.
Across the decking
like a bullet, a fledgling
It’s maiden voyage
.
by Scooj
4519. Upfest 2022 (16)
I have met Goin only once and it was at an Upfest a few years ago. He had just finished a stencil piece in a spot that was not a recognised Upfest wall (let’s call it) and was looking rather sheepish. I tried to strike up a conversation with him, but he wished to keep his anonymity intact and was backwards in coming forwards (and who can blame him). Things have moved on since then, and Goin has created this magnificent wall for Upfest 2022.
I had to have a couple of goes at photographing this piece, because there were shadows running across the wall in my first attempts. This was one of the first walls to be completed at this year’s Upfest, and is a real statement piece. Big, bold and simple the girl in greyscale is wearing a beret, but the only revolution here is for love. The only colour is a red badge on her beret and the heart cushion she is clasping to her chest. The piece feels important and significant and is a strong message in these uncertain and troubling times.
4518. St Werburghs tunnel (298)
I don’t see enough of Inca the Mole’s work, not because he isn’t painting, but more because I don’t seem to be very good at finding his spots. I couldn’t miss this one in St Werburghs tunnel though on my last visit there.
This piece of graffiti writing from The Mole is absolutely fabulous. The letters are really crisp and sharp along with a thin white border. The letters spelling out Inca are filled with four colours transitioning horizontally really nicely. To cap off the piece, and the bit that stands out are the little peace signs floating through the middle. Some good drips too. All in all a well executed piece from LRS artist The Mole.
4517. Leonard Lane (35)
Back to Leonard Lane, and this special Queen’s platinum Jubilee celebration piece by John D’oh. This is another fantastically presented piece from John D’oh, who has been producing some really outstanding work lately, really stepping up a level.
This one is an irreverent glance at the Queen, with specific reference to her second son’s indiscretions and rather odd alibi, for his involvement in a sex scandal, that he had taken his daughter to a Pizza Express in Woking on the day in question. It is nice to have these little reminders of British history so perfectly illustrated through John D’oh’s stencils. I have noticed that he has stencilled this one in another of his favourite spots, and need to get over there to photograph it.
I thought I’d include a little extra piece from John D’oh, which I think is from some time ago, but is right next to the Jubilee pizza piece. Gotta love this one!
4516. Dean Lane skate park (500)
A little bit of a milestone today for Natural Adventures – this is the 500th post from Dean Lane skate park, and we mark it with a small and slightly weird piece from Sprat. Any fish-based street art will always get my seal of approval, and there is something about the bonkersness of this piece that really tickles me.
This is only the second piece I have posted by Sprat, but I am certain that there will be many more to come. The fish has legs and is running. It is quite a straightforward piece, contained within a black border. I think the impact of the piece that it is an unusual image, out of the ordinary, and therefore eye-catching. The location on a raised section of wall also adds to the quirkiness of it. I’ll be on the lookout for more from Sprat.
4515. New Stadium Road (40)
This is brilliant from Pelmo. A compound piece telling a wonderful story, but you have to keep your eyes open. I, and many others, missed the point of this piece, simply by breaking the first rule of looking at street art… Always, always look up! I thought the character in the feature image was the whole piece, a climber at the bottom of a rope – it was new, it was different, and it was by Pelmo, which was more than enough for me. However, I hadn’t looked up.
The whole piece has another climber at the top of the rope, hanging down from the top of the tunnel entrance. How on earth did I miss this? I only found out when Pelmo responded to a post on Instagram from another photographer who had also missed the top climber. D’oh!
When I spoke to Pelmo at Upfest he suggested that he might be trying a few more of these ‘compound’ pieces in the future, which would be wonderful if happens. Expect to see some more orange and red pieces coming from Pelmo, as he seems to be favouring these colours at the moment.
(Founding) Father’s Day
.
Alex Hamilton
in the room where it happens
Aaron Burr left out
.
by Scooj
4514. Nelson Street (15)
Anyone who visits the centre of Bristol can’t have missed that there has been a lot of redevelopment work going on in Nelson Street, Broad Street and the surrounding area. This rather seedy backwater has, over the last two years undergone a bit of a face lift and is being opened soon as a huge, 250 bedroom, hotel owned by the Clayton chain. Let’s hope they can find enough workers to staff it! Unlike many developments, this one has retained some significant existing murals and commissioned a new one by the old master, Felix Braun.
Felix Braun or FLX is one of the godfathers of Bristol street art and author of the book ‘Children of the Can’ a ‘must-have’ for enthusiasts of the Bristol scene. His artwork has taken on a highly designed stylised look in recent years, and this huge mural is a gorgeous reminder of his talent. Abstract figures at the base of the piece draw your eyes in before sending them upwards towards the giant figure and it’s shadow. There is something very pleasing about the piece overall, and it is great to see FLX’s work in the heart of the city.
4513. Porto (5)
I enjoy enormously seeing street art when I am visiting other parts of the UK or other countries, but I am conflicted when it comes to writing about what I see, because invariably I know nothing about the artists. This magnificent mural by Tamara Alves is a case in point.
I’m not quite sure what area of Porto we were in when we saw this, but the image is a striking one with a beautiful woman wrapped in an embrace of arms and hands. Tamara Alves is a massively talented artist from Lisbon, and you can read more about her on her very nice website. This was one of several large murals we saw in Porto.
Brothers
.
Three very long years
since last we were together
a rare occasion
.
by Scooj
Natural adventures 