Ninja skulks indoors
while three new cats infringe on
her territory.
by Scooj
Author: scooj
I am Stephen. I live in Bristol, UK. I decided to shorten my profile...to this: Wildlife, haiku, travel, streetart, psychogeography and my family. Not necessarily in that order.
169. West Street
I am still coming across street art that was created during Upfest 2015, and on my walk yesterday I found this wonderful piece by Gemma Compton.
Compton is an artist and fashion designer who is based in Bristol, and another graduate from UWE (University of the West of England). A lot of her work incorporates wildlife and birds in particular. She has an interesting website that shows off her extensive work. Street art is clearly not her main focus, which is a pity, as this is rather good.
7/10
25. Topless
There may be one or two visitors who are reading this blog for the first time. To provide a little context, it would be worthwhile having a quick read of the first entry ‘An Ill Wind‘. In short this is a faithful digitisation of a journal I kept when working in the Falkland Islands and South Atlantic in 1988. Enjoy.
Wednesday 1 June 1988, Montevideo, London Palace Hotel
Summer isn’t here at last. It is clearly Autumn, the plethora of leaves littered by the London plane trees tell the story well enough. Got my camera past the dock gates – took some Montevideo piccies, but not many. It is quite nerve racking using a camera, each picture may be your last.
Since this is a stick in page, I may as well put in some misfits.
I was mightily pissed off by all on the KM30, they were not helpful at all. I think there is a conspiracy against me.
Iguazu is out for me, it seems that it must be for eight days or nothing. I can’t give up the time.
We went to the el Fogon a restaurant (still there, I just checked on google) for lunch and also for supper and then on to a topless nightclub.
What an experience! It was like watching an American film- the two uninterested dancers weaved and twisted out of time to the music on podia which allowed a maximum half-stride in any direction. After a while at the bar, Jim and I were approached by a call girl/prostitute who couldn’t understand why we were at the club if we didn’t want a girl. Were we gay? No.
Basically it was a knocking shop and although Jim and I want to return, I think it could be a mistake. Nonetheless it was an experience and life is made up of experiences.
Thursday 2 June 1988, Montevideo, London Palace Hotel
Fun, fun, fun – Jim and I bought leather jackets. His was much nicer than mine, but was also more than double the price. Mine was US$75.
I have decided to get another like Jim’s but at US$185 (£100) it is a little on the expy side.
Jim has decided on the jacket and Iguazu, lucky thing, meanwhile I am to be left, festering in Monte. I’m so glad he has been here up to now.
Nicer weather, clearer skies.
Friday 3 June 1988, Montevideo, London Palace Hotel
Shaved again – I’ve got those lumps and spots once more – it is definitely shaving that produces these infections. Will I ever be free of them?
My jacket, the more I look at it the more I feel is cheap. It will be ok for a ‘rough and tumble’ in the UK, but I am only proud of it because it is Uruguayan.
The sun is at this moment pouring into my hotel room, a seemingly impossible feat given the angle of the room, window and sun.
I am quite pissed off that Jim is going on Sunday, I have enjoyed his company – being alone will be quite boring, but perhaps I’ll meet someone or something – things usually work out alright in the end.
We went again to the topless bar (called Baires). What a seedy dump. Once again we were both approached – in my case by a girl called Giselle? Anyhow we kept a stiff upper lip, refused all approaches and thought ourselves very cool for being so good. I think Jim could quite easily be tempted if I wasn’t here, but if I wasn’t here then he wouldn’t be here at all, so all’s well.
Saturday 4 June 1988, Montevideo, London Palace Hotel
A sunny day to wake up to.
Today we went wandering and Wandering. La la la. Jim cocked up on the money front and I bailed him out with US$100. I have worked out that he owes me on the basis of $1.83 dollars to the pound: £54.65 + £8.21 for the other money I lent him, giving a total of £62.86.
Went to the boat and took a hook and line (snood). Watched a German league football match on the TV.
Bought a gourd for Deb and a leather notebook, perhaps for Emily.
Lovely day all day. Jim and I went out onto the hotel roof.
After a very pleasant meal at Otto’s – a more exclusive restaurant than el Fogon we pootled on to the show below:
It was really seedy – it included a ‘free’ drink in the £1.60 entrance fee. What a laugh. The film was a very cheap British Caligula Caesar film, terrible. The strip was more like modern dance performed entirely without interest. The girls and bloke can’t earn much more than about a tenner a day. It was a real gas. Jim and I then went off solemnly to our hotel rooms.
168. North Street Green (1)
It was a gorgeous sunny day yesterday, and now that I am back in work after the holidays, I couldn’t wait to escape for a long lunchtime walk. I was rewarded with some new street art that I haven’t seen before. This cheeky piece is by the ubiquitous Cheo – I knew he had recently been busy from his Instagram account, but wasn’t sure where this work was.
I think it might be called ‘gorilla gubbins’, although that might just be a label he gave it.
This particular wall has changed at least three times in the last 6 months or so, and it will change again during Upfest 2016, which I am getting rather excited about. I have pictures of two other works on this wall.
I love the bad gorilla smoking a cigar. I think the piece is only a few days old.
7/10
Adolescence
Time of sad slumber
where dreams offer comfort and
relief; growing up.
by Scooj
The walk
On cobbled stones and
across the New Cut; the sun-
drenched streets of Bristol.
by Scooj
167. M32 roundabout Junction 3 (2)
Here is a lovely clean piece by another member of the PWA crew, following on from the Face F1st work that I posted a few days ago.
This fine double-mouthed creature is typical of Soap’s work. Beyond that I can really tell you nothing about the artist. Sometimes it is better like that.
I’m not sure who the alien ZAP figure (to the right) is by, but you can see there is quite a gap in quality between them. I like soap’s work, I just don’t get to see enough of it.
7.5/10
Millipede
Not so fast matey
a thousand legs is quite some
overestimate.
by Scooj
166. Jamaica Street (4)
Following on seamlessly from from post 165 you can see that the PRSC outdoor gallery in now occupied by Soker and 3Dom.
There is a lovely thread of vapour that joins the two pieces coming from the mouth of the curious 3Dom creature on the right (when ever was a 3Dom piece not curious?) and weaving around the Soker burner.
I love these collaborations that bring together wildstyle burners with more conventional art pieces – more will follow.
7.5/10
165. Jamaica Street (3)
Jamaica Street is home to the People’s Republic of Stokes Croft (PRSC) outdoor gallery. To anyone who walks around this area, this wall is a regular stop off point. This wonderful wildstyle burner is by DNT and partners the bear by Mr Sle7en that I featured recently.
The whole piece spells out ‘Bristol’ and uses the fabulous colours to bring out the design. This piece always cheered me up in the mornings on my way to work, and supports the theories that say that street art brings about a sense of civic pride and coherence. It is certainly the case in Bristol.
The piece has now gone and been replaced by a collaboration between Soker and 3Dom – see my next post.
7/10
Natural adventures 