5241. M32 Cycle path (217)

Laic217, Sako and Zake, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, April 2023
Laic217, Sako and Zake, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, April 2023

Zake has been involved in a lot of collaborations already this year, but this one is a bit unusual, in that it includes Laic217 and Sako (an artist I am not familiar with). The collaboration is one in which the artists share a broad colour scheme, but each piece is discrete.

Laic217, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, April 2023
Laic217, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, April 2023

Starting on the left, Laic217, who is going through a bit of a purple patch, has a rather dark, masked figure suspended over the letters LAIC. There are threads connecting the head and shoulders with the letters in something reminiscent of the Borg from Star Trek.  The head is highlighted with a halo of pink, which adds an extra dimension to the piece. Lovely work from Laic217.

Sako, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, April 2023
Sako, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, April 2023

In the middle is a warehouse landscape by Sako and a fragmented planet earth at the bottom left. I certainly don’t know what this is about, but there must be a meaning in it somewhere. The scene reminds me of the Ikea store bit before the tills… a place I dislike for so many reasons. A great scene created with some atmosphere, which is an achievement given the subject.

Zake, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, April 2023
Zake, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, April 2023

Finally, on the right, Zake continues with his ever-expanding repertoire, giving us his version of a six-armed god – inspired by the multitude of Hindu Goddesses with this characteristic. In Zake’s version, each arm is holding a spray can, of course, getting ready for some speed painting I would think. As usual, the light and shade work is exemplary, and the figure has enormous depth. A bright and rather eclectic collaboration from the three artists.

5240. Feeder Road

Dog Bless the Band, Feeder Road, Bristol, May 2023
Dog Bless the Band, Feeder Road, Bristol, May 2023

I said in a recent post that I had come across several Dog Bless the Band pieces that were completely new to me, and this is one of them. Hoardings are a bit of a bitter-sweet feature; they provide a great canvass for our street artists, but by definition, they are temporary and have a short lifespan. I guess they reflect the ephemeral nature of street art and graffiti culture.

Dog Bless the Band, Feeder Road, Bristol, May 2023
Dog Bless the Band, Feeder Road, Bristol, May 2023

His letters ‘MOTEL’ tickle me every time I see them. As is usually the case, Dog Bless the Band has used modest pastel shades for his fills, which contrast nicely with the background pink and red spotty backdrop. Another nice piece from this productive artist.

5239. Cumberland Basin

Kid Krishna, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2023
Kid Krishna, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2023

There is no stopping Kid Krishna these days, and it seems that I rarely go out taking pictures without bumping in to him. We usually chat for a while, which I enjoy, and each time we meet I get to know him a little better. Because he doesn’t really use social media, it can be quite difficult to know where all his pieces are, so often you get to discover them rather than hunt them down, and that is always most gratifying.

Kid Krishna, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2023
Kid Krishna, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2023

Nothing seems to phase Kid Krishna, for example a return on a wall… simply paint round it. This black white and yellow piece is fairly typical of his unusual writing, and he has included a character in the middle, which reminds me of a king in a pack of playing cards. There is no doubting Kid Krishna’s talent and his genuine enthusiasm for art, and I think we’ll continue to see much more from him this year.

5238. Dean Lane skate park (598)

Lee Roy, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2023
Lee Roy, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2023

Lee Roy is a writer who has been knocking it out of the park this year with his distinctive style of writing. You can be pretty much guaranteed that whatever he paints will be bright and eye-catching. This is a lovely piece on the swimming bath wall in Dean Lane.

Lee Roy, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2023
Lee Roy, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2023

There is a bit of a cosmic theme going on here, and he even includes the words ‘cosmic gypsy’. Galaxies, planets and stars decorate the background, and there is a rather curious assemblage of toadstools at each end of the piece – perhaps hinting at the reason for the psychedelic scene? Nice one from Lee Roy.

5237. Armada Place (21)

Soap, Face 1st and Zake, Armada Place, Bristol, April 2023
Soap, Face 1st and Zake, Armada Place, Bristol, April 2023

I haven’t posted much from this hoarding for quite a long time, mainly because the stuff that gets painted there is rarely up to scratch, but also because I don’t pass by this way as frequently as I used to. How nice it was to fins a PWA collaboration here a short while ago.

Soap, Armada Place, Bristol, April 2023
Soap, Armada Place, Bristol, April 2023

The pool of artists in the PWA crew numbers about five or six, but pretty much ever-presents are Soap and Face 1st. The left hand side of the triptych is by Soap and contains both of the icons he likes to use at the moment, the Ice King and a Face 1st girl. The whole thing hangs together well and there are rather nice floral bursts throughout.

Face 1st, Armada Place, Bristol, April 2023
Face 1st, Armada Place, Bristol, April 2023

Face 1st has written Face with some nice deep block letters and a dismembered leg running through it, with gloopy blood dripping from the holes. Face 1st certainly enjoys painting splats and dripping, oozing gunge in his pieces, but this one is a little bloodthirsty.

Zake, Armada Place, Bristol, April 2023
Zake, Armada Place, Bristol, April 2023

To the right, the collaboration is rounded off with a portrait and upper torso piece by Zake. The face is full of character and depth, created with light and dark – a Zake speciality. All three pieces are set on a sky blue background decorated with spots, squiggles, clouds and bubbles. It is great to see some decent work on these panels.

5236. Elton Street (23)

Wispa, Elton Street, Bristol, April 2023
Wispa, Elton Street, Bristol, April 2023

I don’t know where Wispa (@willow_the_wispa) lives, but she seems to pop up all over the country and indeed in other countries, which gives me the impression that she is constantly on the move. On the upside, it means that she comes to visit her Bristol RBF friends reasonably regularly and leaves something for us all to enjoy.

Wispa, Elton Street, Bristol, April 2023
Wispa, Elton Street, Bristol, April 2023

This is a wonderful mash-up of stylised throw-ups and tagging finished in a neat, tidy and deliberate way. Sanitising this kind of artwork isn’t easy, and Wispa has done it brilliantly. At first glance it might look like a mess, but it is in fact a really classy piece from a great writer. I already look forward to her next visit.

5235. Cumberland Basin

Tack Jucker, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2023
Tack Jucker, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2023

Tack Jucker is an artist whose work I have enjoyed from the very first piece I saw back in October 2021. Animals are his speciality, but he has also painted several hand studies too and this is one of them. I have been aware of this piece for about a year, but recently re-photographed it, because I couldn’t find it in my archives.

Tack Jucker, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2023
Tack Jucker, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2023

There is a lot of symbolism in this piece, with an all seeing eye in the palm of the hand and tears cascading down to form a river. The perspective in the hand is superbly worked and the light and shadow provides depth and contrast. This is a really nice piece from Tack Jucker, whose occasional pieces are always a welcome contribution to the Bristol scene.

5234. River Avon (44)

Werm, River Avon, Brtistol, May 2023
Werm, River Avon, Brtistol, May 2023

A lush scene, photographed at the beginning of this rather glorious spell of weather we are having. This is not, however, the first time I have photographed this piece, but I never got round to posting it, so I thought I’d have another go. It is, of course, by the tireless Werm.

Werm, River Avon, Brtistol, May 2023
Werm, River Avon, Brtistol, May 2023

I rather like the way that the encroachment of greenery complements the greens in the piece, and that the purples and oranges almost resemble flower petals. Spelling out WERM, the letters are beautifully crafted and filled, and demonstrate just how quickly this artist has developed and keeps improving.

5233. Lighthouse Community Garden, London (8)

Apparan, Lighthouse Community Garden, London, April 2023
Apparan, Lighthouse Community Garden, London, April 2023

I have only once before seen work by Apparan and that was on a collaborative gate piece at Upfest last year with Jelly. Finding this piece on a work trip to London was therefore a real treat. The portrait is really beautifully done, although the hair looks a little more abstract than the rest of the portrait.

Apparan, Lighthouse Community Garden, London, April 2023
Apparan, Lighthouse Community Garden, London, April 2023

There is a lot of depth in the piece, and the shadows around the lady’s neck are very nicely painted. I also really like the leaf print dress, and the folds in the material. There is something very summery about the piece, augmented by the verdant mini-meadow in front of it. Wonderful work from Apparan.

Jelly and apparan, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022
Jelly and apparan, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022

5232. Lighthouse Community Garden, London, (7)

Eyesaw, Lighthouse Community Garden, London, April 2023
Eyesaw, Lighthouse Community Garden, London, April 2023

What finer subjects for street art than Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble? I have seen a few pieces by Eyesaw at festivals in Bristol and Cheltenham, and his work plays on the concept of 3D images that can be viewed using blue and red 3D spectacles. However, I don’t have a pair and am not convinced these pieces work, but are illustrative only, to create an effect.

Eyesaw, Lighthouse Community Garden, London, April 2023
Eyesaw, Lighthouse Community Garden, London, April 2023

The piece also includes some pixelation and glitching, creating the illusion of being a video piece. I rather like the anarchic touch where these two, usually harmless characters, are wielding a baseball bat with nails and a Molotov cocktail. Great fun from Eyesaw.