So here we have, in this piece from Stivs, the coming together of outstanding writing style with subversion. Every time I look at this piece, which is kind of two pieces joined together, I begin to wonder whether Stivs has issues… he certainly seems to be letting it all out in his work at the moment, and there is an almost obsessive trait appearing on this wall.
Stivs, St Werburghs, Bristol, May 2024
As well as his customary calligraffiti, beautifully produced here, Stivs reminds us that he is a very talented character artist as well. The demonic character is depicted in shades of purple, and contains a lot of detailing. Of course, the elephant in the room is the outrageously sweary backdrops. I would suggest that we could name this as Stivs’ ‘blue period’.
From what I can gather, Daz Cat has been away for a little while travelling in Southeast Asia, and has recently returned to Bristol not only with some vigour but also with a newfound inspiration that is coming across very clearly in his new pieces, like this one in Cumberland Basin.
Daz Cat, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2024
I can’t say I have really seen anything like this from Daz Cat before, it is like his work has taken a significant step change. There is more sophistication and depth to his character portrait, who appears to be a hybrid between a human and a cat. There are some great colours used in this piece, and the hair is just something else. Daz Cat has come a long way, and his journey is getting really interesting.
I think that it is fairly common knowledge that ACAB is a subversive acronym derived from the phrase ‘all cops are bastards’. I am guessing that it was coined in North America, because we don’t generally use the word cop in the UK, preferring the terms Police, bobby, old Bill, ‘pigs’ or even ‘copper’ but rarely cop. ACAB is used liberally in street/graffiti art, and this piece on the curved wall by Mr Draws, has a humorous take on the letters.
Mr Draws, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2024
Firstly, I would say that this is a really attractive piece by Mr Draws, who continues to gently push his boundaries all the time whilst retaining his style and identity. The design is great, the letters are nice and tidy and the fill colours work surprisingly well. Mr Draws has softened the tone of the acronym so that it reads ‘all cats are beautiful’, and has added in a cat character for good measure. Perhaps one could term this piece ‘fluffy subversion’.
In amongst the dross in the tunnels of the Lawrence Hill roundabout, there are some real gems, but you need to hunt them down. This beauty by Slakarts stands out from the crowd, conspicuous on account of its superior quality in terms of both design and execution.
Slakarts, Lawrence Hill, Bristol, April 2024
Although the character piece is on the small side, Slakarts has worked it into the location perfectly, following the contour of the handrail, rather than fighting against it. The winning combination of pink and blue colours is easy on the eye, but it is the crispness and clean lines that really grab me. I guess the piece is ll the more enjoyable for being in this location, where I wouldn’t ordinarily expect to find a Slakarts piece. Worth the trip alone.
Ha ha! This outrageous portrait piece by Laic217 at the entrance to the tunnel just makes me laugh. It has all the hallmarks of his work, that takes the grotesque to a new level, softened by some superb paint craft (by which I mean tone and depth) and a brilliant background.
Laic217, St Werburghs, Bristol, April 2024
I wouldn’t ordinarily associate Laic217 with St Werburghs tunnel, but it is great to see him painting here. The distorted face features an enormous toothy mouth and protruding chin, but the character seems happy enough with it. Street artists often add an edge to portraits by omitting to include pupils in the eyes, which gives a bit of a sinister appearance, unsettling for the viewer. The material of the character’s clothes is as you’d expect perfectly painted, and the backdrop of blue smiley faces on a pick background, is suitably trippy. This is a great piece from Laic217.
Doors 265 – Doors from Highgate, London, November 2023 (Part V)
Forgive me if I appear a little distracted this morning, but I am still processing yesterday’s announcement by Rishi Sunak our Prime Minister, that we will be having a general election on 4 July (a special day on both sides of the pond), which is a little earlier than most were expecting. I’ll say no more about it, as Thursday Doors is a refuge from such matters, and instead focus on the final set of doors from a trip to Highgate in North London in November 2023, where I had lived for the majority of my teenage years.
I have also included a picture of the urinals in the public gents loo in Pond Square, simply because in spite of their function, they are elegant – they don’t make them like that any more (the old man in me says).
Most of these doors are from the Pond Square area, which is at the heart of Highgate ‘village’. When I was growing up, it was a place where teenagers would congregate to chat and make plans for which pubs they would try to get served in. It was also the focal point for the Pond Square Punks – it was the punk era, after all. I hope you enjoy the doors.
Blue doors of the Highgate URC Church, Highgate, London, November 2023
Pond Square public convenience and green door, Highgate, London, November 2023
Black and white doors with flat-roofed awnings, Highgate, London, November 2023
Yellow door with flat-roofed awning, Highgate, London, November 2023
Cream and blue doors with flat-roofed awnings, Highgate, London, November 2023
Had there once been a wider door to Burlington Court? Highgate, London, November 2023
Unpainted door and an autumn feel, Highgate, London, November 2023
So that rounds things off nicely for this trip down memory lane, which I have really enjoyed sharing on Thursday doors. I have a great many folders of doors waiting in the wings but will keep my plans for next time as a surprise (mainly because I haven’t decided yet).
Have a great weekend, and if you live in the UK, batten down the hatches for six weeks of relentless electioneering.
If you have made it this far, you probably like doors, and you really ought to take a look at the No Facilities blog by Dan Anton who has taken over the hosting of Thursday Doors from Norm 2.0 blog. Links to more doorscursions can be found in the comments section of Dan Anton’s Thursday Doors post.
I won’t go on for too long, but I have been waiting for this day for a very long time, and while the future under any new administration will be uncertain, there are truths about the past that are too much to bear. I care most about two things – public services and the biodiversity and climate crisis (that so many wedded to (funded by) the oil and gas industries have done their best to discredit) so I think you can probably guess who I won’t be voting for.
As someone who has spent my entire career in public service I have witnessed first-hand the jaw-dropping disregard the Tories have had for their staff in the civil service, health service, local authorities and agencies who have largely taken huge real-terms cuts in salaries over the last 14 years (in my own case about 19% cut). Cuts in staff numbers and budgets have been demoralising and to cap it all an ideology and poisonous narrative that suggests public servants are somehow ‘swinging the lead’.
But it is not just public service employees that have suffered, but the whole nation, particularly those who depend on or need the support public services can offer, the only people who are immune from the ferocious public sector cuts are the wealthy, many of whom do their very best to avoid paying taxes and resent paying taxes, so that they can maintain their ever more comfortable lives. I feel all of this is a sickening cliché… you know where I’m coming from.
I truly hope for change. I can see a much brighter future, both politically and environmentally. We do not have to succumb to the Hollywood tropes of a dystopian future, instead a green and compassionate future is something all of us can aspire to, a gentle kind world. This is my goal and my passion. It is why I am here.
Mind 49, Lawrence Hill roundabout, Bristol, April 2024
Lawrence Hill roundabout is a spot that is a little off the beaten track, and most of the graffiti down there is average at best, with a lot of bombers and taggers getting in some practice. Decent pieces tend not to last too long in a pristine state, but having said that turnover is pretty slow. I was therefore privileged on a recent speculative visit to find this beauty from Mind 49.
Mind 49, Lawrence Hill roundabout, Bristol, April 2024
It has been wonderful to watch Mind 49’s development from a young artist at Upfest 17 when he was a youthful 16 year old painting under the name Mind Control. This piece follows the theme of concealed portraits that he has been painting in which parts of the face are obscured by hoods or glasses or other things and in this case by the fact that the subject is looking away. This style leaves more to the viewer’s imagination and is quite unusual in the street art world. This is a really wonderful piece tucked away from the more common spots.
Ah! Bravo! Bravo! What a magnificent and, if I am honest, slightly unexpected collaboration from Fade and Pekoe in the tunnel. Although the pair have painted together in the past, it still somehow feels like a surprise when they hook up to paint together.
Fade, St Werburghs, Bristol, May 2024
I was going to write that this might not be the tightest of pieces, but the more I look at it the better it gets I’m my view. The sumptuous colour palette of gold and light purple ticks all the boxes and turns a good wall into a great one. Fade has kept the purple flashes to a subtle minimum, with just enough colour to complement the wonderful gold writing. Lifting the letters further is the beautifully clean white accent line along the upper edges of the letters. Brilliant.
Pekoe, St Werburghs, Bristol, May 2024
I wasn’t too sure about Pekoe’s portrait on first glance, but I am sure now that it is absolutely on point. The lady is wearing a gold hoody that frames a beautifully expressive face and flowing hair. The woman’s face looks quizzically amused about something, and seems to be suspended in that moment before breaking into laughter, at least that is what I see, and that is the joy of art, we each take home what we see. I really love this collaboration and look forward to their next project together.
Natural adventures 