Category: 5. Street Art

865. Old Bread Street (11)

Now that construction appears to have begun at this site, the hoardings are much reduced and harder to access, not that this has deterred the amazing Mr Laic217. This is a rather nice piece with the words ‘Aerosoles (sic) addicts’

Laic217, Old Bread Street, Bristol, June 2017
Laic217, Old Bread Street, Bristol, June 2017

This really appeals to me, but I’m not sure why. The grotesque face with blue colouring is not unlike a piece he did at Dean Lane skate park a while back…lots of big teeth.

Laic217, Old Bread Street, Bristol, June 2017
Laic217, Old Bread Street, Bristol, June 2017

In the piece, the blue-faced character is snorting paint, a metaphor for his own addiction to spraying the streets. I’ve not thought about it before, but Laic217’s prolific nature may in some way be a type of addiction. Perhaps spraying walls is what he gets up in the morning for, or so it would seem.

Laic217, Old Bread Street, Bristol, June 2017
Laic217, Old Bread Street, Bristol, June 2017

I love the piece, and I’m sure I’ve seen those eyes in the mirror after a heavy night before.

 

 

864. Dean Lane skate park (63)

Skor85 is an artist I know precious little about, but I have been finding pieces by her all over Bristol. She is not the most prolific of artists, but her work is out there and some of it I have recently discovered in my archives. Her work is usually a little understated, and frequently accompanied with some message or other.

Skor85, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2017
Skor85, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2017

This piece is tucked away on the back of a skate ramp, and opposite one of the main graff walls. The more I look at it the more I like it. At first is appears to be a bit crude, but  actually the layering is really good, and the fine lines creating the detail are nicely done. More to come from this artist, and best of all she will be at Upfest, so I hope to get a chance to meet her.

863. Dean Lane skate park (62)

I am absolutely loving this  EAT crew partnership of Kid Crayon and SPZero76. As street artists go, their styles are quite different, KC tending to have softer lines and whose characters have a kind of lumpy quality to them…I’m not sure I have used the right term there, but I know what I mean. SPZero76 tends to use sharper lines and his characters are altogether more angular and prickly (another dodgy art term).

Kid Crayon and SPZero, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2017
Kid Crayon and SPZero, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2017

I mention their styles, because, of all the works they have done together that I have seen, this is the one where their art is starting to merge or rub-off on one another. The left hand side id by Kid Crayon and the right hand side by SPZero76.

Kid Crayon and SPZero, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2017
Kid Crayon and SPZero, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2017

I have absolutely no idea what is going on in this piece, but love the sort of Summer watery feel to it all. A purple giant, some little ‘ginger bread man’ type figures and a pretty lady bathing with a rubber duck. KC is clearly bonkers.

Kid Crayon and SPZero, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2017
Kid Crayon and SPZero, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2017

On the other side of things, SPZero76 gives us a couple of snorkelers a flamingo rubber ring and a pirate ship. The couple are in love. SPZero too is completely bonkers.

Kid Crayon and SPZero, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2017
Kid Crayon and SPZero, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2017

I absolutely love this collaboration and even more enjoy the way that these two just seem to love to paint all the time, about anything. This is one of my favourite pieces so far this year. Bravo.

862. Greville Road (6)

A rather poor featured image picture of a rather unusual collaboration by Beastie and Decay. This is not the first time these two have collaborated – or rather shared a wall – and I posted this Raleigh Road piece a few weeks back. The picture is poor, because I took it on a bright day with the sun behind the wall…never a good idea.

Beastie, Greville Road, Bristol, June 2017
Beastie, Greville Road, Bristol, June 2017

This shared wall – I use this expression rather than collaboration, because the two works were painted at the same time, but there is little read-across between the two, each having its own distinct style.

Beastie, Greville Road, Bristol, June 2017
Beastie, Greville Road, Bristol, June 2017

On the left is an unusual piece by Beastie featuring what I would describe as a fictional bird (I might be wrong here) near a small woodland and pond. I don’t know if it is symbolic or representative, but it is a rather pretty bird. I love it when artists incorporate the street furniture, in this case a litter bin, into their works.

Decay, Greville Road, Bristol, June 2017
Decay, Greville Road, Bristol, June 2017

On the right, is a nice piece by Decay. His work, arguably, is the most distinctive in Bristol. There is absolutely no way that it could be confused with anyone else. The abstract symmetry and concentric bands of reds, greys, whites and blacks have Decay written all over them. Really good drips here too.

Decay, Greville Road, Bristol, June 2017
Decay, Greville Road, Bristol, June 2017

Overall this is a lovely shared wall, but it will be here only for a fleeting moment as  we approach Upfest at the end of the month, and this wall is a popular one for the festival.

861. Dean Lane skate park (61)

This is an absolutely wonderful piece by Dibz, featuring a character from the animated television series ‘Pinky and the Brain’. This is actually ‘the Brain’ as Pinky is somewhat skinnier and more stupid looking. Lots more from the excellent Wikipedia page on this cartoon.

Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2017
Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2017

What I like about this work is just how fantastically sharp and clear all Dibz’s lines are, it is a really strong technical piece. He spends a lot of time perfecting his designs before committing them to a wall, and his black book is well worth looking at on his Instagram feed.

Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2017
Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2017

Care has been taken, even providing a neutral grey background to help the lime green and pink stand out on this piece. One of the best on this wall for a while. Incidentally, and quite by accident, it is on the exact same space as the previous post from Inkie.

860. Dean Lane skate park (60)

Sometimes you get lucky and see pieces by great artists that come and go in the twinkling of an eye. This was a quick one sprayed by Inkie to celebrate the opening of the ‘Graffiti Nation’ exhibition at Upfest back on 28 April 2017.

Inkie, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2017
Inkie, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2017

Inkie told me that he had sprayed it quickly that day and had also worked on his contribution for the exhibition an the day as well. A busy man. This is a wonderful work, simple in its colour selection but with such beautiful writing and lines.

Inkie, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2017
Inkie, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2017

When I look at something like this, it appears to have an effortlessness about it, the work of someone completely in command of his craft. It was painted over fairly swiftly.

859. New Stadium Road (2)

Pretty much without exception, all of Laic217’s pieces harbour menace to a greater or lesser extent. Even though much of his work is weird, and he specialises in facial distortions, this one is weirder than most.

Laic217, New Stadium Road, Bristol, May 2017
Laic217, New Stadium Road, Bristol, May 2017

The fly is grotesque – a bluebottle of sorts. An interesting thing going on is the ‘fly’ is feeding on what looks like a steaming poo which makes up the numbers 217. I hope this is a joke and not some subconscious self-esteem issue.

Laic217, New Stadium Road, Bristol, May 2017
Laic217, New Stadium Road, Bristol, May 2017

Even though the image is quite disgusting, you really have to admire a creature of horror movie proportions wearing a bucket hat with a smiley on it. Acid wins the day. A trippy piece?

858. The Bearpit (75)

Well I told you he was prolific, and I have only just got started on posting pieces by J. Dior. This time we see some kind of mythological centaur/tiger hybrid, with an interesting foot at the end of its tail. There are some curious things going on in Dior’s head.

J. Dior, The Bearpit, Bristol, May 2017
J. Dior, The Bearpit, Bristol, May 2017

The writing ‘In the Right’ doesn’t really give many clues to what the piece is about, in fact it rather muddies the water a bit. I note that the ‘tattoo’ on the Centaur’s arm says Jadore (J’adore – ‘I love’ in French) is this deliberate or is he just playing with his name? For the time being, and until I get to ask him face to face I will continue to call him J. Dior. His style really is distinctive and unmistakable. A fun piece.

857. St Werburghs tunnel (13)

It seems that street/graffiti artists tend to have peaks and troughs in their activity. I suppose that, like the rest of us, life, jobs, family and so on just get in the way a bit. I introduce this piece with this observation because Sled One, who was extremely productive last year, seems to be a little quieter. This may just be a false perception, and I am not seeing his stuff as much as I used to – I might be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Sled One, St Werburghs Tunnel, Bristol, June 2017
Sled One, St Werburghs Tunnel, Bristol, June 2017

This is of the usual high standard that Sled One attains, it appears, with such ease. This wildstyle writing is so very easy on the eye, like much of his work. I particularly like the ‘accent’ lines he uses to emphasise the letters or that wisp around the piece giving it a sense of animation. I will not tire of his outstanding work.

Sled One, St Werburghs Tunnel, Bristol, June 2017
Sled One, St Werburghs Tunnel, Bristol, June 2017

856. The Bearpit (74)

It is always rather gratifying when a new artist appears on the scene; there is something new to write about and to look out for. NEVERGIVEUP is new to Bristol, and another member of the Polish contingent, so I am led to believe, which includes Hire and Laic217.

NEVERGIVEUP, The Bearpit, Bristol, June 2017
NEVERGIVEUP, The Bearpit, Bristol, June 2017

NEVERGIVEUP seems to specialise in these highly stylised and designed goofy rabbits. The more observant of you might wonder what it is about graffiti artists drawing goofy bunnies (Hire also sprays them) – maybe it is a Bugs Bunny thing. Who knows?

NEVERGIVEUP, The Bearpit, Bristol, June 2017
NEVERGIVEUP, The Bearpit, Bristol, June 2017

This is one of several bunnies that has appeared in The Bearpit over the last few weeks, and although he hasn’t been here long, NEVERGIVEUP is making an impression already.