This gorgeous piece of graffiti writing from Ryder very nearly got left behind in the archives, however I am trying to go back and dig out such lost treasures which is a real challenge due to the sheer volume of street art being painted at the moment.
Ryder, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2021
I haven’t seen too many Ryder pieces lately (until the day before yesterday, that is) but what he lacks in quantity he has more than made up for with quality. Spelling out RYDER, this is a classic piece of writing from the RAW man with five horizontal fills running through the letters and some rather nice black spot decorations. This is a really classy piece, and there is a little shout out to King Robbo which is rather nice.
A gallery of outstanding graffiti writing and character pieces from Bristol’s Taboo
All photographs by Scooj
Taboo, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, April 2026Rowdy, Ryder, Taboo, Sage and Solar, Coronation Road, Bristol, January 2025Taboo, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2025Taboo, Greenway Bush Lane, Bristol, February 2025Taboo, Dove Lane, Bristol, September 2024Taboo, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2019Taboo, Lower Ashley Road, Bristol, August 2024Taboo, M32 cycle path, Bristol, May 2024Taboo, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2024Taboo, East Street, Bristol, August 2023Taboo, M32 cycle path, Bristol, June 2023Taboo, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, April 2023Taboo, New Stadium Road, Bristol, February 2018Taboo, Nelson Street, Bristol, December 2022Taboo, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2022Taboo, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022Taboo, Trinity Street, Bristol, November 2022Taboo, Lower Ashley Road, Bristol, August 2022Taboo, Lower Ashley Road, Bristol, August 2022Taboo, North Street, Bristol, June 2022Taboo, North Street, Bristol, May 2022Taboo, North Street, Bristol, May 2022Taboo, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2022Taboo, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2022Taboo, St Werburghs, Bristol, November 2019Taboo, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, December 2021Taboo, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, September 2021Taboo, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, September 2021Taboo, M32 roundabout, Bristol, August 2021Taboo, Brunel Way, Bristol, June 2021Taboo, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020Taboo, St Werburghs, Bristol, December 2020Taboo, Brunel Way, Bristol, November 2020Taboo, Brunel Way, Bristol, November 2020Taboo, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2020Taboo, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2020Taboo, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2020Taboo, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2020Taboo, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2020Taboo, Moon Street, Bristol, August 2020Taboo, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020Taboo, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020Taboo, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2020Taboo, M32 cycle path, Bristol, June 2020Taboo, M32 cycle path, Bristol, June 2020Taboo, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020Taboo, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020Taboo, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2020
This beautiful piece of calligraphic writing is from Todoaciem and a part of a large collaborative wall from an HMR crew paint jam a few weeks back. I have already posted the Dabuten Tronko piece from the same wall, and now it is the turn of Todoaciem.
Todoaciem, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, May 2021
The wall itself can be problematic to photograph, because the sun shines through large trees, creating a dappled effect. The only solution is to come early in the morning or on an overcast day, but beggars can’t be choosers, so dappled pictures is what I have.
Set on a green smokey background, which is amplified by the light quality, Todoaciem has written the letters CIEM in the most beautiful font and with a heraldic colour palette. If medieval knights did graffiti, perhaps this is what it would look like. A hugely accomplished and brilliant piece of writing.
It would seem that with a little encouragement from Daz Cat, CD.TC has managed to get out and paint a little in the last few weeks, which is great to see, and here the two combine in this rather nice collaboration in the middle of the tunnel.
CD.TC and Daz Cat, St Werburghs tunnel, Bristol, May 2021
On the left CD.TC’s monster character is spraying upwards to creat the letters CD.TC and on the right a Daz Cat is dipping a piece of pizza into a can of something with GYS on the side. The cat has two left arms, don’t ask me why. I don’t know what GYS stands for in this piece, but a quick Google search revealed it can mean ‘Get your stuff’ or ‘get you some’ or ‘graveyard shift’. You can decide for yourself what you think it might mean in this context. A nice low-key collaboration.
It would seem that Laic217 has found some rhythm to his street work and is painting more regularly no than he was for much of the winter. This portrait of a rather gaunt character is tucked away on the swimming pool wall at Dean Lane, and is modest by Laic217’s standards.
Laic217, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2021
There are some familiar elements in this character piece, but it does seem to mark a departure from skulls and skeletons continuing from his last Dean Lane character. Smoking and an exaggerated mouth gives this character a bit of a menacing look. All good stuff though.
This is the sixth and final part of the Six Sisters project in North Street, a series of six huge facade murals by six female Bristol artists, organised by Upfest. This final part of the series is by Alex Lucas, who has featured in Natural Adventures numerous times, and a gallery of her work can be found here.
Alex Lucas, North Street, Bristol, May 2021
This piece is an absolute beauty and brings the series to a great crescendo. Alex Lucas brings her illustration skills to the fore with these three poodles and a pug? In amongst some beautiful flowers and clouds. The vibrancy of the colours was enhanced by the gorgeous weather on the day I took these pictures.
Alex Lucas, North Street, Bristol, May 2021
The poodles (not my favourite breed if I am honest) are full of life and movement with suitably daft expressions on their faces. They are frolicking amongst the clouds and amazing yellow flowers. The whole thing resembles fancy bespoke wallpaper.
Alex Lucas, North Street, Bristol, May 2021
When Gemma Compton completed the first of these murals above the Upfest shop in June 2016, I don’t think anyone could have foreseen what a wonder this row of shops would become five years later. Bravo to all the artists and hats off to Upfest for giving the city this amazing landmark.
The ‘six sisters’ – Bex Glover, Alex Lucas, Zoe Power, Gemma Compton, Sophie Long and Ejits, North Street, Bristol, May 2021
The message from Rtiiika here is very clear ‘stop telling women to smile’. I must confess to being a little bit puzzled by the sentence. I like to think that I am reasonably well acquainted with issues of gender inequality, and sensitive to the political and societal pressures, but I don’t really understand this message. It might be something that I am unaware of, and if so need to understand better.
Rtiiika, Muriel Alleyway, Bristol, May 2021
The artwork is wonderful and adopts the characteristic long thin lines that Rtiiika uses in her work, this time in the form of her letters. The piece is capped off with a smiley in the centre in the colour of the original we are all so familiar with. There is a juxtaposition between this smiley and the message of the piece. I like the concept of messaging like this and wonder if she will do more of it.
