Thursday doors – 18 June 2020

Doors 111 – Lock down walk doors

It should come as a rather refreshing change that this week’s doors are not from my street art archives, but doors I photographed during lock down on my walks with the dog. I know that the street art doors are popular, and will return to them in due course.

This week’s selection of doors are mainly from the Montpelier and St Werburghs area on what were sleepy streets back in March, but have now resumed almost normal levels of traffic.

An ordinary door with an extraordinary tile surround, Montpelier, Bristol, March 2020
An ordinary door with an extraordinary tile surround, Montpelier, Bristol, March 2020
Fancy pants door, Montpelier, Bristol, March 2020
Fancy pants door, Montpelier, Bristol, March 2020
Great colours, a mask and a wall built into the door surround, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2020
Great colours, a mask and a wall built into the door surround, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2020
Former door bricked up, Montpelier, Bristol, March 2020
Former door bricked up, Montpelier, Bristol, March 2020
Garden door, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2020
Garden door, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2020
Back yard door (note the tagged wheely bin), St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2020
Back yard door (note the tagged wheely bin), St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2020
Tagged door (that tag again), St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2020
Tagged door (that tag again), St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2020

So a little canter around the streets of Sy Werburghs an Montpelier in Bristol, I hope you enjoyed looking at the dors as much as I enjoyed finding and photographing the. That’s it for another week, so I hope you all keep well until next time.

If you have made it this far, you probably like doors and you really ought to take a look at the Norm 2.0 blog – the originator of Thursday Doors where there are links to yet more doors in the comments section at the end.

 

by Scooj

 

A long wait

.

Arsenal are back

the premiership resumes

I am conflicted.

.

by Scooj

* I am not sure about the rushed resumption of football. I always favoured an abandoned season and reset to starting this season next season, but the money gets in the way.

3000. St Werburghs tunnel (170)

I am told that Rezwonk doesn’t like this piece so much so that he didn’t share it on his Instagram account. Well the great thing about writing about other people’s artwork is that I am not in a position to be self-critical, instead I critique what I see and how it makes me feel. I think this is a fabulous piece of writing and the colour selection alone is worthy of praise.

Rezwonk, St Werburghs, Bristol, June 2020
Rezwonk, St Werburghs, Bristol, June 2020

Whether he was short of space or whether he was simply switching things up I don’t know, but the usual REZER has been replaced with REZR. The orange/copper tones bordered by beautifully worked alternate black and white fringes leave us with a tight piece that the artist is turning out with almost alarming regularity. Great to find this one.

2999. M32 roundabout J3 (218)

A second post of wheatpastes by Jarvis only this time there are three individual paste ups for the price of one. I posted a piece by this artist about a week ago, knowing nothing about him, but a rapid comment from theartblogger54 confirmed the artist’s name and even shared his Instagram account.

Jarvis, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2020
Jarvis, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2020

As far as I can make out, Jarvis appears to live in Bristol and I think probably in Easton, which would explain the location of these paste ups. On the left hand side of the triptych is a bare chested male figure with an interesting six-pack on display and an all-seeing third eye.

Jarvis, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2020
Jarvis, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2020

In the middle is a blue face with some kind of atomic structure in the neck area. It is a decent coloured sketch amplified by being one of three posted on the M32 roundabout notice board.

Jarvis, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2020
Jarvis, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2020

On the right is the third figure with a very long neck and a flower in his/her hair, and if I had to choose I would say that this drawing was the pick of the bunch. It would be great to see more of these sketches appearing about the place. This is what street art is all about, a spectrum of different styles, abilities and techniques which gives it such broad appeal and accessibility.

Identity theft

.

Appropriation

the nationalist right wing

steal St George’s cross

.

by Scooj

2998. Dean Lane skate park (324)

I have a feeling that this is the first piece from Turoe One post-lock down easing or at least if it isn’t then I have missed something. Situated in one of his favourite spots, at the left hand end of the first wall in Dean Lane, this is a striking and well executed piece.

Turoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020
Turoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020

Such is the turnover at Dean Lane at the moment that this didn’t last too long, and even some of the bigger pieces there are being over painted. This is what happens when you restrain artistic talent for months, there is a surge of activity. It is difficult for folk like me to keep up. This Turoe One burner is a high quality piece from an experienced hand.

2997. Dean Lane skate park (323)

This pair of rabbits from Nevergiveup in Dean Lane appeared alongside at least two other bunny pieces by the artist at the end of May just as lock down restrictions were easing.

Nevergiveup, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020
Nevergiveup, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020

With every new rabbit, Nevergiveup is improving and fine-tuning his technique and adding subtle decorative motifs. If you take a look back at some of his work from two years ago, it is possible to see the dramatic improvement. These are a lovely pair.

Urban Frome

.

Canalised river

beneath the motorway where

an acacia grows

.

by Scooj

This one is for Paul H who showed me how to access a graffiti spot alongside the River Frome today.

2996. M32 roundabout J3 (217)

Looking back at the Poland v Spain paint jam at the end of May, this piece was of particular interest to me. It is by Varo, who I met and had a good chat with even though his English is a little patchy and my Spanish rather more so.

Varo, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2020
Varo, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2020

While we are talking the penny dropped about who he was, and that although I have seen some of his work before (typically a kind of abstract bull) I never really knew who he was. Well that has all been put right now. This is a fine block writing piece spelling out VARO set on a black background to give it full contrast. The letter style is unusual and rather nicely done.

Varo, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2020
Varo, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2020

This is not the last piece by Varo that I will be posting, I’m sure and I will have to dig out some others from the archive.

Poland 2 Spain 2

2995. St Werburghs tunnel (169)

The easing of lock down (and I know I have flogged this particular horse to death) has seen the arrival of an ultra busy, ultra inspired period of street art in Bristol. It seems that all the artists that have been hitting the walls hard have been doing some creative thinking while they have been at home.

Rapt, St Werburghs, Bristol, June 2020
Rapt, St Werburghs, Bristol, June 2020

This lovely piece in St Werburghs tunnel from Rapt is neat and tidy and has the addition of a little character to the left, looking a lot like Snoopy. The dog is smoking a cigarette and wearing a hat with the words ‘Doggy Style’ written across it. This piece was part of a collaborative effort, with Elvs making up the other half (coming soon). Giants awaking from their slumbers.