6906. Moon Street (107)

Cartoonneros, Moon Street, Bristol, April 2025
Cartoonneros, Moon Street, Bristol, April 2025

Since developers moved into the area around Moon Street, I don’t visit all that often, and driving around there is a bit of a nightmare, so I generally only visit when I am on foot. I had a lovely surprise on my last visit, finding this stencil piece by Cartoonneros.

Cartoonneros, Moon Street, Bristol, April 2025
Cartoonneros, Moon Street, Bristol, April 2025

I don’t know if the piece is new or old, but the artist does seem to visit Bristol sporadically – maybe he has friends here. Furthermore, I don’t know who the character portrayed in the stencil is, but it has all the hallmarks of a Cartoonneros piece. The black lines of the stencil are sprayed over a patchwork of orange and yellow paint, creating the unique look that the artist has perfected. A reward for keeping my eyes open.

6718. Cumberland Basin

Cartoonneros, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2025
Cartoonneros, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2025

Argentinian artist Cartoonneros has made a few appearances on these pages over the years, and it is always fun to find his diminutive stencil pieces. I think that I might have a bunch of unpublished pictures of his work from trips to London a few years ago too, which I ought to dig out of my archive.

Cartoonneros, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2025
Cartoonneros, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2025

This piece features a black stencil portrait of Lionel Messi (I think), augmented with an underlayer of rainbow colours. This is decent, simple and impactful work that instantly catches the eye. It is the only recent piece I have found by the artist, but I will be keeping my eyes open, because I find it hard to believe that he would visit Bristol and only drop one piece during his visit. I don’t quite yet have enough pieces to make a gallery, but when I do…

5264. Montpelier

Cartoonneros, Montpelier, Bristol, May 2023
Cartoonneros, Montpelier, Bristol, May 2023

I expect that these stencils by Cartoonneros have been here for a little while, but I don’t pass by this way all that often, and only found them last weekend. I expect that they were left here when Cartoonneros last visited Bristol and painted the same pipe stencils in Moon Street.

Cartoonneros, Montpelier, Bristol, May 2023
Cartoonneros, Montpelier, Bristol, May 2023

The pipes are a take on the famous Rene Magritte painting ‘ceci n’est pas une pipe’. I am guessing that the bottom stencil features musicians, but I am not savvy enough to work out who they are. I love it when visiting artists ‘drop in’ and leave their little gifts for people like me to find – it keeps things interesting.

5014. Moon Street (101)

Cartoonneros, Moon Street, Bristol, February 2023
Cartoonneros, Moon Street, Bristol, February 2023

I first became aware of Cartoonneros when he painted a Kurt Cobain piece in Dean Lane in February 2019. I followed him on Instagram and have been intrigued by his work ever since. It is quite unlike anything we tend to see in Bristol, and although on first inspection it looks a bit untidy, his work is always really creative and imaginative.

Cartoonneros, Moon Street, Bristol, February 2023
Cartoonneros, Moon Street, Bristol, February 2023

His decision to paint in Moon Street was a good one, as this little alleyway, my favourite spot in Bristol, which is suffering slightly from neglect, is in need of some TLC from artists.

Cartoonneros, Moon Street, Bristol, February 2023
Cartoonneros, Moon Street, Bristol, February 2023

This stencil is a fabulous take on the iconic Rene Magritte “Ceci n’est pas une pipe” painting, but instead with the words “Este no es un stemal”, which literally translates as this is not a stem, although I guess stemal means pipe. Great stuff from Cartoonneros here in Bristol. He will be welcome here anytime.

2132. Leonard Lane (19)

I have a feeling that I may have walked past this piece once or twice before I actually found it. I first saw it on Instagram and noticed that it was in Bristol, but it was impossible to work out where, so I asked the photographer, and he said it was in Leonard Lane. Even then it was difficult to find as it is rather well camouflaged with its surroundings.

Cartoonneros, Leonard Lane, Bristol, April 2019
Cartoonneros, Leonard Lane, Bristol, April 2019

The stencil of Yoda is by Cartoonneros and I am guessing that he must have done it during the same visit he made when he sprayed the excellent Kurt Cobain stencil in Dean Lane skate park. This is a fine addition to the vibrant and ecclectic array of graffii and street art in Leonard Lane. Who doesn’t love a Star Wars stencil?

2041. Dean Lane skate park (195)

It is such a pleasure to come across something new in Bristol, and visiting artists are always very welcome. This is an easy piece to miss, as it is on one of the ramps at Dean Lane skate park which is easy to walk past while focussing on the larger walls behind. The stencil of Kurt Cobain (from a photo shoot for a hat retailer) is by Cartoonneros, an Argentinian artist who appears to reside in London, judging from his Instagram posts.

Cartoonneros, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2018
Cartoonneros, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2018

Although I have pictures of his work from my London trips, I haven’t yet posted anything by him… but finding this one in Bristol recently might be just the prompt I was looking for to post his London stuff. The stencil itself is nicely composed with a basic black outline and areas coloured to bring the whole thing to life.

Cartoonneros, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2018
Cartoonneros, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2018

The style reminds me a little of Bristol’s Hoax, but only a little. I am so pleased with this find, especially as any art sprayed onto skate walls become scuffed very quickly and this still looks relatively fresh. I hope Cartoonneros makes another trim to the west of England again soon.