I first met Sirens a few years ago in The Bearpit when he was contributing to a paint jam, I think organised by Georgie. I have had a soft spot for his work ever since. His scenes are most unconventional and unlike anything else you see in the city. Often his work contains strong horizons and vanishing points and that interface between humanity and nature.
Sirens, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2020
I also know that Sirens enjoys the chalenge of painting in corners, a form of anamorphic art that needs to be viewed from a certain angle in order to make sense. This naive style is instantly recognisable and although not technically up there with some of the Bristol masters, it is original and in a way aesthetically pleasing. I haven’t seen any of his work for ages so it was great to find this one at the tunnel.
Just outside St Werburghs tunnel there are several caravans and mobile homes, which give the area something of a distinctive character. It seems to be a situation that the local residents, council and police put up with, although one never knows how long patience will last. Several of the vehicles get little make-overs every now and again, and this little caravan has been decorated by Minto.
Minto, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2020
This is a particularly nice caravan pieve, as sometimes they can look a little perfunctory or rushed, but not this one, it is a beauty. I haven’t seen too much of Minto’s work, which I guess is because although he lived in Bristol for a while, he now lives in London and I imagine only visits from time to time. Great to have this mobile piece though.
In one of his favourite spots, Face 1st recently painted this ‘traditional’ Face 1st piece of a girl’s face surrounded by big hair spelling out Face. In this one there is a rather toxic-looking gunge dripping from the letters, but the girl seems to be pretty happy about it.
Face 1st, Moon Street, Bristol, February 2020
Although this area is being gentrified and several blocks adjacent to Moon Street have been levelled, it still remains one of my favourite places to hunt for street art.
What a fantastic piece by Sepr this is, and I totally missed it. The wall on the side of The Bell pub has played host to a piece by Sepr before which I posted way back in May 2016, but when I returned some time last year it had been painted over, and I wondered whether the landlords had had enough of street art on their pub.
Sepr, Dalton Square, Bristol, February 2020
I was passing by that way recently and to my complete surprise and joy this ‘new’ and outstanding mural has taken the place of the old one. I asked a lady who came out of the back door of the pub if it was new and she said that it had been painted in June 2019, I thanked her, and felt rather useless that as a chronicler of Bristol street art I had completely missed this one. The story has a happy ending in so much as I did find it in the end and it looks as good as new.
Sepr, Dalton Square, Bristol, February 2020Sepr, Dalton Square, Bristol, February 2020
The brilliance of Sepr never seems to dwindle and his story telling through art is quite remarkable. A group of criminal cats have been on a banana robbery and in their attempt to escape have driven in to some police, depcited as pigs of course, and there are bananas spilling out all over the place.
Make no mistake, I love, love, love this piece and what a treat to find it.
Some readers of this blog may not know that it is called Natural Adventures because it was started as a digitisation of adventure I had to the Falkland Islands in 1988 when I was a young man. I was a fisheries scientist working for the Falkland Islands Government and at this point in the Journal was out at sea on a Japanese squid jigger called the Koei Maru 30.
For context it might be worth reading chapter 1, ‘An ill wind‘.
Previous chapters (in reverse chronological order) are listed here.
The adventure continues…
Sunday 3 July 1988. Koei Maru 30
Today I had a lovely lie in – woken by the bell some time around 5am and then by the generator at about 6.15 or so. What it means of course is that I shan’t be able to sleep again tonight.
A bird is on the deck, seemingly knackered, perhaps dying – I gave it some fish livers which it is eating quite happily. I hope it lives – I may take a piccie.
It is a dolphin gull and I think it has thrown in the towel – poor thing – I wish there was more I could do for it.
Watched Lethal Weapon (4th time) ace film, and smoked loads of ciggies and drank lots of beer and whiskey and am now ready for bed. I miss Deb so much – especially now when I know ‘home time’ is only three weeks away.
Whiskey and cigarettes, Koei Maru 30, Falkland Islands, 1988
Monday 4 July 1988. Koei Maru 30
One year ago today we sat in the Annex (one of the residences at Bangor University where the overseas students lived) garden stuffing ourselves with home made beefburgers and cake and chicken and potato salad and beer and wine and it was a lot of fun – fighting off the mozzies as the chill of the summer evening set in, lighting fireworks and basically having a good time.
I will never forget Moyo’s dancing or Pia’s shirt. Andy Brooks threw a good party and I was happy. How can it all be a year ago? It seems so unfair that life slips by like this.
My cabin, Koei Maru 30, Falkland Islands 1988
Life is sometimes a big disappoitment – never waste it, remember it and live the memories, enjoy them – they’re all we have when we die. Memories are all that is left. I remember Jeremy Jones with a good heart – he lives on in my mind. So sad. I shed a tear every now and then. How can he be gone? That’s it, he’s over.
My seagull has disappeared – I pray that it lived and flew off.
Sleep once again accompaned by a wee dram of scotch.
Slept well for a change (probably the five steaks!).
Tuesday 5 July 1988. Koei Maru 30
Spoke to Liz on the blower.
I should be getting back to Port Stanley round about the 17th or so, but in looking at this I realise that it is a Sunday, so it will have to be the 15th or the 18th – it will be fun breaking the news to the Fishing Master!
Wrote a letter to Deb in which I told her that I smoke now,
God I wish I didn’t – my lungs now are burning and full of shit. I am in very poor condition. I dislike myself at the moment.
I wish I was home – I wish I didn’t have this blasted job.
Sod the expeience!
Sod this!
I miss home, and I’m ultra pissed off and my cabin is too hot and I’m sweating!
Bollocks!
Wednesday 6 July 1988. Koei Maru 30
Slept terribly, only to wake up this morning and celebrate a day of no fishing. What makes today even better is the fact that we are sheltering from the rough seas in the shadow of Pebble Island.
I therefore am relatively happy
Very little else to write about – these non-working days are very long indeed.
Mr Klue is going through a productive and creative patch at the moment, and it is a real pleasure to see his work springing up all over the place. This large piece in the tunnel at St Werburghs is a bit of a feast for the eyes.
Mr Klue, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2020
Unfortunately, the light in the tunnel has goofed up the colours a bit and a car was parked in a place where I couldn’t swing to the right to get more natural light on the image. Why do people park in the tunnel? Sadly I can’t go back to get more pictures, because it has already gone. Turnover in the tunnel is so high at the moment, probably because we have had so much rain.
Mr Klue, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2020
The piece itself is classic Mr Klue fare with the added bonus of a character and his top hat, most likely influenced by Carroll’s mad hatter. Mr Klue has used this imagery several times in his murals and it adds another layer of mystery to his abstract work. A grand piece.
Well, he’s on fire really isn’t he? Each time I do my rounds of well known street art spots there seems to be a Smak piece lurking there somewhere. This relatively recent one is bang in the middle of St Werburghs tunnel. I am quite pleased that the photograph has come out reasonably well considering the dire light conditions there.
Smak, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2020
This has all the elements of a typically technically brilliant Smak piece. Sensational design and lines, clean and tidy, wonderful 3D and fill work. I’m not sure he ever has a ‘bad hair day’ and if he does, I’ve yet to see it.
This beauty is the second recent collaboration from Dasco and Oseque. I know that Dasco is Bristol-based, but haven’t seen any of Oseque’s work before now, and have kind of assumed that he is not from these parts. I have done a little checking on the Interweb, and as far as I can make out, Dasco is from the Canary Islands and Oseque (José Castillo) is from Granada, but also seems to have a connection with Bristol. Either way, I hope we get to see more from this pairing.
Dasco and Oseque, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2020
The piece itself is a beautifully merged collaboration with the character portrait rising out of the letters. The colours are quite dulled and although really impressive as it is, give the whole thing a low-key feel. Oseque has a way of making his portraits look like they are drawn into a sketchbook rather than sprayed on a wall. Really nice work.
Natural adventures 