Tag: Copyright

3889. Upfest 2021 75×75 (45)

It feels like a very long time ago since I last saw a new Copyright mural but my goodness, it has been well worth the wait. Copyright has produced this outstanding and colourful piece for Upfest’s 75 walls in 75 days, and I am grateful to both artist and organisers for making this happen.

Copyright, Greville Road, Bristol, August 2021, Upfest 21
Copyright, Greville Road, Bristol, August 2021, Upfest 21

This wall has had some notable occupants in the past, but I think that this one might eclipse them all. The piece would appear to be a reference to rebuilding a broken nation maybe, and doing it brick by brick. Of course it might be something else altogether.

The female portrait, in black and white, is wearing a most incredible headdress bursting with colours and designs and even a Felix with a crown. There is a lot of symbolism here and I am not sure what it all means, but the ensemble is quite an eye full with flowers, butterflies, a jewel and even a couple of ‘toilet door’ figures to the left. If all of this was not enough, Copyright has set the piece on a nicely decorated and eye-catching background. The whole mural is stunning… it would be great to see more of this more often from Copyright.

2373. Leonard Lane (20)

This is the second of several recent wheatpastes from Copyright scattered around Bristol that I have found. Obviously it has been here long enough for the elements to damage it a little, but it still holds that extraordinary charm he seems to create with ease and grace.

Copyright, Leonard Lane, Bristol, July 2019
Copyright, Leonard Lane, Bristol, July 2019

Copyright often presents his work in this symmetrical way, and symmetry seems to play a large part in many of his pieces. The beautiful model is created using a stencil, and the symmetry comes from reversing the stencil or the print. Whatever the technique, the outcome is stunning. Now to find the other wheatpastes… if they still exist.

2267. Dean Lane skate park (221)

I think that the first piece of street art by Copyright that I became conscious of was a wheatpaste somewhere in the Stokes Croft area a few years ago, I have since seen so much more of his work, and like it very much. It was nice to find this paste up, in Dean Lane skatepark recently, still pretty much in mint condition.

Copyright, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2019
Copyright, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2019

Things have slowed a little on the street art scene in Bristol over the past ten days or so because of the dismal weather we have been having, but it has allowed me to catch up (the tiniest amount) on my posts.

There is something a little sinister in this piece, and I think it might be the lack of pupils in the eyes, and this edgy nature cuts slightly across the grain with the title ‘Love’. The spots read-across really well from the dress and onto the background providing a continuity to the whole. Fabulous to see another Copyright wheatpaste (or anything for that matter… it has been a while).

1406. Newfoundland Street (3)

With collaborations in Bristol, there are few that are finer than those between Gemma Compton and Copyright. This particular mural is a triumph, and for me, what makes it really special is the backdrop of blue and white tiles. This is a gorgeous piece, and is at great odds with the busy road and traffic adjacent to it. An oasis of calm.

Copyright and Gemma Compton, Newfoundland Street, Bristol, March 2018
Copyright and Gemma Compton, Newfoundland Street, Bristol, March 2018

The central stencil of a girl with butterfly wings is by Copyright and provides a focal point in the centre of the piece with the warm colours contrasting with the blue and white surrounds.

Copyright and Gemma Compton, Newfoundland Street, Bristol, March 2018
Copyright and Gemma Compton, Newfoundland Street, Bristol, March 2018

I think that Gemma Compton may have done the girls wings, and certainly the other blue and white butterflies that adorn the mural.

Copyright and Gemma Compton, Newfoundland Street, Bristol, March 2018
Copyright and Gemma Compton, Newfoundland Street, Bristol, March 2018

As for the blue and white tiles, I am not too sure who did these, but I have seen tiles feature a lot in Gemma’s work before. I suspect they both worked on these. The overall effect is stunning, and I hope that we see more of these collaborations in 2018.

1204. Upfest 2017 (14)

Surely one of the most endearing and sympathetic partnerships is that between Copyright and Gemma Compton. At this year’s Upfest these two produced this beautiful collaboration in the very busy yard behind the Steam Crane.

Gemma Compton and Copyright, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Gemma Compton and Copyright, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

I met them on the Friday, when they were able to make a really good start before the festival started on the Saturday – I think it ws a wise choice as this pub gets incredibly busy.

Gemma Compton and Copyright, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Gemma Compton and Copyright, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

In this piece, so typical of their collaborations, Copyright stencilled the female figures and Gemma Compton created the intricate butterfly wings in her favoured blue tones. The piece as a whole fills this slightly awkward space brilliantly and the eye is drawn along from left to right and back, scrutinising the symmetry of the piece.

Gemma Compton and Copyright, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Gemma Compton and Copyright, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

The couple managed to dodge the showers and the crowds to pull off one of the best pieces of the festival and one that screams out Bristol from every inch. Both of these artists produce wonderful artworks for sale, marginally outside my affordability although I might just have to save up – how great it would be to have some of their originals hanging up at home.

Gemma Compton and Copyright, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Gemma Compton and Copyright, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

Not only do I like their work, but I like both of the artists. They are always happy to have a chat and don’t appear to mind me bothering them when they are at work. Probably my next interview targets.

928. Upfest 2017 (6)

This year, because of the showery conditions at Upfest, it paid to get work started early. Copyright had completed this wonderful shutter piece on North Street before the festival officially started on Saturday and was spared the difficulty of working in the rain (on this piece at least).

Copyright, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Copyright, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

The piece really stands out in what is a rather drab shop front, and the pink strip lifts the portrait out and smacks you in the face (figuratively speaking of course).

Copyright, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Copyright, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

Upfest is one of the only times that you can get to see a majority of the shutter pieces on North Street, especially on the Sunday, because most of the non-food retailers shut for the weekend. I really like this one from Copyright – it would make a great album cover.

776. Lower Approach Road (1)

I had a recent tip-off via Instagram that Copyright and Paul Monsters were going to be collaborating again, this time on the slip road adjacent to Bristol Temple Meads station. I managed to wangle a moment of time and whizzed down to the station to see what was going on.

Copyright and Paul Monsters, Lower Approach Road, Bristol, May 2017
Copyright and Paul Monsters, Lower Approach Road, Bristol, May 2017

I arrived just as they were completing the piece, and it is another real beauty, just like their previous collaboration on North Street. Their styles really do work well together, with the geometric colour patterning of Monsters, providing a perfect foil for Copyright’s figures.

Copyright and Paul Monsters, Lower Approach Road, Bristol, May 2017
Copyright and Paul Monsters, Lower Approach Road, Bristol, May 2017

I spent a little while chatting with both artists and picking up on more of how the street/graffiti art scene works in Bristol, and a little about the work Paul Monsters does at Upfest. Such gents, and patient with my questions and observations.

Copyright and Paul Monsters, Lower Approach Road, Bristol, May 2017
Copyright and Paul Monsters, Lower Approach Road, Bristol, May 2017

What a wonderful welcome for visitors to Bristol and joyous sight for those coming home. I will post about the other two pieces at this location soon.

765. North Street shop front

Whenever I go out looking for street art and graffiti I always live in hope that I might find an artist at work, and this meeting with Copyright and Paul Monsters and indeed Gemma Compton who was just there (she and Copyright are married), signalled the start of something of a purple patch for me meeting artists. I don’t know if it is luck or what, but it is always great to stop and have a chat.

Copyright and Paul Monsters, North Street, Bristol, April 2017
Copyright and Paul Monsters, North Street, Bristol, April 2017

This is a really amazing collaboration between the two, Copyright’s beautiful women’s faces and the geometry of Paul Monster’s colourful patterns complement each other perfectly. I happen to know at the time of writing that they have worked together again since, because I found them again…more on this one some other time.

Copyright and Paul Monsters, North Street, Bristol, April 2017
Copyright and Paul Monsters, North Street, Bristol, April 2017

Paul doesn’t get out to spray much these days because he is working flat out with Upfest the organising team in their office in North Street. If you take a look at the list of artists for the 2017 festival, you have Paul to thank, as he put it all together.

Copyright and Paul Monsters, North Street, Bristol, April 2017
Copyright and Paul Monsters, North Street, Bristol, April 2017
Copyright and Paul Monsters, North Street, Bristol, April 2017
Copyright and Paul Monsters, North Street, Bristol, April 2017

673. North Street, In Recovery

I took this picture during Upfest 2016, and was going to enter it as one of the pieces from the event. What a mistake that would have been. The piece is a collaboration between Copyright and Gemma Compton and was sprayed some years ago.

Copyright and Gemma Compton, North Street, Bristol, July 2016
Copyright and Gemma Compton, North Street, Bristol, July 2016

Of course I never usually get to see shutter pieces, because they tend to be up during the times I am out on the streets taking pictures. The work of these two artists works so well in combination; they both like bold colours, reds and blues, and both usually include female subjects. Gemma in particular likes to incorporate natural motifs setting the pieces off nicely.

Copyright and Gemma Compton, North Street, Bristol, July 2016
Copyright and Gemma Compton, North Street, Bristol, July 2016

This is a striking and enduring collaboration from this couple.

 

 

622. Upfest 2016 (92)

Gemma Compton was selected as the featured artist for Upfest 2016, and her work appeared on all the promotional material for the festival, including the maps, programmes, digital social media and even the painting a mural on the Upfest shop.

Gemma Compton, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Gemma Compton, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

Having put in all the hard work she was rewarded with a nice white wall to work on, and she produced this fine piece in collaboration with Copyright.

Gemma Compton, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Gemma Compton, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

I saw her busy at work on the piece, which took longer than the two days to complete, but I didn’t stop to chat, as I guessed she might have had enough interruptions over the two days. I regret that now, but I’m sure she’ll be back this year.

Gemma Compton and Copyright, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Gemma Compton and Copyright, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

The other half of this collaboration, Copyright,  is also no stranger to street art in Bristol and I have featured his work several times on this blog before. Gemma painted the left hand side of the heart, and Copyright the right. They are partners and this heart is a lovely way to mark their relationship.

Gemma Compton, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Gemma Compton, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

Their styles are different, but complement each other well. One thing in common is that the subjects of both artists are pretty much always female. A nice piece…pity about the car parked in front.

Copyright, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Copyright, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016