Last weekend, a chance meeting with Sam Spade (a street art hunter) in St Werburghs tunnel, led to one of those perfect moments for photographing street art and meeting artists. He told me that there was a lot of activity on the M32 cycle path, behind the Black Swan and that I ought to get myself over there. I was heading in that direction anyway, but the light was fading and I might just as easily have headed home. Luckily I went to take a look and there was a paint jam of about seven or eight artists just coming to an end, many of whom I hadn’t met before (more on that in posts to come).
Sled One, M32 cycle path, Bristol, November 2020
This piece from Sled One had already been completed, and he was just hanging around watching the other artists as they completed their work. Sled One is one of the most gifted artists I know, and he seems to be able to create stunning work, graffiti writing or character pieces, with consummate ease. Here the letters spell out SLED (although it almost looks like he has slipped in an extra D) in a selection of letter shapes and colour shadings. The red and blue cloud clumps add an extra dimension to this fine piece of writing.
Resembling one of the giant stone head statues of Easter Island is this rather nice and low-key piece by Zace. This is only the second piece I have posted by Zace, and it illustrates the diversity of artists in Bristol at the moment and the rate at which new ones are joining the already sizeable cohort.
Zace, St Werburghs, Bristol, November 2020
There is something about this piece that I really like, maybe its modesty or the simplicity. The expression is difficult to read – an enigmatic smile perhaps? There is a lot to like and enjoy in a piece like this one and I really look forward to finding more work from Zace.
What a wonderful, wonderful surprise it was to find this gorgeous piece by Rosalita (RAW) on the M32 cycle path recently, and better than that, it was one of three – others to follow soon. Rosalita is an enigmatic artist, making only rare appearances on the walls of Bristol, but her presence however rare is always welcome.
Rosalita, M32 cycle path, Bristol, November 2020
This previously unpainted column (it had been tagged), quite unusual at this location, is the perfect spot for this amazing little cherub, perching on a skull. The piece is really unusual and the character beautifully painted and filled with a yellow base and red highlights, finished off with some beautiful tattoo decorations in blue. This is a heavenly piece (peace?) and a welcome addition to the writing we are more used to seeing around here. I can’t wait to post her other associated murals.
Doors 131 – a welcome to Dan Anton and some more graffiti archive doors
It has been an ultra busy week, so I am returning to my ‘safety blanket’ of doors from my street art archives. The worrying thing is that I am steadily using up my reserve doors and really need to get out to photograph some new and exciting doors. Bristol is currently in the highest tier of covid-19 restrictions, so it may still be some time before I can get out and about.
This little selection were originally posted on Natural Adventures during December 2019 and January this year. Enjoy:
There is a door there somewhere – I promise
Xenz, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2019
RichT, Frogmore Street, Bristol, December 2019
Paul Monsters, Leonard Lane, Bristol, December 2019
OK, So I cheated… There is a red gate in the wall at the bottom.
Space Invader, Lambeth High Street, London, November 2019
Nevergiveup, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2019
Pekoe, Hepburn Road, Bristol, January 2020
Nevergiveup, River Avon, Bristol, January 2020
Slakarts, Hepburn Road, Bristol, January 2020
Unify, Shoreditch, London, November 2018
BKFoxx, Hanbury Street, Shoreditch, London, November 2018
SkyHigh, Shoreditch, London, November 2018
Gvnly, North Street, Bristol, December 2018
Conrico, Newfoundland Road, Bristol, December 2019
Well there was a bit of cheating in that lot, and quite a few boarded up doors, but in this friendly community of door lovers, I’m sure even oblique references to doors are acceptable.
So that’s it for this week. More next week I hope.
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.
Another little trip into my archives to share this outstanding piece of graffiti writing from Spanish artist Claro_que_sssnoh from August this year. At the time I took the photograph, I’m not certain I knew who the artist was and so it stayed in my archives waiting to be freed.
Claro_que_sssnoh, M32 cycle path, Bristol, August 2020
Claro (I am shortening the name to save my sanity) has produced an absolutely stunning piece with so much to admire. The joyful pinks and blues set a happy tone for the writing which is out of the top drawer. It is those pink spots though that grab the eye and make this a memorable piece. Mouthwatering.
I first encountered the work of Mind Control at Upfest 2017 when he was a sixteen-year-old young man. Since then, I have seen pieces every now and again, but especially over the last few months. I had to dig this one out of my July archive and am pleased that I did, because it is the passionate and political piece of an angry young man.
Mind Control, Purdown Battery, Bristol, July 2020
Probably prompted by the Black Lives Matter movement this is a strong message against fascism and shows a hand crushing a swastika, not an emblem you see too often these days, even if there are still large numbers of racists and fascists about. I doff my cap to this young man for this statement.
Natural adventures 