With many thanks to a friend who told me about this tiny ‘shock wave’ by JPS, that is missed by most who walk this street. The pictures may give you some idea of scale.
In Weston-super-Mare, where JPS comes from, there is a full scale version of the same work on the side of a shop.
Weston-super-Mare is of course also playing host to Banksy’s Dismaland exhibition.
More JPS here and here, and also take a look at a great JPS post from Street Art Rat.
8.5/10
Only a stone’s throw away from the new Unify stencil, is a memorable work by one of Bristol’s most celebrated street artists.
Nick Walker was born in 1969 (which makes him almost as old as me) and has become a world famous artist, having emerged from the Bristol graffiti scene in the early 1980s. He tends to use stencils and freehand, and many of his works will be found in more than one place. More about Nick Walker can be found here.
This particular mural is known as ‘Rapunzel’ and features a recurring theme in his work of a ‘vandalism’ motif with a heart. It appeared in August 2008.
I will be posting more of his Bristol murals in time.
8/10
Writing my biog
for an Autumn conference;
me in a nutshell.
by Scooj
Zase v JPS
I don’t yet understand the ground rules or protocols that exist between street artists, but it would seem there is some minor conflict in a small passageway by the Arches on Cheltenham Road, Bristol.
An original mural by Zase adorned the side wall of Wong’s Acupuncture Clinic. This appeared before or during 2011. I only became conscious of the piece last year when I saw a wonderful JPS stencil entitled ‘Insert Punchline’ which covered the lower left hand side of the Zase work. Even at the time I saw it, part of the JPS had been sprayed over. Sometime later somebody added a rat and Banksy signature, but I doubt very much that it is an original.
I took a look at the wall last week, and it would seem that Zase has returned and restored the wall to its former status. It is a pity in a way, but at least I managed to get a picture of the JPS before it disappeared.
Heavy rain again;
another Summer washout
testing my patience.
by Scooj
My wife told me yesterday about this very recent stencil work on the wall of the Highbury Vaults pub in Cotham. It is in good company, being just a few yards away from ‘Vandalism’ by Nick Walker (will post this soon).
The bubblegum boy is by Unify, an artist who appears to work in London mostly, but has done works around the world. I’ve not seen any others in Bristol, but that doesn’t mean they are not there.
It is difficult to find out much about Unify, although there is a website.
UPDATE – Somehow I lost all the original pictures of this piece, but have since photographed it again, and it is still in pristine condition. The original post was written in August 2015 and the photographs taken in June 2016.
Balance in nature
is settled , until challenged;
newt out of water.
by Scooj
Nestled on the intersection between Stokes Croft and Jamaica Street there is a small green space called Turbo Island. Anyone who has lived in Bristol a while will know it as a place where alcoholics and drug addicts used to congregate.
However, things are changing and the ‘People’s Republic of Stokes Croft’ are trying to persuade Bristol City Council to return the space back to the community. One of the aims is to remove the advertising hoarding (not shown – to the left of this picture). It is certainly a better space than it was a few years ago.
During the Stokes Croft Festival of arts 2014, Sepr painted this ‘scarecrow and crows sitting down together’. A great sentiment. The mural is dedicated to Bob, but I don’t know the backstory.
7.5/10
Curiosity
opens doors previously
locked by ignorance.
by Scooj
Today was the first time I have stopped to take a look at this mural by Dora, on the edge of Montpelier.
Dora is an illustrator, designer and graffiti painter, based in Bristol. She has a rather good webpage that talks about her influences.
Having looked at her portfolio, I can’t help thinking that only one half of this wall is by her. I am not sure who the other artist might be.
It is always great to find something new.
6/10
Natural adventures 