5760. M32 Spot (178)

Whysayit, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2023
Whysayit, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2023

In my opinion, a much overlooked artist is Whysayit, who writes the letters YSAE in a distinctive anti-style all of his own. Indeed the whole PLB crew, to which he belongs, are an elusive bunch, who don’t get nearly as much recognition as they deserve, but maybe that is the way they like it. I first became aware of his work when he used to paint alongside Kleiner Shames a few years back, and I recently published a gallery of his fine work.

Whysayit, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2023
Whysayit, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2023

This colourful piece is brought alive by the striking red background, which definitely helps it to stand out. Imagine if it had been painted on an unbuffed wall, it could struggle to be noticed. The pastel shades transition across the letters from pinks to blues to light green in a pleasing way. A drop shadow in blue is bordered off not with one line, but two, a black and a peach. Nice work all round from this unsung hero.

5759. M32 Cycle path (247)

Benjimagneic, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, January 2024
Benjimagneic, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, January 2024

I wasn’t expecting this and it took me a minute or two to work out that it was by Benjimagnetic, which in retrospect is utterly obvious. I think that the absence of colours threw me a bit, as most of his work is pretty colourful.

Benjimagneic, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, January 2024
Benjimagneic, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, January 2024

The letters spell out BEN and the piece is signed Ben, so I don’t know how I was being so thick – sometimes we don’t see the wood for the trees. There is a simplicity about the piece, which is an avenue that Benjimagnetic has been following of late, moving away from his busy explosive pieces that I am more used to seeing. I have to say I am enjoying the transition. A fine piece of graffiti writing.

Old routine

.

Just me and the dog

a walk, dog ice cream and cake

a cold winter’s day

.

by Scooj

5758. St Werburghs tunnel (398)

Hypo, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2024
Hypo, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2024

One of the artists I have most enjoyed over the past 12 months or so has been Hypo, who has been out and about a lot during that period (in part due to poor health and recovery). I think that part of the secret to his success is his choice of letters, which are really playful, and allow a lot of flexibility. Some letters and combinations of letters simply don’t work as well as others.

Hypo, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2024
Hypo, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2024

I sense a little bit of a Hemper influence in this piece, which is quite elaborate and intricate. Hypo has selected some cheerful light colours that interlock, creating an integrated whole that is nice to look at. I’m not too sure that the copper outline quite works, but on the whole this is a fine piece of writing.

5757. M32 roundabout J3 (546)

Minto, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023
Minto, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023

I suggested recently that we would be seeing a lot more from Minto in Bristol, because I believe he has moved westwards from London, and so it seems to be, confirmed by another original and captivating piece on the M32 roundabout at the end of last year.

Minto, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023
Minto, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023

The letters MINTO are very well disguised in this piece of multiple characters, I can see at least four of them. There is plenty to look at in the piece, and the paint work is really classy, even Minto’s signature is classy. A really nice imaginative piece, and I expect to see a whole lot more from Minto in 2024.

5756. Picton Lane (16)

Mind 49, Picton Lane, Bristol, December 2023
Mind 49, Picton Lane, Bristol, December 2023

It was dark when I took these pictures. I had been doing a little Christmas food shopping in the wonderful Italian delicatessen C&T Licata and Son Ltd in Picton Street, just around the corner. I figured I’d walk home via Picon Lane, just on the off chance that there might be something there that I hadn’t seen before, and was rewarded with this amazing Mind 49 piece alongside Kosc.

Mind 49, Picton Lane, Bristol, December 2023
Mind 49, Picton Lane, Bristol, December 2023

The light conditions are a little poor, but the quality of the piece from Mind 49 is clear to see. He has painted a fabulous transition halfway along the frog where it changes from full colour to chrome and grey, while maintaining the patterning and depth. The piece is rounded off with a nice big chrome 49 and an interesting patterned green background. I daresay the whole thing looks rather better in the daylight, but I don’t pass by this way all that often and thought I’d post these pictures rather than delay.

5755. M32 roundabout J3 (545)

Bloem, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023
Bloem, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023

I was absolutely thrilled to meet Bloem for the first time at the weekend, when she was painting a new piece alongside SUB (yet to appear on these pages) at the M32 Spot at the top end of Stapleton Road. As is always the case with meeting most street artists for the first time, she was nothing like I had imagined and, in my old eyes, so very young.

Bloem, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023
Bloem, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023

This piece is a variation of one that she has painted in this spot before back in June 2023, but even in that short time there has been a definite tightening up and improvement in her can control and technique. The idea is a good one, and so original, you simply don’t see anything like her work from anyone else in Bristol. I am expecting great things from Bloem this year, and hope I am fortunate enough to watch her painting again sometime.

Hiccup, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2023
Hiccup, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2023

5754. Peel Street Green (24)

Phour, Peel Street Green, Bristol, December 2023
Phour, Peel Street Green, Bristol, December 2023

As with my last post, I have been a little distracted by my birthday today and have very limited time to write a blog post. I will let Phour do the talking with this magnificent large piece of writing in Peel Street Green.

Phour, Peel Street Green, Bristol, December 2023
Phour, Peel Street Green, Bristol, December 2023

This chrome piece is loud, bold and confident. It is unapologetic and unfussy. Sometimes big fat ‘in your face’ graffiti writing can be just the ticket, and I think Phour has done a great job with this one.

5753. M32 Cycle path (246)

Jevoissoul, M32 Cycle path, Brisol, December 2023
Jevoissoul, M32 Cycle path, Brisol, December 2023

It is my birthday – a significant one, and I have slightly taken my eye off the ball with writing my blog, so this will be an exceptionally quick one. Here we have a fun cartoony piece from Jevoissoul who emerged on the scene as recently as October last year.

Jevoissoul, M32 Cycle path, Brisol, December 2023
Jevoissoul, M32 Cycle path, Brisol, December 2023

The character has a cartoon Picassoesque feel to it and reminds me of an artist who used to paint in Bristol called Panskaribas (see below). Jevoissoul often accompanies his work with the word Slow, and he has done so in big letters in this piece – I expect to see a lot more from the artist this year.

Panskaribas, New Stadium Road, Bristol, October 2018
Panskaribas, New Stadium Road, Bristol, October 2018

Sixty not out

.

Eleventh of Jan

a day I will celebrate

with my family

.

by Scooj