Tag: Art

97. Nine Tree Hill (2)

A fabulous protest piece by one of my favourite artists – Sepr.

Bristol is a city with a history of rioting…perhaps it is something to do with our independent spirit (I say this as a Londoner who now calls Bristol home).

Sepr, Nine Trees Hill, Bristol, November 2015
Sepr, Nine Trees Hill, Bristol, November 2015

In 2011 there were riots in Stokes Croft that were focused on the unpopular new Tesco Local store. Arrests were made in the squat opposite, as some of the squatters were suspected of planning to petrol bomb the store. This caused outrage among some locals and some imported trouble makers. This link is a report from the time and this one from a year later.

Sepr, Nine Trees Hill, Bristol, November 2015
Sepr, Nine Trees Hill, Bristol, November 2015

Sepr’s piece is a reminder of those times and characteristic of the independent spirit of the People’s Republic of Stokes Croft. I love the artwork and its political overtones.

8/10

96. Park Row (3)

Before I started looking at graffiti and street art, and by that I mean really started looking at it, I had been aware of this colourful shop front  in Park Row. The artwork is so appropriate for the shop, which is not always how commissions turn out.

Silent Hobo & Mr. Riks, Park Row, Bristol
Silent Hobo & Mr. Riks, Park Row, Bristol

This is a commissioned piece for a shop, called Shark Bite, that sells surf, snow and skate boards. Once again Silent Hobo is responsible in this collaboration with Mr. Riks who often works with SH. Both artists are Bristol-based.

Silent Hobo & Mr. Riks, Park Row, Bristol
Silent Hobo & Mr. Riks, Park Row, Bristol

7/10

95. New John Street (2)

I took this picture on a sunny day back in September 2015. This wall is a collaboration between Soker and Cheo, each with their own distinct style. Soker and his wildstyle burner and Cheo spraying a cartoon and the signature bee.

Soker and Cheo, New John Street, Bristol, September 2015
Soker and Cheo, New John Street, Bristol, September 2015

I would guess that Cheo’s work is a selfie of the two of them, but this is only a guess.

Soker and Cheo, New John Street, Bristol, September 2015
Soker and Cheo, New John Street, Bristol, September 2015

7/10

 

94. Upper Maudlin Street

I was given a wonderful ‘Banksy’ wall calendar by my mother this Christmas. I noticed that this fabulous image of the Queen has been selected for the month of July. The manufacturers of the calendar are not the only people to have falsely attributed this stencil to Banksy. In July 2012, during the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, all the newspapers heralded this artwork as a new ‘Banksy’.

Inkwell, Upper Maudlin Street, Bristol, December 2015
Inkwell, Upper Maudlin Street, Bristol, December 2015

The stencil was actually sprayed by IncWel, is called ‘Still Sane’ and is a direct reference to Bowie’s ‘Alladin Sane’ album cover of 1974. I have not been able to find anything else by IncWel, and there is little information on the Interweb about him.

Inkwell, Upper Maudlin Street, Bristol, December 2015
Inkwell, Upper Maudlin Street, Bristol, December 2015

For so many reasons I love this stencil.

9/10

93. Moon Street (3)

I took a short walk this morning after breakfast and discovered a whole ton of street art and graffiti in Moon Street near Stokes Croft. The problem with most of the works here is that they are unsigned, or by artists/sprayers unknown to me (so far).

Sesk, Moon Street, Bristol

This crocodile is by Sesk, but I am unclear about whether Sesk is an individual or a crew. In the course of my research however, I did find this article in the Bristol Post from November 2015, which indicates that the authorities are clamping down a bit on some taggers, of which Sesk appears to be the ‘ace of spades’.

Some copy from the article reads as follows:

“A police crackdown on graffiti tagging across Bristol will see a man appear at court.

The man has been reported to court for 89 separate offences of Criminal damage across central Bristol.

The damage relates to illegal graffiti that has been sprayed, drawn and painted onto public and private property across the city.

It is alleged the man is responsible for the “SESK” tag, which police say is one of the most prolific in the city.”

None of this though has helped me find out more about Sesk.

 

92. Little Bishop Street

Since I’m on a bit of a Silent Hobo run at the moment, I thought I’d post one of his works which can be found in the heart of St Pauls, and celebrates the St Pauls Carnival.

Silent Hobo, Little Bishop Street, Bristol, November 2015
Silent Hobo, Little Bishop Street, Bristol, November 2015

Even in a contemporary setting his pieces have an element of mysticism about them.

Silent Hobo, Little Bishop Street, Bristol, November 2015
Silent Hobo, Little Bishop Street, Bristol, November 2015
Silent Hobo, Little Bishop Street, Bristol, November 2015
Silent Hobo, Little Bishop Street, Bristol, November 2015

8/10

90. Stokes Croft, the Carriageworks (3)

As I have said before, the turnover of work on this ‘practice wall’ in Stokes Croft is quite phenomenal. This new piece by Silent Hobo has appeared during the Christmas break. It will be gone soon.

Silent Hobo, Stokes Croft, Bristol, December 2015
Silent Hobo, Stokes Croft, Bristol, December 2015

You can find out more about Silent Hobo on his website, but what I really like is that he still sprays on the streets of Bristol, not always legally, even though he has a successful commercial outfit.

7/10

89. Cherry Lane

This is one of several tributes to Mibzy (Mibsy) (King of paint) that can be found in Bristol. More about Mibzy here.

Deamze? Mibzy tribute, Cherry Lane, Bristol, October 2015
Deamze? Mibzy tribute, Cherry Lane, Bristol, October 2015

This ‘burner’ (straightforward lettering or word) is attributed to Bristol artist Deamze, although I am having difficulty confirming it. It has been slapped up on a derelict shop front. Looking at earlier photographs of this tribute on the Interweb, shows just how rapidly this building is crumbling. A forgotten side street, but Mibzy is not forgotten.

6/10

88. Hillgrove Street (4)

The more posts I write about Bristol street art/graffiti, the more familiar I am becoming with the various artists and their particular styles. I have had to do a lot of research, often on the thinnest of evidence, but sometimes I am simply stumped.

Silent Hobo, Hillgrove Street, Bristol, December 2015
Silent Hobo, Hillgrove Street, Bristol, December 2015

I have been struggling, until today, with the artist that created this beautiful mural on Hillgrove Street in Stokes Croft. The penny dropped when I was looking at Google images of the work of Silent Hobo, and I spotted this one. Of course it is by Silent Hobo…how could I have been so stupid? It is moments like these that broaden my knowledge. I must remind myself that I have only been doing this for a few months and it will take a long time to become an expert.

Silent Hobo, Hillgrove Street, Bristol, December 2015
Silent Hobo, Hillgrove Street, Bristol, December 2015

The Silent Hobo works I have presented before (33 and 66) are not similar enough to this one for me to have made the connection. I am really struck by this piece.

8.5/10

87. Moon Street (2)

On the site of a former SPQR spaceman (which for a while was thought to be a Banksy), there is now one of 3Dom’s latest creations. This has the unmistakable hallmarks of his work although it is unsigned.

3Dom, Moon Street, Bristol, December 2015
3Dom, Moon Street, Bristol, December 2015

More research is needed to understand what the alien in a sandscape is all about, but his works are always imaginative, colourful and dreamlike.

3Dom, Moon Street, Bristol, December 2015
3Dom, Moon Street, Bristol, December 2015

Our friend the gnome stencil has also made another appearance, and was added at a later date. I love this 3Dom work on a very famous wall in the Stokes Croft area.

Naughty Gnome, Moon Street, Bristol, December 2015
Naughty Gnome, Moon Street, Bristol, December 2015