Tag: Abstract

3186. Cheltenham 2020 (4)

One of the nice things about the Cheltenham Paint Festival is the large number of Bristol-based artists that are asked to paint. Mr Klue is a particular favourite of mine. His modest demeanour betrays his obvious talent and unique abstract style

Mr Klue, Paint Festival 2020, Cheltenham, September 2020
Mr Klue, Paint Festival 2020, Cheltenham, September 2020

I am not overjoyed at my hopeless photography. The close-up is a little too close and I have cut off the left hand edge of the piece. This is a colourful piece that probably spells out KLUE, but might not, and presents many of the trademark features we would expect to see in one of his pieces; floating steps, wisps of smoke and coiled cones give the artist away. I am rather taken with the orange ball, a nice feature.

3138. St Werburghs tunnel (180)

I mentioned in my last Mr Klue post that the artist tends to paint in spates with periods of absence interspersed with three or four sessions in quick succession and then all quiet again.

Mr Klue, St Werburghs, Bristol, August 2020
Mr Klue, St Werburghs, Bristol, August 2020

This is a modest little piece from a week or so ago near the entrance of St Werburghs tunnel. Set on a pink background, the abstract writing swirls about in a semi-solid state, which Mr Klue does so well. Usually his pieces spell out KLUE, but I am not too certain about this one.

3120. Turbo Island

In the last twelve months or so the board at Turbo Island has attracted some fabulous pieces by greatly talented artists and now it is the turn of Tom Miller with his debut piece on this wall. And what an amazing start.

Tom Miller, Turbo Island, Bristol, August 2020
Tom Miller, Turbo Island, Bristol, August 2020

Tom Miller has been turning out so many pieces since lock down and I have struggled to keep up with them. Some are for fun like this one, but he has also worked on a couple of commissions which is really good, because an artist’s life is a tough one and paid work can be hard to come by.

Tom Miller, Turbo Island, Bristol, August 2020
Tom Miller, Turbo Island, Bristol, August 2020

There is an abundance of colour and form in this abstract piece and typical of the artist there is a great deal of energy and activity. So much to look at and so much detail, it can be hard for the brain to decipher exactly what is going on, but this is a great strength that Tom Miller has. It is not to everyone’s taste, but I love it.

3102. St Werburghs tunnel (177)

Usually when Mr Klue hasn’t painted for a while (and we are in one of those moments now) his first new piece is often followed up with a spate of creative work and I am hoping that will be the case this time. This new piece is in his favoured spot at the far end of St Werburghs tunnel.

Mr Klue, St Werburghs, Bristol, July 2020
Mr Klue, St Werburghs, Bristol, July 2020

There is a lot going on in this abstract dreamscape which to understand would probably necessitate the unpacking of the artist’s mind. In amongst all the atmospheric swirls and recognisable elements, such as the lamp post, hat and helmet, there are the letters KLUE… I think. A wonderful piece and worth waiting for.

3093. Cumberland Basin

By god I think he’s got it. After a few months of experimenting with an organic fluid style, Ments has triumphed with this piece down in Cumberland Basin. It is beautiful, stylish and classy and just shows where practice and creativity can get you.

Ments, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2020
Ments, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2020

I could rave about this piece all day, but it is difficult to know exactly where to start. Ments usually writes the letters MENTS in his work, but I am struggling to find any letters in this piece, instead we are presented with a free-form abstract piece that is simply a pleasure to look at. I am so looking forward to where this journey is going to take us.

3090. Merrywood Road (2)

I think that this might just be my favourite mural from Mr Penfold to date. I like everything about it. The proportions seem to work really well, the colours, the balance the designs and the shadows come together perfectly in this bright abstract piece.

Mr Penfold, Merrywood Road, Bristol, July 2020
Mr Penfold, Merrywood Road, Bristol, July 2020

Because Mr Penfold generally works to commissions, we don’t get to see nearly enough of his distinctive brand of abstract work on the streets, but for him to do so would probably erode his strong commercial brand. I really love this piece.

 

 

2979. Dean Lane skate park (319)

Some pieces are so unexpected and so awesome that when you see them one is met with surprise and a little bit of confusion, and so it was for me when I came across this unbelievable geometric abstract collaboration from Piro and Epok in Dean Lane.

Piro and Epok, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020
Piro and Epok, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020

This very classy piece is what I would term a true collaboration, where it is impossible to unpick which bits were done by which artist. The piece is composed of three overlapping large triangles each with a different fill incorporating all sorts of designs, softened with a few circles. This is a really unusual piece for Dean Lane and is something one might expect to see at a street art festival. Perhaps it was created in lieu of Upfest this year. Pure joy.

2883. Shoreditch, London

This picture was taken in August 2016 during one of my reasonably infrequent trips to Shoreditch. I am beginning to think I need another trip there, but for the moment I’ll be staying put. This gorgeous piece is by Mr Cenz, whose etherial portraits are emblematic of the London street art scene.

Mr Cenz, Shoreditch, London, August 2016
Mr Cenz, Shoreditch, London, August 2016

There is something about the colors green and purple that work so well together and Mr Cenz has worked his magic in this piece, creatinng a metallic sheen to the whole thing with carefully positioned white highlights.. The strange thing about this piece is that the familiar female features are held together by shades and abstract shapes that on their own wouldn’t look like anything. Clever work.

 

 

2790. Gloucester Road

I have waited a long while to photograph this mural from Mr Penfold, mainly because it is not in a place I frequent all that much, there isn’t any other street art to speak of just in this spot, so it requires a special trip or an occasion when I happen to be in the right place at the right time.

Mr Penfold, Gloucester Road, Bristol, February 2020
Mr Penfold, Gloucester Road, Bristol, February 2020

That time was about a month ago on one of those rare sunny days in an otherwise very wet (the wettest on record) February. This mural is what Mr Penfold does so well and so distinctively. In his ‘liquorice allsort’ colours and 1980’s designer patterns Mr Penfold presents with a pleasing abstract pece that turns a boring wall into a point of interest. This is most likely a comission from the shop or possibly from the Business Improvement District. A nice piece.

2770. St Werburghs tunnel (146)

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
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
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.