The 48 per cent

 

I’m sick of hearing

it’s the will of the people.

It is not my will.

 

by Scooj

  • Every time I hear the Government trot out the words that the Brexit is the will of the British people, they are excluding the 48% who voted to remain. Are we not British people? This lot will never carry me with them as long as they use this bullying kind of coercive language.

632. Dean Lane skate park (31)

Shab was one of the first wave of Bristol graffiti/street artists along with the likes of Cheo, FLX, Inkie, 3D and Jody to name just a few. It is curious then that this is my first post about Shab’s work. It is of a very recent piece that went up in Dean Lane. I didn’t post it immediately, because I didn’t know the artist, but serendipitously he followed me on Instagram the same day, and that was that. I am a little ashamed that I hadn’t made the connection myself before, but I am still learning…every day. I have several other pieces by him in the archive so I will start posting them.

Shab, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2017
Shab, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2017

This abstract piece is fairly typical of his work and features an amazing eye, one of his ‘signatures’. The piece brings together two contrasting elements, the rounded white shapes bound with black outlines, and a multi-coloured jagged pattern – the two complementing each other perfectly. It looks like a spaceship, but probably isn’t one.

Shab, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2017
Shab, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2017

The eye is really beautiful. Looking forward to finding and posting more from this master.

Wintumbra

.

Evening shadows

creep ever longer, urging

nightfall to advance.

.

by Scooj

631. The Bearpit (39)

In The Bearpit, there are four premium spots, each one is at the end of each of the four tunnels. These are the places that are most sought after, but also the ones most frequently tagged, so anything sprayed here is always going to be reasonably short lived.

Pure Evil, The Bearpit, Bristol, January 2017
Pure Evil, The Bearpit, Bristol, January 2017

It was lucky then that I came across this piece by the London-based artist Pure Evil while it was still fresh and unmarked. Pure Evil is an artist I knew nothing about until I started researching this post, and realised that perhaps I should have known a little more. His biography on his website is well worth a read – he has covered a lot of ground.

Pure Evil, The Bearpit, Bristol, January 2017
Pure Evil, The Bearpit, Bristol, January 2017

I note also, that he is selling prints of his Bristol Bearpit piece for cool £2,000 on his website. I am guessing from that kind of price tag that he must be strongly established in the art world. Obviously I prefer the freebies he leaves on our city walls. I rather like this work, and will be more vigilant when I visit London to see if I can find any more. Let’s hear it for more scary bunnies.

Pure Evil, The Bearpit, Bristol, January 2017
Pure Evil, The Bearpit, Bristol, January 2017

“My enemies are in power – and my heroes are dead” – that speaks for a lot of us.

630. Ashley Road (11)

More from the incredibly prolific Laic217. This time the piece is in a major ‘hotspot’ where it can be seen by a great many cars and passers-by. He returns to one of his favoured motifs, the distorted/disfigured face with hat and references to acid. Also he has incorporated his liking for brick walls, which works really well here.

Laic217, Ashley Road, Bristol, January 2017
Laic217, Ashley Road, Bristol, January 2017

Another feature of this work is the reference to the test card transmission – something that TV viewers over a certain age will be very familiar with. One of the most pleasing things about this particular site is that the rather officious notice that was plastered over one of Aspire’s pieces here has been completely sprayed over – a victory for graffiti art.

Laic217, Ashley Road, Bristol, January 2017
Laic217, Ashley Road, Bristol, January 2017

It doesn’t stop here, still more to come from this artist who is really beginning to make his mark.

Morning stroll

 

Time for reflection

and private conversations

with the departed.

 

by Scooj

 

 

629. Lime Road (1)

I love surprises, and this was one hell of a surprise. I took a lunchtime stroll down North Street, because I knew there were some new pieces, but only caught sight of this one on my way back. What a find.

China Girl Tile, Lime Road, Bristol, February 2017
China Girl Tile, Lime Road, Bristol, February 2017

Of course, it is a bunny with a grenade by the amazing Chinagirl Tile – I have always wanted to find one of these, but to have one in Bristol is simply amazing. The new piece is only a street away from the amazing foxes and soup tin she installed for Upfest 2016.

China Girl Tile, Lime Road, Bristol, February 2017
China Girl Tile, Lime Road, Bristol, February 2017

Chinagirl Tile is always a very welcome visitor to Bristol, and I hope very much she will be returning soon. Let’s hear it for the wabbits.

Weekend break

.

Leaving en famille

a lengthy operation

on our way at last. 

.

by Scooj

628. Raleigh Road, Vector (5)

This is a brilliant new hoarding in an area that Voyder likes to spray in a lot. He used to spray in the car park next to these boards, but it is out of bounds at the moment while the construction work is going on, so the hoardings will do. His last piece here was the ‘sticker’ piece which I still think is one of his best.

Voyder, Raleigh Road, Bristol, February 2017
Voyder, Raleigh Road, Bristol, February 2017

This one is vibrant and eye catching, and if you take a closer look, you can see that the letters are constructed with bones. A fun piece from this Bristol master.

Voyder, Raleigh Road, Bristol, February 2017
Voyder, Raleigh Road, Bristol, February 2017

La Bohème

.

Exquisite music

oozes from the car speakers

easing the journey. 

.

by Scooj