Category: 5. Street Art

1497. Dean Lane skate park (127)

It is interesting how much a wall can change in a short space of time. In the last month, this wall has changed at least four times. This incarnation was a practice run by Jee See, whose Instagram handle is Goshiku Chavu (G C…get it?) which means ‘thank you’ in Japanese…I think) for a piece that he created here a day or two later (and which I have missed I think).

Top Cat by ?, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2018
Top Cat by ?, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2018

In this piece he has painted probably the lagrest ‘Seismic’ I have seen from him. Now, I’m not too sure what the Top Cat thing is all about, but I love him to bits. I don’t think that Jee See created him, it just isn’t his style, and it isn’t clear which was here first.

Top Cat by ?, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2018
Top Cat by ?, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2018

I don’t even know who the TC is by, there is no signature and there are several artists in Bristol capable of creating cartoon characters of this quality. The whole thing is rather nice, a little bit weird and now utterly gone.

1496. Dean Lane skate park (126)

Not too long after Kid Crayon painted his 420 piece (which included a tribute for my dad ‘RIP Gledders’) this collaboration between NEVERGIVEUP and Ugar went up across the bottom half of the wall.

Nevergiveup and Ugar, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2018
Nevergiveup and Ugar, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2018

I think this might be the first time this pairing have worked together, although I know Kid Crayon and Ugar have worked together before. Well this is a rather attractive collaboration with some writing from Ugar bookended by NEVERGIVEP’s rather cute bunnies.

Nevergiveup and Ugar, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2018
Nevergiveup and Ugar, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2018

The writing from Ugar (which spells out UGAR) is typically ornate and the fill he has used is in a style that immediately identifies the artist. Not many other artists in Bristol use the same kind of patterns, he really has a unique style.Of course the bunnies are fun and nicely done, balancing the piece nicely. I don’t think I will ever tire of NEVERGIVEUP’s rabbits.

1495. The Bearpit (146)

Another intriguing wheatpaste from the fantastic Object…, in one of the tunnels of The Bearpit. In this piece, Object… has written a lengthy statement which is wrapped around what looks like a sumo wrestler with a pi symbol tattooed on his chest.

Object..., The Bearpit, Bristol, May 2018
Object…, The Bearpit, Bristol, May 2018

Now I haven’t been able to read the text…that might take a bit of time…and so I’m not too sure what the piece is about, but knowing the artist, I expect politics is involved somewhere along the line. I actually am rather fond of this piece, and am really enjoying Object…’s current penchant for paste ups.

1494. Moon Street (44)

Just when I begin to think that I havebn’t seen anything from Laic217 for ages, up pops a new piece in one of his favourite spots. All the usual motifs we are accustomed to seeing in this artist’s work are here: the bucket hat and smiley; the gold chain with 217 and skeleton dressed in a tracksuit top. All very Laic.

Laic217, Moon Street, Bristol, May 2018
Laic217, Moon Street, Bristol, May 2018

This piece is interesting in its use of bright colours on the black background, it gives the whole thing a strong and fresh look. The smile on the hat has an interesting shadow, which would suggest a light source quite close and to the right of the piece because of the way it lands on the hat. (I think I know what I am trying to say here).

Laic217, Moon Street, Bristol, May 2018
Laic217, Moon Street, Bristol, May 2018

Finally, you just have to admite the gold rings on each hand spelling out LA – IC, awesome stuff from a firm favourite.

Thursday doors

Door(s) 33

This week, following on from a recent post in my graffiti/street art category, I decided to dig out some pictures of doors in Moon Street, one of my favourite haunts. All of the doors have been painted on, some of them several times over.

Moon Street is a short road that runs parallel with Stokes Croft and has mixed building use from a company car park, derelict church building, light industrial units through to a couple of night clubs a pub and a derelict plot.

This rather neglected area is perfect for street artists to display their talents, and doors lend themselves to being sprayed, it might be something to do with the framing and proportions.

Enjoy the gallery.

Door, Moon Street, Ryder
Door, Moon Street, Ryder
Rezwonk, Moon Street, Bristol, October 2017
Rezwonk, Moon Street, Bristol, October 2017
Sled One and Smak, Moon Street, Bristol, April 2016
Sled One and Smak, Moon Street, Bristol, April 2016
Laic 217, Moon Street, Bristol, May 2017
Laic 217, Moon Street, Bristol, May 2017
Coloquix, Moon Street, Bristol, August 2016
Coloquix, Moon Street, Bristol, August 2016
Laic217, Moon Street, Bristol, February 2017
Laic217, Moon Street, Bristol, February 2017
NEVERGIVEUP, Moon Street, Bristol, April 2018
NEVERGIVEUP, Moon Street, Bristol, April 2018
Rezwonk, Moon Street, Bristol, July 2017
Rezwonk, Moon Street, Bristol, July 2017
Rezwonk, Moon Street, Bristol, April 2018
Rezwonk, Moon Street, Bristol, April 2018
Rezwonk, Moon Street, Bristol, April 2018
Rezwonk, Moon Street, Bristol, April 2018

by Scooj

More doors at: Thursday Doors – Norm 2.0

1493. Horfield skate park (3)

Who’d have thought with all this lovely dry weather we are having that it is ony a couple of months ago that Bristol had its second covering of snow. I took a little trip up the the skate park at Horfield Leisure Centre to pick my daughter up and while I was waiting (I was conveniently early) I took a quick look at the graffiti around the skate park. Usually the standard is not that great, and there is a lot of tagging, but I have noticed a slight upsurge in the quality recently…maybe the reduction in spots in central Bristol is pushing artists out a bit to places like this.

Oner, Horfield skate park, Bristol, March 2018
Oner, Horfield skate park, Bristol, March 2018

Anyhow, this is a nice simple burner from my new friend Oner, possibly the first pictures I have of his work. The shading looks a bit untidy, but if you take a closer look, there is actually a lot of detail in there and it is not a quick fill. The whole piece is nice and crisp (and even). I hope to track down a whole load more of his burners.

1492. Stokes Croft, the Carriageworks (37)

I have been posting about the work of Face 1st for a long time now, and he really is one of my favourite artists in Bristol. His simple formula of combining the word FACE with a face incorporated never ceases to impress me. I have also noticed that he has started to become active on Instagram, which will help me to keep on top of his work and maybe find out a little bit more about him.

Face 1st, The Carriageworks, Bristol, April 2018
Face 1st, The Carriageworks, Bristol, April 2018

This piece on the Carriageworks in Stokes Croft is from a little while ago, but is one of the last few to be sprayed on this building which is now fenced off as the long awaited (decades) development work on the site has begun. The site was a bit grotty, but part of the character of the area will be lost forever once the graffiti and street art are no longer incorporated. Gentrification is gaining pace in the area.

Since I started wrioting posts about Face 1st, I have been calling him Face F1st…uit is a difficult thing to do once you have a habit, but I will from no on refer to him as Face 1st (which will bugger up my archive searches a little but there you go).

1491. Moon Street (43)

I recently found out, via social media, that Rezwonk is a reasonably new citizen of Bristol having originally come from Devon. This would explain why his work has only been on my radar for the last few months. I rather enjoy writing about new artists, because they are not part of the establishment, and everyone else knows as much or as little about them as I do. Sometimes it can feel a little intimidating when reporting on the activities and artwork of some of the more established folk.

Rezwonk, Moon Street, Bristol, April 2018
Rezwonk, Moon Street, Bristol, April 2018

This piece went up about a week or so after his previous piece on this spot, which got bombed almost imediately. I think it demonstrated what a brilliant artist Rezwonk is. His lettering in different fonts is outstanding and he has a real knack for picking out the right background designs, colours and tone to set off the writing. It feels like a very designed approach, but one that works extremely well on the streets. Looking forward to seeing so much more from this fine artist.

Rezwonk, Moon Street, Bristol, April 2018
Rezwonk, Moon Street, Bristol, April 2018
Rezwonk, Moon Street, Bristol, July 2017
Rezwonk, Moon Street, Bristol, July 2017

1490. West Street (3)

This is a lovely mural by Cheo, especially if you happen to be a Bristol City fan. The team are known as the Robins, and Cheo has incorporated this into his tribute to the football club. I’m not entirely sure how long this piece has been here, but I suspect it is several years.

Cheo, West Street, Bristol, April 2018
Cheo, West Street, Bristol, April 2018

One of the surprising things perhaps, or maybe I am just too cynical, is that it hasn’t been vandalised in any way by supporters of the rival Bristol club, Bristol Rovers. I do like it when two of my passions converge like this, but it doesn’t happen as often as one might think (now planning to search my archive for football-related street art). As an Arsenal fan, I have no allegiance to either of the Bristol teams and always want both to do well for the sake of the city.

1489. Dean Lane skate park (125)

There are a couple of Basketball courts next to the Dean Lane skate park, and adjacent to them is this container, which I haven’t really paid much attention to. I decided to take a look and there on the side is a rather nice burner from Soge.

Soge, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2018
Soge, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2018

The uneven surface of the container must make it difficult to work with, but I think he has done a fair job. I am used to seeing something a little more intricate from Soge, so this is a refreshing change. Perhaps not the best burner in the world, but nice to see nonetheless.