Another old one from the archive dating back to January 2017. This is a really great semi-abstract piece from the hugely talented Mr Klue. In this piece he uses his favoured colour scheme of purples and blues and incorporates a vanishing point around which the whole work focuses.
Mr Klue, The Bearpit, Bristol, January 2017
I like his work very much, but haven’t seen too much of it on the streets lately – in fact the most recent piece I saw was the one he did for Upfest.
Mr Klue, The Bearpit, Bristol, January 2017
I look forward to more of his work on the streets of Bristol. I hope I don’t have to wait too long.
I can see that this abstract piece may or may not be to everyone’s taste, however since seeing his work last year at Upfest I am a fan of the artist Angerami. He had two pieces at Upfest 2016, a fish his official piece and an owl tucked away in an alleyway.
Angerami, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
This abstract piece is what I would call ‘architectural’ although that might not be the correct term. It is a bold work that may have some hint of or not to the animal kingdom, but that might just be my interpretation.
Angerami, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Angerami has a thorough website, and one of the most extensive biographies I have seen for a street artist – he also keeps it up to date – well worth a visit. It would appear, from looking at his artwork series that this piece is one of a series ‘from inside to outside’.
Angerami, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
I stopped for a quick chat with Angerami and told him how much I liked his pieces last year, which he appreciated. A gentle and quiet man who appears to be highly thoughtful and I would guess academic. Hope he returns next year for a hat trick.
One of the most striking and rather psychadelic pieces of this year’s Upfest was this portrait incorporating a glitched abstract background in the form of 3D colouring. The work is from the Brisish artist (Dan) Newso.
Newso, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
This is quite a difficult and busy piece to look at. Do you look at the face and get distracted (I do), or look at the abstract surround and get pulled into the face? Either way it is amost impossible to look at the whole. A very clever piece.
Newso, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
On his website, Newso has published a biography, which reads:
‘Throughout 2016 Dan Newso developed his work combining figurative with abstract content in a glitch or implied collage style. This work is often painted on compressed cement board to give the feeling of a painting on a concrete wall.
Since 2008 he has been well known in Birmingham’s post-industrial creative quarter Digbeth, painting murals in public spaces. This work has largely been self funded and has been a process of getting to know the community to open up spaces to paint.
He paints commissioned artwork and murals in varied styles to suit clients needs; he has painted internationally with the latest project of 2016 being a residency in Perth, Western Australia.’
Newso, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
I like this piece, even though it confuses my ageing eyes. I hope he makes it back to Upfest next year.
It is great to be able to post yet another incredible work by another Bristol Artist. This one is by Shab, and stands head and shoulders above many of then other abstract pieces at Upfest this year. His use of the brilliant white an black outlines on a slightly off-white background works a treat, and the match and flame are something to behold.
Shab, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
This is a thoughtful piece which had some scratching their heads. An acquired taste maybe, but actually technically really good. As always with his pieces an eye is incorporated too.
Shab, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
I do really like his work, but missed the opportunity to meet him. He had finished by the time I made it this far on the first day. This one makes it into my top 10 for the festival.
I had been waiting for a long time to at last meet up with Mr Klue, and the one place you can be more confident that such a meeting will take place is at Upfest. I found him just as he was finishing off this beautiful abstract piece in a corner of the South Street Park site.
Mr Klue, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Mr Klue is a disarmingly modest man whose style of abstract work is unparalleled in Bristol. I’m not entirely sure he knows how gifted he is, and his works convey great skill and thoughtfulness. I particularly like this one with its wispy smoke and swirly shapes shifting to a vanishing point.
Mr Klue, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
I don’t know how we got onto the subject, but Mr Klue told me that he does all his drawings in biro…an implement I can’t stand, but one that allows his work to flow, he likes the feel of it. Now there’s something you didn’t know.
A great piece from a great young man who I was so very pleased to catch up with. I hope our paths cross again soon.
Many will instantly recognise the wonderful abstract work of Decay instantly. A Bristol-based graffiti artist who has appeared in numerous posts on this blog, with his characteristic concentric shapes of black, white, grey and red. He was very smart this year – he is a quick worker, and he sprayed his piece early on the Saturday morning before the rain came, and was then free to enjoy the festival with the rest of us punters.
Decay, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
I met up with him in one of the venues, I think it was the Rising Sun, by chance which was lucky, because I had told him via Instagram that I wanted to buy one of his lovely new T-shirts and would do so if I met him. The shirt is great, and a nice souvenir of the day. I also had another little souvenir in the shape of one of the spray cans Decay used to spray this piece (the one on the left of the feature image).
Mrs Scooj was not impressed and said that I was behaving like a groupie and should grow up a bit. I prefer to think of myself working alongside these artists, and whilst I admire them I don’t think I idolise them. Without archivists and rapporteurs, our world would be transient and ‘in the moment’ but there would be little in the way of context.
Oze Arv was a very busy man during his short stay in Bristol for Upfest. This Portuguese artist from Lisbon uses patterns to mix expression and graphics. His style is instantly recognisable, as you will see as I post all of the work he left behind for Bristolians.
Oze Arv, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
This is a lovely shutter piece on North Street, one of two ‘official’ pieces he sprayed for Upfest. Shutters are always hard, but he has been smart with this one, laying down a white background, which lifts the whole piece really well. I think most of his work tends to include the natural world.
Oze Arv, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
I like the combination of the abstract and natural, I think it works well. I caught up with him for a few minutes, and he seemed like a really nice guy, happy to chat about his work. Lots more to come.
