in what looks a bit like a neon display sign – one could almost imagine this piece hanging over the door of a seedy nightclub in a red-light district. It is refreshing and imaginative, and yet another great piece in a string of excellent work from thee prolific Evey.
5902. Greenbank (112)
Rozalita returns! This is exceptional news. After a long lay-off, in part down to travelling, during which time I wondered whether she might abandon her street art altogether, she has returned in style, with several pieces in short succession. This is how to announce your return. In another name change (from Rosalita to Rozalita (Rhozi) to Rozilitaa) she has hit the ground running with a bolder presence, and a sense of confidence that hasn’t always been obvious from her work.
This portrait piece, I believe of Frida Kahlo, is bursting with passion, where the determination and status of the subject, looking skywards, is beautifully presented. The white border accentuates the pose and creates an aura that is augmented by the burst of energy of flowers and decoration in the background. Without the border, the piece could be at risk of being busy, but its presence is masterful. This is brilliant in my view, and what a way to make a comeback. I bloody love this piece!
Retirement
.
Inconceivable
working to sixty seven
prefer my freedom
.
by Scooj
5901. Brunel Way (263)
This is the last of the pieces by Roo from a recent visit she and SkyHigh made to Bristol earlier in the month. The beautiful scene features a happy bumblebee over Bristol, with the Clifton Suspension bridge in the background. I managed to take the photograph, on a gorgeous day (what are these?) in a way that incorporated the real Clifton Suspension bridge behind the Environment Agency structure.
Roo’s style, as I have mentioned before is always cheerful, whatever the subject, and a welcome antidote to all the challenges and troubles of everyday life. No matter how crap you might be feeling, finding one of her pieces is guaranteed to cheer you up and offer a different perspective on things. We all need this reminder and what better way to deliver it than through the medium of street art. Thank you Roo.
5900. M32 roundabout J3 (560)
We don’t get to see Turoe’s work all that often these days, so when a new piece does appear it is always worth celebrating. This beauty was painted with his friends Hemper and Hypo on the M32 roundabout at the beginning of the month.
Turoe has painted his letters in old school style, filled with subtle colours and patches, but it is the drop shadow that makes the piece. The very deep shadow extends to the floor in a soft pink with black borders, and is very nicely executed. Shadows like this are quite unusual, but very effective, and I am a little surprised we don’t see it more often. A nice reminder of the exceptional talent of Truro.
5899. St Werburghs tunnel (414)
I am not sure whether this wonderful portrait piece by Jest Soubriquet was painted as part of Ryder’s RAW paint jam, or was simply painted at the same time (update – it was painted as part of the paint jam). Either way, it brightened up my day, because it is always a bit of a thrill to see new or visiting artists enjoying their passion in Bristol.
By the look of it Jest dropped a couple of pieces in Bristol while visiting, but I have struggled to find out where he is based. The portrait piece in the tunnel is beautifully painted and unusual in its incorporation of striking colours, which, whilst disruptive, somehow manage to carve out the features and depth in the face. Very clever stuff. It would be nice to think that Jest will return to Bristol and decorate a few more walls for us.
Natural adventures 