Tag: Bristol

4039. M32 roundabout J3 (359)

The Bristol street art scene simply wouldn’t be what it is without the metronomic consistency of artists like Face 1st. These artists provide the foundations upon which all other artists build their works and reputations, but without this underground culture, street art would likely struggle in the city. Just look at those towns which have no culture of graffiti or street art  and then host a festival, the legacy although stunning dies off and appears to be fake. Don’t get me wrong, I love seeing street art wherever it is, but people like Face 1st provide an authenticity that you simply can’t replicate through commissions alone.

Face 1st, M32 roundabout, Bristol October 2021
Face 1st, M32 roundabout, Bristol October 2021

This is a revisiting of one of Face 1st’s favourite themes, a girl’s laughing face with a hairdo made out of the word FACE. Lovely colours, nicely painted and everything I would want it to be.

4038. Purdown HAA Battery (38)

A timely commentary piece from John D’oh, that is rightly sceptical about our ability to face up to the challenges of climate change, when we can’t even keep our rivers clean. As somebody who has spent more than half my working life on protecting rivers and river-based recreation, it is a pity that our rivers are still subjected to the most terrible pollution, but on the other hand, we must recognise the huge improvements that have occurred since the 1980s when Britain was referred to as the ‘dirty man of Europe’. I fear, for a host of reasons, that the  phrase may once again be used to describe our nation as we continue to prioritise company profits over environmental outcomes.

John D'oh, Purdown Battery, Bristol, October 2021
John D’oh, Purdown Battery, Bristol, October 2021

The single-layer stencil from John D’oh features Brian Cox (I think) pondering whether “COP26 is going to be like our rivers… full of shit”. I sincerely hope not, and we must all rally round this conference as best we can to push forward better outcomes for our planet. The hard work begins now, and it will be up to citizens to demand more from their governments, but also to take personal responsibility for modifying their own behaviours. Less talk, more doing.

A thought-provoking stencil piece – thank you, John D’oh.

Resignation

.

Is honour, honour

when offered after outcry

a little too late

.

by Scooj

On the news that Owen Paterson has resigned as an MP. There is no honour in this resignation that happened only after a massive reaction to some Conservative Party goal-post moving in the parliamentary standards committee operations, concocted to try and overturn Paterson’s suspension for breaking parliamentary rules. Sleaze bags the lot of them.

Paterson has a lot to answer for. As Secretary of State for the environment, a curious appointment as he was a climate change denier at the time, he waged war against the environmental movement deliberately discrediting it as the ‘green blob’ and referring to activists as ‘yogurt knitters’.

His appalling reign was eclipsed, unbelievably, by the utterly incompetent Liz Truss and dreadful creep Andrea Leadsom, both favoured high-fliers in the worst government in living memory.

I have only sympathy for Paterson’s family. His wife took her own life earlier this year, and that is awful on every level. While I feel sorry for him on a human level, it in no way changes my loathing for him as a politician.

4037. M32 roundabout (358)

This lovely collaboration on the M32 roundabout took me a little while to unravel, although once unravelled it is blindingly obvious. To the left is a very ‘Haka’ Haka piece and the right hand side is a blended collaboration between Logoe and Sepr.

Haka, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2021
Haka, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2021

I probably haven’t posted nearly as many Haka pieces as I should have over the years, and might need to do a bit of digging in my archives to get a few more out there. This is a simple but joyful piece of writing from Haka with the ever-present shout out to CK1 RIP.

Logoe and Sepr, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2021
Logoe and Sepr, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2021

The Logoe/Sepr mash up is simply brilliant, and the second recent piece in a burst from Logoe who appears to have woken from a long slumber. The letters are by Logoe in his unique script style and the writing isn’t his usual message or lyric, but  the year spelled out. The fills are beautifully done and colours reflective of the time of year.  Sepr has contributed a face and hand into the mix and as a whole it works really well. This must have been a fun session.

4036. St Werburghs tunnel (264)

As mentioned recently, Stivs has been absolutely smashing it recently, and this pair of pieces, on either side of the entrance to St Werburghs tunnel, is a wonderful recent addition to his expanding repertoire.

Stivs, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2021
Stivs, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2021

To the left as you enter the tunnel is a fine bright greeting ‘good morning’ with dawn colours in the background. Cheerful and revitalising. This contrasts with the piece opposite.

Stivs, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2021
Stivs, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2021

To the right is the ‘good night’ piece in black writing, set on a sunset background. The two complementary pieces are a perfect pair and a creative way of painting this particular spot. There seems to be no limit to Stiv’s ambition and energy at the moment, and that is a good thing.

Stivs, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2021
Stivs, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2021

Earthshot

.

Prize for our planet

rewarding innovation

our planet the prize

.

by Scooj

4035. Upfest 2021 75×75 (72)

On the wall adjacent to the recent Irony piece that I posted last week is this Upfest 21 contribution from John Curtis, a well-known Bristol artist who seems to be as comfortable painting large walls as he is with his canvasses.

John Curtis, West Street, Bristol, October 2021, Upfest 21
John Curtis, West Street, Bristol, October 2021, Upfest 21

John Curtis’s USP is recreating Bristol urban landscapes, full of movement and light and chiming with locals because the subjects are usually familiar landmarks. This piece beautifully captures the M Shed and the old cranes that stand to attention on the harbourside.

John Curtis, West Street, Bristol, October 2021, Upfest 21
John Curtis, West Street, Bristol, October 2021, Upfest 21

This sight would warm the hearts of any native of the city and is beautifully captured. A fine contribution to the 75 walls in 75 days event.

This leaves me with only three more pieces to post from Upfest’s 75×75. Two of them I know about, but haven’t yet been able to photograph, but the last one evades me, so I am going to have to do some detective work before I can complete the whole set.

4034. M32 roundabout J3 (357)

What you see is what you get from Merny (Morny). This is a fun piece painted in his illustrative style that contains little lines and points as if it were a set of instructions for an Airfix model or a diagram in a Haynes Manual.

Morny (Merny), M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2021
Morny (Merny), M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2021

In this piece it would appear that a story is unfolding of a nuclear family having a day out. ‘Dad’ is chilling and drinking a beer. ‘The kids’ are calling out “wait for me Linda!” And Linda (or mum) or dad are going on about parallel parking. I suspect that Merny based the concept on a real life event, but I have no evidence for that. All good fun though and wonderfully animated and vibrant.

On a knife edge

.

One point five degrees

such a low aspiration

too much latitude

.

by Scooj

4033. M32 Cycle path (146)

This wonderful portrait piece by Rosalita (Rozalita) is part of a collaborative effort with Conrico. Unfortunately, by the time I got to see it, Conrico’s contribution had been overpainted with a rather substandard throw up. Luckily, though, Rosalita’s piece was left intact.

Rosalita, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, October 2021
Rosalita, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, October 2021

This is a Halloween piece, or more accurately a Dia de Los Muertos portrait, with a representation of a Mammacita (Conrico’s word, not mine). The decorated face with stitched lips is a familiar sight these days, as these Day of the Dead festivals become more internationalised. The roses in the hair round the portrait off nicely. Rosalita just keeps on turning out these amazing portraits.