5099. Brunel Way (199)

Mote, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2023
Mote, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2023

Some artists are so prolific, that the only way for me to keep up with them is to post several pieces at once, and so I present to you a series of column pieces under Brunel Way by monster specialist, Mote.

Mote, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2023
Mote, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2023

This first piece is one of his more recent productions, incorporating three wobbly-lined monsters, stacked like a totem pole. The wobbly lines are a recent introduction in his work introduced this year, which give him freedom to be a little bit more creative. I am still sitting on the fence about them, because his original USP was based on the clean lines and bold curves. These might take a little bit of getting used to.

Mote, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2023
Mote, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2023

It is difficult to date some of these pieces, because although I photographed them in February (some of them not for the first time), several have been around for quite a while. I think this one, which looks like a bit of a monster mash-up, is relatively recent.

Mote, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2023
Mote, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2023

This column piece, with the big eye and wonky teeth, has been around for quite a while, but is surprisingly intact, because these columns are a favourite with taggers.

Mote, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2023
Mote, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2023

Another one that might date from the back end of last year is this purple gentle and rather goofy giant. The poor thing doesn’t look in the greatest condition, and has a pot-belly not too dissimilar to my own.

Mote, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2023
Mote, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2023

Finally, this is a small piece at the southernmost end of this stretch of columns and is probably the oldest piece in this selection. It obviously pre-dates the new bit of wall that has been added as part of the Daveside DIY skate park extension. Phew… I hope you have had your fill of Mote for now.

5077. M32 Spot (158)

Lazo, M32 Spot, Bristol, February 2023
Lazo, M32 Spot, Bristol, February 2023

This is only the second piece by Lazo that I have seen, and I was fortunate enough to meet him when he was painting this column. As with his first piece, there is something very captivating about this portrait, and the style is quite different to that which we might expect to see in Bristol.

Lazo, M32 Spot, Bristol, February 2023
Lazo, M32 Spot, Bristol, February 2023

Lazo’s long face is perfect for column artwork and looks amazing, especially if you crop out the yellow paint at the top of the piece. I particularly like the depth and tone he achieves with his ‘brushstrokes’. The eyes too have something rather special about them. I am looking forward to seeing more from Lazo this year.

Lazo, New Stadium Road, Bristol, November 2022
Lazo, New Stadium Road, Bristol, November 2022

5073. M32 Spot (157)

Object..., M32 Spot, Bristol, February 2023
Object…, M32 Spot, Bristol, February 2023

A little while ago, I was taking a Japanese friend on a tour of street art and graffiti spots around Bristol. She is writing an article on street art for a Tokyo journal and was getting a feel for the Bristol scene. Over the course of the day we were lucky enough to meet several artists, including Object… who was blitzing the columns under the M32 with his distinct expressive fingers and hands.

Object..., M32 Spot, Bristol, February 2023
Object…, M32 Spot, Bristol, February 2023

In this first piece, Object… has managed to work his fingers around existing pieces, making very good use of the Boris Johnson head, originally painted by John D’oh, creating something of a grotesque figure (not too difficult in the case of BJ).

Object..., M32 Spot, Bristol, February 2023
Object…, M32 Spot, Bristol, February 2023

It was an education watching Object… paint these pieces (more to follow in another post), which he did with rollers and brushes. He would create the rough shape of the fingers with the roller in white, and then add outlines and some definition, resulting in these extraordinary gnarly digits. Of course, it was really great to catch up with the artist, as always.

5072. River Avon (39)

Mote, River Avon, Bristol, February 2023
Mote, River Avon, Bristol, February 2023

It is nice to see a Mote piece by the River Avon, demonstrating that he really does get out and about to share his art with the citizens of Bristol. This monster piece follows a recent theme in his work of rather more organic characters with wobbly outlines, rather than the clean lines of his earlier works.

Mote, River Avon, Bristol, February 2023
Mote, River Avon, Bristol, February 2023

I think that Mote’s work lends itself well to illustration, and I wonder if that would ever be a direction he might consider. This particular toothy monster isn’t his best, in my opinion, but is another part of his growing menagerie.

5049. Brunel Way (194)

Zake, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2023
Zake, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2023

I wonder sometimes whether Zake gets the credit he deserves, for the sheer volume of work he gets through and the variety of locations and walls he paints. Sometimes he paints with friends and sometimes alone, but wherever you look in Bristol, there is never a Zake piece far away.

Zake, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2023
Zake, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2023

I remember that the first Zake pieces I became aware of were on columns under the M32 at the skate spot there. How far he has come since then in developing and refining his style. This column piece showcases perfectly his use of shading to create enormous depth. It is extraordinary how deep the mouth appears to be, and what folds of skin on the chin, cheeks and eyes. This is a really classy column piece from Zake.

5016. Brunel Way (191)

Mote, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2023
Mote, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2023

I believe that this is a reasonably old piece from Mote on one of the columns under Brunel Way, but I have only recently photographed it – there are so many in this spot it is difficult to keep up.

Mote, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2023
Mote, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2023

Every time I have seen this piece, I instantly get images of the caped crusader and am not sure if this is deliberate or accidental on the part of Mote, who is not known for his characters drawn from popular culture, but rather from his imagination. Whatever the inspiration for this column piece, it is cheerful and fun and typically clean as you’d expect from Mote.

4947. Frome side (21)

Maesyhook, Frome Side, Bristol, May 2022
Maesyhook, Frome Side, Bristol, May 2022

This is another piece I have salvaged from the archives, mainly because I love Maesyhook’s work and always try to post it when I find it. This one fell through the net. The column piece is under the M32, next to the channelled River Frome, and has had a little bit of augmentation performed to the eyes, which is a pity. Why do people do things like that? If they want to bugger up someone else’s work, at least go over the whole thing, or better paint something equally good or superior over it.

Maesyhook, Frome Side, Bristol, May 2022
Maesyhook, Frome Side, Bristol, May 2022

Maesyhook’s Kawaii style works brilliantly with this character from The Mandalorian Star Wars offshoot. A mini Yoda type character causing mischief, I am sure. The force is strong in this one, make no mistake.

4834. M32 Spot (150)

John D'oh, M32 Spot, Bristol, November 2022
John D’oh, M32 Spot, Bristol, November 2022

This is a cheeky piece from John D’oh in the style of a saucy seaside postcard but drawing in some political commentary about our current economic crisis, and he carries if off really well, in my view.

John D'oh, M32 Spot, Bristol, November 2022
John D’oh, M32 Spot, Bristol, November 2022

This piece was painted on a column that previously played host to a Boris Johnson stencil, also by John D’oh, and reminds us of the important role played by political commentators, whether writers or artists, in documenting current events and the impacts of political decisions on society as a whole. Something a little different from John D’oh to enjoy.

4780. Frome side (19)

Bogat, Frome side, Bristol, October 2022
Bogat, Frome side, Bristol, October 2022

I was very pleased to find this Bogat piece underneath the M32, but a little frustrated that another appeared a day or two after I took this photograph. Frustrated, because I only get to visit this spot occasionally, and often miss pieces that I’d like to see.

Bogat, Frome side, Bristol, October 2022
Bogat, Frome side, Bristol, October 2022

Bogat paints columns really well and his elongated portrait pieces seem to fit perfectly.  This one includes a octopus, an animal used a lot in Bogat’s work. It is great to see that phallus tags are still de rigeuer centuries after the Romans perfected the ‘cock and balls’ stamp. Some things never change.

4747. M32 Spot (147)

Daz Cat, M32 Spot, Bristol, October 2022
Daz Cat, M32 Spot, Bristol, October 2022

It would seem that after a rather dormant spell over the summer, Daz Cat is becoming a little more active again, and his pieces are definitely moving more in the direction of narratives than straightforward portraits of cats and dogs.

Daz Cat, M32 Spot, Bristol, October 2022
Daz Cat, M32 Spot, Bristol, October 2022

In this column piece, under the M32, a cat, with a fox curled up on its head is holding a little dog and is standing next to a chicken with a frog on its head. Don’t ask what the story here is, I wouldn’t know where to begin. I prefer to enjoy the spectacle and the elements that make it up. Another fabulous us piece from Daz Cat.