Exploit the gap

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Yey, the sky is blue

so make hay while the sun shines

time in the garden

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by Scooj

5906. Cumberland Basin

Marckinetic and Kid Krishna, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2024
Marckinetic and Kid Krishna, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2024

Marckinetic and Kid Krishna have been having a rather productive spring following what might be described as a reasonably lean winter. This collaborative pair of pieces, sharing a background and elements of a colour palette, is on the long wall at Cumberland Basin.

Marckinetic, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2024
Marckinetic, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2024

To the left Marckinetic has written the letters FFS, which would be difficult to know if you didn’t already know, if you know what I mean. His trademark galactic space cloud kind of fill is incorporated in the letters and the semicircle, to great effect. He has also painted a very nice black shadow, in the same mode as often used by Acer One. This is a creative and, as ever, interesting piece.

Kid Krishna, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2024
Kid Krishna, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2024

Kid Krishna, who has recently changed his Instagram account to @name_dropin, has been smashing it of late, and here he is again with one of his CRIE pieces so full of colour and interest in a fairly abstract presentation. I particularly like the ‘canyon’ at the bottom of the piece. I have so many unpublished pieces by Kid Krishna in my archive, and I am trying to figure out how I can post them all. A very nice collaborative wall.

5905. Dean Lane skate park (700)

Dibz and Fade, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2024
Dibz and Fade, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2024

Collaborations from Fade and Dibz are becoming part of the furniture these days, and it would be easy to slip into complacency or to take their work for granted. What I have to remember is that we are very lucky in Bristol to have two artists of this calibre at the top of their game and painting on at least a weekly basis.

Dibz and Fade, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2024
Dibz and Fade, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2024

It is becoming increasingly difficult to determine who paints which bits of their collaborations these days, but my guess is that Dibz painted the letters FADE and Fade painted the character piece. It appears that the pair are on a bit of a Dragon Ball frenzy at the moment, as this is the second recent character from the cartoon series to appear in Dean Lane. This time it is the turn of Majin Buu.

Dibz and Fade, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2024
Dibz and Fade, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2024

The work of Dibz and Fade is pretty much always tight, and rarely, if ever, do they turn out anything that looks scruffy or rushed. This is what they do and they look like they are absolutely loving doing it. The benefactors of their labours are those that seek out and find their work.

5903. M32 Cycle path (256)

Evey, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, March 2024
Evey, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, March 2024

What a wonderfully playful and cheeky piece by Evey alongside the M32. This is the second time I have seen her use this device of replacing the ‘V’ in EVEN with a saucy bottom, and I have to say I rather like it. If anything, I would say that the Bristol street art scene is quite earnest (and sometimes up its own backside), so it is great to see a bit of seaside postcard humour being injected from time to time.

Evey, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, March 2024
Evey, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, March 2024

The letters are nicely presented in what looks a bit like a neon display sign – one could almost imagine this piece hanging over the door of a seedy nightclub in a red-light district. It is refreshing and imaginative, and yet another great piece in a string of excellent work from thee prolific Evey.

Evey, Greenbank, Bristol, January 2024
Evey, Greenbank, Bristol, January 2024

5902. Greenbank (112)

Rozalita, Greenbank, Bristol, March 2024
Rozalita, Greenbank, Bristol, March 2024

Rozalita returns! This is exceptional news. After a long lay-off, in part down to travelling, during which time I wondered whether she might abandon her street art altogether, she has returned in style, with several pieces in short succession. This is how to announce your return. In another name change (from Rosalita to Rozalita (Rhozi) to Rozilitaa) she has hit the ground running with a bolder presence, and a sense of confidence that hasn’t always been obvious from her work.

Rozalita, Greenbank, Bristol, March 2024
Rozalita, Greenbank, Bristol, March 2024

This portrait piece, I believe of Frida Kahlo, is bursting with passion, where the determination and status of the subject, looking skywards, is beautifully presented. The white border accentuates the pose and creates an aura that is augmented by the burst of energy of flowers and decoration in the background. Without the border, the piece could be at risk of being busy, but its presence is masterful. This is brilliant in my view, and what a way to make a comeback. I bloody love this piece!

5901. Brunel Way (263)

Roo, Brunel Way, Bristol, March 2024
Roo, Brunel Way, Bristol, March 2024

This is the last of the pieces by Roo from a recent visit she and SkyHigh made to Bristol earlier in the month. The beautiful scene features a happy bumblebee over Bristol, with the Clifton Suspension bridge in the background. I managed to take the photograph, on a gorgeous day (what are these?) in a way that incorporated the real Clifton Suspension bridge behind the Environment Agency structure.

Roo’s style, as I have mentioned before is always cheerful, whatever the subject, and a welcome antidote to all the challenges and troubles of everyday life. No matter how crap you might be feeling, finding one of her pieces is guaranteed to cheer you up and offer a different perspective on things. We all need this reminder and what better way to deliver it than through the medium of street art. Thank you Roo.

5900. M32 roundabout J3 (560)

Turoe, M32 roundasbout, Bristol, March 2024
Turoe, M32 roundasbout, Bristol, March 2024

We don’t get to see Turoe’s work all that often these days, so when a new piece does appear it is always worth celebrating. This beauty was painted with his friends Hemper and Hypo on the M32 roundabout at the beginning of the month.

Turoe, M32 roundasbout, Bristol, March 2024
Turoe, M32 roundasbout, Bristol, March 2024

Turoe has painted his letters in old school style, filled with subtle colours and patches, but it is the drop shadow that makes the piece. The very deep shadow extends to the floor in a soft pink with black borders, and is very nicely executed. Shadows like this are quite unusual, but very effective, and I am a little surprised we don’t see it more often. A nice reminder of the exceptional talent of Truro.

5899. St Werburghs tunnel (414)

Jest Soubriquet, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2024
Jest Soubriquet, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2024

I am not sure whether this wonderful portrait piece by Jest Soubriquet was painted as part of Ryder’s RAW paint jam, or was simply painted at the same time (update – it was painted as part of the paint jam). Either way, it brightened up my day, because it is always a bit of a thrill to see new or visiting artists enjoying their passion in Bristol.

Jest Soubriquet, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2024
Jest Soubriquet, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2024

By the look of it Jest dropped a couple of pieces in Bristol while visiting, but I have struggled to find out where he is based. The portrait piece in the tunnel is beautifully painted and unusual in its incorporation of striking colours, which, whilst disruptive, somehow manage to carve out the features and depth in the face. Very clever stuff. It would be nice to think that Jest will return to Bristol and decorate a few more walls for us.

5898. Elton Street (28)

Used Pencil, Elton Street, Bristol, February 2024
UsedPencil, Elton Street, Bristol, February 2024

The ‘gallery’ in Elton Street, on the side of the Lost Horizons Arts Centre, is always worth a look. There are five or six framed boards raised above the street (ladders required for the artists), curated by the Arts Centre, and which are rarely, if ever, tagged or overpainted. This board, on the end of the building has been painted by Used Pencil, a Bristol artist whose work I have only once seen before at Upfest 2022.

Used Pencil, Elton Street, Bristol, February 2024
UsedPencil, Elton Street, Bristol, February 2024

This piece is painted with a combination of spray paint and brushes, which helps to give it that texture and detail, and you can find a video of its creation on Used Pencil’s Instagram feed. It is a piece that is easy on the eye and has a kind of mystical feel to it. Although the style is recognisable from his Upfest piece, the subject matter is quite different.

Usedpencil, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022
Usedpencil, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022