Category: 5. Street Art

1350. Upfest 2017 (136)

Really, this is one of my favourite pieces from the whole of Upfest 2017, not only because of the quality of work, but because of the cheerful resilience of the artists in persevering with their work in spite if the inclement weather.

N4T4 and Philth, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
N4T4 and Philth, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

A fine collaboration between N4T4 and Philth which really brightened up the walk between North Street and Ashton Gate.

N4T4 and Philth, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
N4T4 and Philth, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

These two artists have painted together at the last three Upfests, and although not a true collaboration, their pieces complement each other perfectly.

N4T4 and Philth, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
N4T4 and Philth, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

I walked past these two a few times, and took my favourite picture of the festival (above) of them cheerfully painting in the rain. Such dedication.

N4T4 and Philth, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
N4T4 and Philth, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

The N4T4 piece on the left is a wonderful example of his portrait style, incorporating colours and shapes which combine to make the whole. A blast of exquisite colour and a stunning face.

N4T4 and Philth, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
N4T4 and Philth, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

Contrast this then with the grey scale portrait by Philth on the right. He is as well known for his floral designs as he is for his portraits and this piece is overflowing with flowers that lift the piece to another level.

i absolutely love this wall. Beautiful.

 

 

1349. The Bearpit (125)

This is the second stunning piece from Oze Arv that was painted in The Bearpit after Upfest 2017 and is at the end of the tunnel opposite his other piece there (see previous post).

Oze Arv, The Bearpit, Bristol, July 2017
Oze Arv, The Bearpit, Bristol, July 2017

Seeing both of these beautiful works by this talented artist was a real treat, and something quite special for The Bearpit, which at times can look a bit tatty and drab. In this piece Oze Arv once again combines his wildlife study with an abstract context – all very seductive and compelling.

Oze Arv, The Bearpit, Bristol, July 2017
Oze Arv, The Bearpit, Bristol, July 2017

For me this really is a great example of free art (of a very high standard) for the people of Bristol. Oze Arv selflessly painting two superb works, probably because he just loves to spray, and leaving a legacy of uplifting optimism. Free art for the people – it doesn’t get much better than that.

1348. The Bearpit (124)

This is the first of two posts on work by Oze Arv in The Bearpit which were very precious gifts that he made while he was in town for Upfest 2017. Since seeing his work for the first at the festival I have become a big fan.

Oze Arv, The Bearpit, Bristol, July 2017
Oze Arv, The Bearpit, Bristol, July 2017

There is something about the connection with nature and the wonderful colours he uses that makes this work engaging and uplifting, let alone his exquisite skill in combining abstract patterns with wildlife subjects.

Oze Arv, The Bearpit, Bristol, July 2017
Oze Arv, The Bearpit, Bristol, July 2017

This piece didn’t last long and the ephemeral nature of it makes the gift seem so much more special. I am pleased that I was able to capture it and even more pleased that I am able to share it now.

 

1347. M32 Spot (16)

Although it would seem that J. Dior is now long gone from the city of Bristol, there are still a few legacy pieces of his dotted around, and still several in my archives.

J.Dior, M32 Spot, Bristol, July 2017
J.Dior, M32 Spot, Bristol, July 2017

His deliverately naive style allows him to create characters and tell stories with ease. There is no doubting his imagination, but I think that at times his attitude and approach to painting upset some of the other artists in Bristol a little. Anyhow here we have a two-headed woman with a superhero top on – superheroes seemed to be a regular theme for J. Dior. This work is just a little bit of fun.

1346. M32 cycle path (12)

Ryder’s work can be found all over Bristol, and increasingly I am enjoying his particular style of writing. In this piece he has gone for some really bright colours and a spotty fill to the deep shadow. His characteristic eyes and teeth filling some of the spaces in the lettering.

Ryder, M32 cycle path, Bristol, July 2017
Ryder, M32 cycle path, Bristol, July 2017

Whether it is with his RAW mates, T-Rex, Rusk or Smak, or on his own, Ryder consistently turns out great work.

 

1345. Raleigh Road, vector (22)

Yet another piece from my archive – I have to say that I rather like posting things sometime after I captured them, it somehow adds to the legacy element of what I do. This is a fine piece of wildstyle writing from Dibz on the hoardings that will very soon be coming down.

Dibz, Raleigh Road, Bristol, July 2017
Dibz, Raleigh Road, Bristol, July 2017

Dibz’ complex pieces are characterised by a deep shadow lifting the piece out from the wall and giving it a bit of body. His Instagram account is well worth a squint to see pictures of his latest sketches in his black book. A great Bristol graffiti writer.

1344. The Bearpit (123)

Once again I have been doing a little bit of cleaning up of my archives, and I came across this rather unusual Kid Crayon piece from Kid Crayon last July. I am finding that Bristol art from July is often under-represented in my posts, because they get hijacked by Upfest and will remain unshared and unloved in my July folder.

Kid Crayon, The Bearpit, Bristol, July 2017
Kid Crayon, The Bearpit, Bristol, July 2017

This piece reminds me very much of the wheatpastes he used to do and which I used to take great pleasure in hunting down when I first became interested in all this malarkey. A classic Kid Crayon work.

1343. The Black Swan

I have driven past this piece by Deamze many, many times, but never been able to stop and photograph it. At last I managed to do just that, but in the meantime I think the piece has faded a little. It has been exposed to the elements and has suffered from being on the kerbside of a busy street.

Deamze, The Black Swan, Bristol, February 2018
Deamze, The Black Swan, Bristol, February 2018

The piece is outside the Black Swan in Stapleton Road and is a bit of a landmark. Here we find then trademark character and writing work so typical of the endless skill of this artist. I’m not too sure who the character is, but something from the depths of my memory is saying ‘wally gator’. Of course the mind is a fickle beast and I may have this completely wrong. A nice piece.

1342. Jacob’s Wells Road

I include this piece because it demonstrates that there is ‘graffiti creep’ happening in Bristol and where graffiti goes, so the art tends to follow. This wall is on a stairway up to Brandon Hill park and until relatively recently there was no graffiti here, but as the number of graffiti/street artists grow, and the number of walls/hoardings are lost, so the search for new walls begins. A natural succession, often brought about by gentrification.

NEVERGIVEUP, Jacob's Wells Road, Bristol, February 2018
NEVERGIVEUP, Jacob’s Wells Road, Bristol, February 2018

The bunny is easily recognisable as the handy work of NEVERGIVEUP, who seems to be a bit of a pioneer when it comes to finding new spots to spray. He is unafraid and adventurous which is amazing as he has only been in Bristol a little over a year. The Rabbit is nicely executed, as you would expect, but it is the location that makes this piece stand out.

1341. Charlotte Street (3)

Every once in a while a town or city will see a new piece of street art appear that becomes an iconic landmark and a part of its beating heart. Examples in Bristol are the black and yellow portrait of a girl in Stokes Croft by Stinkfish and the hanging man by Banksy just off Park Street. Well this new significant work by Jody is, I believe, going to be another one to add to the list.

Jody, Charlotte Street, Bristol, February 2018
Jody, Charlotte Street, Bristol, February 2018

I spotted Jody at work on this piece a couple of weeks ago, when he was on a cherry picker painting some flowers. At that point I wasn’t sure it was Jody, but his style and the method he uses to paint gave it away a bit.

Jody, Charlotte Street, Bristol, February 2018
Jody, Charlotte Street, Bristol, February 2018

The piece is a commission for a newly opened cocktail bar/restaurant on Park Street, called The Florist. The establishment is part of a chain called The Botanist, but as luck would have it, there is an independent bar of the same name in Berkeley Square a few meters further up the hill – so The Florist it is. Some of the interior pieces, I understand, are also by Jody and by fellow Bristol artist Gemma Compton. I will have to check it out.

Jody, Charlotte Street, Bristol, February 2018
Jody, Charlotte Street, Bristol, February 2018

I think this is a sensational piece and a real statement for Bristol. The wall can be seen when walking down Park Street and has a real ‘wow factor’ to it. Furthermore, it will probably stay in good condition as the wall rarely catches the full sun, making it difficult to photograph, but protecting it from bleaching. This is a feather in Bristol’s and Jody’s caps.