further evidence, as if it were needed, that our Conservative Government is drifting even further to the right. The appointment of the loud-mouthed “30p” Lee Anderson as party Vice Chairman demonstrates that there is nothing left in the party. All the Europhiles have left or been ousted, the moderates have been silenced, and the primary qualification for getting into the Cabinet is a rabid Brexit stance.
I remain in a constant state of revulsion and despair. What am I supposed to tell my children? They are being brought up in a political landscape where it is normal to lie, to deceive, to disrespect, to blame the poorest and the vulnerable and to be strong instead of compassionate. I still hate what they have done to my country, my home.
Anyone who says “well, what’s the alternative” or “I’m not sure Keir Starmer…” is either a Tory or has never got over Jeremy Corbyn’s unpopularity (for whatever reason) and hence unelectability.
I think I might need to write some nice nature haiku!
I met Desi earlier this week when she was painting a new piece in Dean Lane with her friend Lupa. I took the opportunity to ask Desi why she had started painting the letters VEIL, and her answer was swift and honest – “no reason, I just wanted to play with some letters”. So there you have it, sometimes there simply isn’t a backstory or meaning.
Desi, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2023
This is a very nice piece, simple in structure and well executed. Desi continues to improve, with strong fills and sharper lines, getting better with each new piece. It is interesting that most times (but not always, as I have learned to my deep embarrassment) you can spot the gender of the artist. For example, it would be a rare thing for a male artist to put a heart instead of a dot on top of the “i” as Desi has done here. It is almost as if handwriting is transposed onto the wall in some way.
Lee Roy is a writer whose work I really rather enjoy. His writing is a little unconventional and always interesting to look at. This recent piece in the tunnel is an immediate attention-grabber on account of its use of orange on a turquoise background.
Lee Roy, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2023
The letters are uniform in size, and the letter design is exceptional. The fills and fill patterns are quite subtle, but beautifully worked. This is one of the best Lee Roy pieces that I have seen – a true beauty.
More writing on the roundabout, this time from Corupt. Over the last month or so, I have come across far more graffiti writing pieces than street art or character pieces, and that will necessarily be reflected in my posts. I usually try to get a fairly even balance of different artwork, but it can be a struggle sometimes.
Corupt, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2023
Corupt, writing his STICK letters, has chosen a rather low-key colour palette for this piece, and it doesn’t quite hump off the wall as much as some of his other pieces, but the handiwork is just as expert. The letters pull out from the wall, thanks to the grey vertical 3D drop shadow. The letters themselves are notable for the colour transitions and decorations in which there is an organised pattern, but unless you look for it, the whole thing looks a bit random. Another fine piece from the Hungarian artist.
The first time I photographed this lovely Pooh Bear piece by Haka was a complete fail. There were shadows cast halfway across the piece, and half was overexposed and the other half underexposed. I returned on a duller day, and these pictures are altogether a bit on the dull side and don’t really do the piece justice.
Haka, M32 roundbout, Bristol, January 2023
Haka has been taking us on a nostalgic journey in recent months, to our own or our children’s favourite picture book characters, and Winnie the Pooh must surely be one of the most iconic. Haka has lovingly portrayed Pooh nestled inside the letters CK and NE, a tribute to CKone, or Dan Fenlon who died in a motorcycle accident in 2011. Amazingly, Haka remembers him in every piece he paints. A good friend indeed.
This is another outstanding piece of writing from Kosc in his current series of greyscale pieces. In this piece, we have a familiar element of styling in the shape of ‘rivets’ holding the ‘metal’ pieces of the letters in place. This is a technique that the artist has used quite a lot in the past.
Kosc, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2023
These letters are strong, solid and uniform, and generally have a presence – some pieces just ooze style and confidence, and this is one of them. I have to say that I am very much enjoying this greyscale series… more to come I hope.
A small, quick one from Mote at the end of the long wall under Brunel Way from Mote. Mote is an artist who designs and creates a new monster character every time he paints, which could make identification of his work troublesome, but his style and colour selections are so unique that no signature is needed on his work.
Mote, Brunel Way, Bristol, January 2023
This cheeky little piece is sweet and simple, and was probably an ‘end of day’ bonus piece. Since first hitting the walls of Bristol in early spring of 2022, Mote has been tireless, come rain or shine, in his monster mania. Long may it last.
Gosia Wadada, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2023
Visiting artists are always, always welcome in Bristol (although the authorities might be a little luke warm) and it is a fine compliment to the city that street artists come from far and wide to paint on our streets and in our graffiti spots. A recent visit to the city by Gosia Wadada, resulted in at least two pieces of which this is the first.
Gosia Wadada, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2023
I don’t know too much about Gosia Wadada, and her Instagram account doesn’t really let on very much, but I can confidently state that she is not from round these parts. She seems to specialise in these stylised mouths, and in that respect is in good company (Pura Decadencia, Soap and Muckrock for example). This piece is neat and tidy and certainly grabs the attention. Some nice design work in the fills too. Watch this space for more from Gosia Wadada.
Natural adventures 