Category: 5. Street Art

3197. St Werburghs tunnel (190)

I have noticed a few pieces by Mind Control appearing in Bristol recently, which is no bad thing. I first encoutered his work back at Upfest 2017 and wrote this post which has a link to a rather good interview with the young lad who was only 16 at the time.

Mind Control, St Werburghs, Bristol, September 2020
Mind Control, St Werburghs, Bristol, September 2020

Although he is from the Midlands, I guess that at 19 he has a little more mobility and trips to Bristol might become more frequent. I think I have a couple of other pieces in my archive that I will have to dig out. This is nicely done with a clear message and one that carries huge support with it.

This is a straightforward protest piece calling for the cessation of the badger cull, an unpopular approach to reducing the imfection and impacts of bovine turberculosis. The cull will be reaching its peak this year and then drop off over the coming years. Has it made any difference? We’ll have to wait and see. Have animals suffered? almost certainly. It is a complex disease control problem for which there are limited options.

3196. Jamaica Street (22)

I have been meaning to photograph this wonderful portrait by Hazard for quite some time, but the door to Jamaica Street Stores is rarely kept open for long enough to grab a picture. With the coronavirus restrictions in place, the door is kept open to aid ventilation and I grabbed my chance to dive in and take a couple of snaps.

Hazard, Jamaica Street, Bristol, September 2020
Hazard, Jamaica Street, Bristol, September 2020

This is so typically Hazard and couldn’t possibly be by anyone else although it does share some characteristics with Jody’s work, such as a female portrait and plento of delicious flowers. I haven’t eaten at the Jamaica Street Stores, but in preparing this post I glanced at the menu, and I don’t think it’ll be too long before I bring the family down for a meal (restrictions permitting).

Hazard, Jamaica Street, Bristol, September 2020
Hazard, Jamaica Street, Bristol, September 2020

There is a lovely contrast in the piece between the grayscale (tinged with yellow/golden reflected light) face and the surrounding colourful flowers. This is a fine Hazard piece that I am pleased at last to have captured.

3195. Jacob’s Wells Road

Street sculptures are as much a part of the street art scene as the more familiar painted walls that we see and this poignant piece by Getting up to Stuff was installed at the top of Jacob’s Wells Road in the perfect spot, to mark World Suicide Prevention Day (10 September 2020).

Getting Up To Stuff, Jacob's Wells Road, Bristol, September 2020
Getting Up To Stuff, Jacob’s Wells Road, Bristol, September 2020

In this moving piece, what looks like Pooh Bear is comforting a young lad in a hoodie who appears to be contemplating jumping. It is a very touching piece and demonstrates the power of a caring hand. It also reminds me of the robot bear in the film AI (Artificial Intelligence), who had a similar guardianship role.

Getting Up To Stuff, Jacob's Wells Road, Bristol, September 2020
Getting Up To Stuff, Jacob’s Wells Road, Bristol, September 2020

I know little of the artist Getting up to Stuff, but in checking some facts about this piece, I realised that he was responsible for a statue in The Bearpit some time ago that I can now share with you (to come). Many will drive or walk past this and not look up, they will miss it. My advice to everyone is keep your eyes open… there is treasure all around us if we only care to see it.

3194. Brunel Way bridge (55)

I am really enjoying the stylistic variations of Varo’s bull at the moment. He is an artist who has emerged on the Bristol scene over the last couple of years, and his mega-tags are becoming more sophisticated and experimental with each outing.

Varo, Brunel Way, Bristol, September 2020
Varo, Brunel Way, Bristol, September 2020

This bull is part of a larger collaborative spread with other artists including Kool Hand and Daz Cat (to follow). This time the bull’s head is in profile rather than face on and has a rather cheeky grin. I think that Varo is on to a great theme here, painting the same subject in a variety of styles… endless material and interest value. I can’t wait to see more.

3193. Dean Lane skate park (353)

Phour, an artist that I only encountered for the first time this summer, has been hitting the walls quite hard this year and there aren’t many spots around the city that haven’t had his letters displayed in all their glory.

Phour, Dean Lane, Bristol September 2020
Phour, Dean Lane, Bristol September 2020

This piece, behind the swimming pool railing at Dean Lane, shows what Phour is capable of. Some really nice crisp letters with a three-colour horizontal fill, the central red stripe with loads of little red spots around it. There are further purple decorations reading across to the top and bottom stripes. The whole thing set on a green splat background. I’m not entirely certain about that green with the other colours, it just doesn’t quite feel right. A top quality piece from Phour.

3192. M32 Spot (80)

Yet another outstanding piece from Inkie in this purple patch we are lucky enough to be witnessing in Bristol at the moment. I am guessing that Inkie has a bit of time on his hands at the moment… maybe it is a pandemic thing and if it is then it is an upside as far as I am concerned.

Inkie, M32 Spot, Bristol, September 2020
Inkie, M32 Spot, Bristol, September 2020

Alongside some of his friends (posts to follow soon) this appeared about a week or so ago at the top end of Stapleton Road. It is an absolute classic and painted in colours that he has used before, from memory he painted a van in similar shades. Those of you who follow Thursday Doors, might well see this piece again sometime in the future (door hidden under the I and E). I will never tire of his work and am really enjoying this current spate.

Inkie, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2019
Inkie, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2019

3191. St Werburghs tunnel (189)

Every now and again in the tunnel you get to see a really classy piece of writing (in fact much more than just ocasionally – we are blessed) and this tight piece is by Gage Graphics, probably better known for some magnificent large murals arountd the city.

Gage Graphics, St Werburghs, Bristol, September 2020
Gage Graphics, St Werburghs, Bristol, September 2020

There is something comforting about mural artists who make their living from their art getting back to grassroots and slapping some paint up on a wall like this. This is the work of someone who really gets what he’s doing and carries it off with ease. There are so many good things about this work, spelling out SERIF, but the cracks in the letters do the trick for me. Something of a rarity, but so very welcome.

3190. Alfred Street (6)

On the opposite side of the Dare To building from the Smak piece in my previous post on Natural Adventures is a fine quintet of pieces of which this is one. Each piece hosts the writers name together with a little character. This gorgeous rhapsody in green is by Hemper.

Hemper, Alfred Street, Bristol, September 2020
Hemper, Alfred Street, Bristol, September 2020

Spelling out HEMS, this intricate piece is absolutely amazing and incredibly detailed. The letters seem to pop out all over the place thanks to the skillful 3D shading effects. This is a work by a fine craftsman. I’m not too sure who the little green character is to the top left, but I think I recognise him from a contemporary cartoon series.

3189. Alfred Street (5)

The paint jam at Dare To a couple of weeks ago really did throw up some fantastic work from an ‘A’ list of Bristol artists and it would seem that each artist bounced off the next to up their game a little.

Smak, Alfred Street, Bristol, September 2020
Smak, Alfred Street, Bristol, September 2020

This is a cheeky number (getting into the spirit of the adult nature of the Dare To club) by Smak. Tucked away, and slightly awkward to photograph, this bright and colourful piece includes a little devil complete with cherries on his pants. The writing is typically top quality and has that double letter style where each letter seems to have been painted twice over. More excellent work from Smak.

3188. St Werburghs tunnel (188)

No signature, but who needs a signature when your work screams out Fiva? It feels like an eternity since Fiva hit any walls, but this is quite some comeback. I don’t need to tell you what it spells, but I am probably as curious as you are as to why he decided upon the word Puffin.

Fiva, St Werburghs, Bristol, September 2020
Fiva, St Werburghs, Bristol, September 2020

The piece is dedicated to Josie and perhaps the word puffin means something to her. The writing is big and bold, but I can assure you that just because it looks simple does not mean it is simple to do. For a start there are all those straight lines and the correct spacing between letters etc. There is an extremely nice touch with the grey shadows to the left and bottom of each letter. A magnificent piece. I tried to emulate one of his letters last year, with a rather disappointing result… very difficult to do.

Scooj, H in the style of Fiva, Bristol, June 2019
Scooj, H in the style of Fiva, Bristol, June 2019