5181. Cottrell Road (3)

Zase, Cottrell Road, Bristol, April 2023
Zase, Cottrell Road, Bristol, April 2023

This extraordinary piece by Zase is one of the most beautiful pieces in the city right now, if not the most beautiful. It is the third consecutive piece by the artist on this wall that I can remember, and like its predecessors has already become something of a landmark adjacent to the Eastville roundabout.

Zase, Cottrell Road, Bristol, April 2023
Zase, Cottrell Road, Bristol, April 2023

Continuing on today’s insect theme from Sled One’s Burberry bumblebee piece in the previous post, this piece is all about the honey bees. To the left, dandelions in flower and seed dominate the woodland (hinted) scene, while two bees navigate their way through the floating ‘parachute’ seeds.

Zase, Cottrell Road, Bristol, April 2023
Zase, Cottrell Road, Bristol, April 2023

The dandelion is, on its own, a work of art and I find myself utterly confounded as to how Zase painted this with spray paint.The finest detail has been incorporated, and his observational skills are outstanding, with the little marks left on the seed head by departed seeds.

Zase, Cottrell Road, Bristol, April 2023
Zase, Cottrell Road, Bristol, April 2023

The yellow and orange honeycomb letters spell out ZASE in some of the best anamorphic graffiti writing you’ll be lucky enough to see, and a bee has settled on the comb to the right.

Zase, Cottrell Road, Bristol, April 2023
Zase, Cottrell Road, Bristol, April 2023

The whole thing is a masterpiece and a fabulous advert for the artist who paints commissions. If I could afford it…

Zase and Dekor, Cottrell Road, Bristol, September 2017
Zase and Dekor, Cottrell Road, Bristol, September 2017
Zase and Dekor, Cottrell Street, Bristol, August 2015
Zase and Dekor, Cottrell Street, Bristol, August 2015

1174. Cottrell Road (2)

Zase and Dekor are the masters of large high-impact walls in Bristol, and most of the pieces that they do, go up and stay up. In this particular case they have replaced a piece that they sprayed here a few years ago, because the wall needed to be re-rendered.

Zase and Dekor, Cottrell Road, Bristol, September 2017
Zase and Dekor, Cottrell Road, Bristol, September 2017

The wall is a local landmark which has a vast audience because it is just off the M32 and outside a large retail park and the Eastville Tesco. Thousands of people will drive past it every day and I’m sure will be captivated by the unfolding story.

Zase and Dekor, Cottrell Road, Bristol, September 2017
Zase and Dekor, Cottrell Road, Bristol, September 2017

The central theme of the piece revolves around some local wildlife, a squirrel, a robin, a fox, a hedgehog and a badger, set in a rather stark woodland. Hovering above is a fabulous 3D wildstyle ZASE, a feature common to all their collaborations.

Zase and Dekor, Cottrell Road, Bristol, September 2017
Zase and Dekor, Cottrell Road, Bristol, September 2017

There is a wonderful touch in this work, a reference to the piece that existed here before – a lady riding on the back of a turtle with a colander on her head – she is in the bottle. On reflection, I wonder if it is not a lady, but a gentleman…I can’t be sure now.

Zase and Dekor, Cottrell Road, Bristol, September 2017
Zase and Dekor, Cottrell Road, Bristol, September 2017

This is a mighty and detailed piece that sits so comfortably in this location – I am certain that it will remain here for many years cheering up shoppers and commuters and bringing a smile to their faces. Xase and Dekor doing Bristol proud.

Zase and Dekor, Cottrell Street, Bristol, August 2015
Zase and Dekor, Cottrell Street, Bristol, August 2015