630. Ashley Road (11)

More from the incredibly prolific Laic217. This time the piece is in a major ‘hotspot’ where it can be seen by a great many cars and passers-by. He returns to one of his favoured motifs, the distorted/disfigured face with hat and references to acid. Also he has incorporated his liking for brick walls, which works really well here.

Laic217, Ashley Road, Bristol, January 2017
Laic217, Ashley Road, Bristol, January 2017

Another feature of this work is the reference to the test card transmission – something that TV viewers over a certain age will be very familiar with. One of the most pleasing things about this particular site is that the rather officious notice that was plastered over one of Aspire’s pieces here has been completely sprayed over – a victory for graffiti art.

Laic217, Ashley Road, Bristol, January 2017
Laic217, Ashley Road, Bristol, January 2017

It doesn’t stop here, still more to come from this artist who is really beginning to make his mark.

629. Lime Road (1)

I love surprises, and this was one hell of a surprise. I took a lunchtime stroll down North Street, because I knew there were some new pieces, but only caught sight of this one on my way back. What a find.

China Girl Tile, Lime Road, Bristol, February 2017
China Girl Tile, Lime Road, Bristol, February 2017

Of course, it is a bunny with a grenade by the amazing Chinagirl Tile – I have always wanted to find one of these, but to have one in Bristol is simply amazing. The new piece is only a street away from the amazing foxes and soup tin she installed for Upfest 2016.

China Girl Tile, Lime Road, Bristol, February 2017
China Girl Tile, Lime Road, Bristol, February 2017

Chinagirl Tile is always a very welcome visitor to Bristol, and I hope very much she will be returning soon. Let’s hear it for the wabbits.

Weekend break

.

Leaving en famille

a lengthy operation

on our way at last. 

.

by Scooj

628. Raleigh Road, Vector (5)

This is a brilliant new hoarding in an area that Voyder likes to spray in a lot. He used to spray in the car park next to these boards, but it is out of bounds at the moment while the construction work is going on, so the hoardings will do. His last piece here was the ‘sticker’ piece which I still think is one of his best.

Voyder, Raleigh Road, Bristol, February 2017
Voyder, Raleigh Road, Bristol, February 2017

This one is vibrant and eye catching, and if you take a closer look, you can see that the letters are constructed with bones. A fun piece from this Bristol master.

Voyder, Raleigh Road, Bristol, February 2017
Voyder, Raleigh Road, Bristol, February 2017

Evensong

 

Pink tinged wisps scattered

across a darkening sky

as blackbirds chatter.

 

by Scooj

627. The Bearpit (38)

Another political message and contorted body from the philosophical ObjectØØØ. The tunnels of the Bearpit provide probably the best space in Bristol for political comment as the area attracts some of the most socially deprived or uncared for people in the city. It is a place where culture and the impacts of government cuts converge in an angry outpouring and sense of injustice.

Object000, The Bearpit, Bristol, February 2017
Object000, The Bearpit, Bristol, February 2017

ObjectØØØ’s pieces always capture this sense of outrage – you are never in doubt about what he cares about. It is good that he chooses to do something about it through his artwork. This is a powerful piece, carrying the slogan ‘lucky not better’. In the piece, ObjectØØØ has painted a pained figure, a fallen angel maybe, appearing to crash to the ground. His trademark feathers and wing mark this out as one of his works. A really great piece.

Object000, The Bearpit, Bristol, February 2017
Object000, The Bearpit, Bristol, February 2017

626. North Street Green (6)

This is a rather lovely recent piece from Andy Council to celebrate the Chinese New Year and the year of the Rooster. The colours are fantastic and he has created a special Chinese take on the Clifton suspension bridge – a nice touch.

Andy Council, North Street Green, Bristol, February 2017
Andy Council, North Street Green, Bristol, February 2017

The piece is not very far away from the turkey that he sprayed back in November. Andy Council is probably one of the most well known street artists in Bristol, as he combines his pleasure spraying with all sorts of design commissions in the city. A popular artist who is at the heart of the Bristol street art movement.

Andy Council, North Street Green, Bristol, February 2017
Andy Council, North Street Green, Bristol, February 2017

Valentine robins

 

Flowerpot showers,

frantic feather ruffling,

Spring is in the air.

 

by Scooj

625. Upfest 2016 (95)

This piece is a really interesting collaboration between Ulysses Nevmer and Alexandr Hade both from Minsk in Belarus. Searching the Interweb to try and find out more about them, it would appear that they have worked together before.

Ulysses Nevmer and Alexandr Hade, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Ulysses Nevmer and Alexandr Hade, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

The piece features two female portraits, looking towards one another. It is difficult to know if they are the same person or different people, but there is clearly a story going on. There is a confidence about Nevmer’s figure and on the left and Hade’s figure to the right is seeming to look on, longingly with some uncertainty.

Ulysses Nevmer, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Ulysses Nevmer, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

Ulysses Nevmer tends to paint people, so she says in the Upfest programme biography, “because they are beautiful , also not only outside!” You can see more of her work on her Facebook page.

Alexandr Hade, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Alexandr Hade, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

Aleksandr Hade has an interesting statement in his biography and it relates to the story in his pieces mentioned above:

“The front layer of Aleksandr’s works may seem pretty obvious and straightforward at first sight, though almost always it has its hidden meaning or a story to tell. The whole essence of his art concludes in prompting the audience to speculate on the real storyline and the idea beneath the seem-to-be-evident form. Aleksandr mostly touches on the themes of diverging time, people’s attitude to nature and mythology.”

Jack Sprat and his lovely wife

 

Though roles are reversed

the outcome is much the same;

be my valentine.

 

by Scooj

Jack Sprat could eat no fat
His wife could eat no lean
And so between them both, you see,
They licked the platter clean.