The sun and shade are once again my enemy in these pictures of a wonderful piece by j9449j – AKA All 4 Nothing. The colour tones are beautifully selected and matched through the whole piece, and while I have no idea what the letters spell, if there even are any, it matters not, the composition is fabulous.
j9449j, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2026
J9449j (the name of his Instagram account when I first started writing about his work) has a wonderful abstract organic life in his work, with plenty of tufts of grass or plants and the odd flower making an appearance. The piece is enigmatic and intriguing – I’ve yet to meet the elusive artist. This is a classy work.
Although we have had an exceptional summer, it has at times simply been too hot and unnaturally so. The wall to wall sunshine experienced in late June, July and early August has also let to a disproportionate number of my photographs featuring disruptive shadows, about which I cabn do very little. The shadow on this lovely piece by Taboo gets to me every time I look at it.
Taboo, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2026
The piece appears to be a tribute to… Taboo (There is a number 25, and I wonder if that reflects 25 years of graffiti writing). The letters are made up of the letters TABOO, creating a larger TABOO and incorporating some train carriages and the words ‘Train maximalist’. All a little bit confusing. The whole thing though is great to look at and set on a buffed background. Gotta love those drips.
Fade and Dibz, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, April 2026
When Fade and Dibz get together, magic happens. It is so easy to get blasé about their work, because we see it so frequently in Bristol and forget that these two writers are at the very top of their game. The precision of their work is extraordinary and at the very highest level.
Fade, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, April 2026
This collaboration shows off their talents as wildstyle graffiti writers. To the left, in ‘fruit salad’ yellow and pink colours Fade has written his letters with three horizontal stripes, with complete confidence and competence. Great writing.
Dibz, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, April 2026
On the right, Dibz has also adopted slightly different ‘fruit salad’ colours nicely blended in horizontal strips and with a deep 3D drop shadow in black and nicely finished with some purple bubbles at the top. As a pair of pieces, it all feels so effortless, but that comes with the unconscious competence of years of graffiti experience.
This is an amazing cartoon portrait piece that not only shows off Sled One’s technical skills, but also reveals his extraordinary imagination and creativity. The piece is set on a pink background and the grass in front of the wall is still green, which dates this piece to before July.
Sled One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, June 2026
The blue-faced man in a green jacket with beautiful folds, is having a lightbulb moment. But this lightbulb moment is more literal than usual, with his scalp tilted upwards revealing a characterful lightbulb where his brain should be. There is so much detail in the piece, and those sunglasses simply have to be admired. Surreal creativity at its best.
A quick jaunt back to May this year. Somehow this beauty by Mesk got left behind in my archives. Actually this year, more than ever before, I have struggled with the volume of artwork on the streets and what appears here on Natural Adventures is only a fraction of what I have seen and photographed.
Mesk, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2026
This is a wonderful colourful piece from Mesk, with colours arranged in vertical strips and with lines that give a subtle ‘barcode’ effect. The icy blue drop shadow is gentle with some nice curves to it, and Mesk has finished off the work with some faux drips along the bottom. This piece is so easy on the eye, and rather satisfying.
Turoe, Jody and Fade, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, June 2026
I’m not sure what the occasion was, but it doesn’t really matter when three such accomplished artists come together. The triptych combination collaboration is by Turoe on the left, Jody in the middle and Fade on the right.
Turoe, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, June 2026
Turoe has been a little more active of late which is great to see, and it might signal an improvement in his health which I understand has been a challenge for him in recent years. This is a gorgeous piece of graffiti writing, which with its white and grey fill, gives the impression of being reflective chrome or other metal. A decent red drop shadow lifts the letters above the dark velvety purple background.
Jody, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, June 2026
Any reference to Star Wars is always welcome on these pages and this outstanding portrait of Darth Maul by Jody is top drawer stuff. (note to self – prepare a Star Wars gallery). Jody has captured the character perfectly and manages to convey his attitude and menace. The background of the planet Mustafar works well with Darth Maul’s lightsabre
Fade, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, June 2026
Fade had a quiet winter, but now that the weather is fine (almost too fine) he has been out and about more frequently. This classy bit of wildstyle graffiti writing is vibrant and full of movement augmented by the squiggly border. Some nice transitions in the fills with reversed bubbles appears to have been applied with such ease. None of this is easy, and these three artists are at the top of their game.
This is a brilliant piece of anti-style graffiti writing from Taboo, which demonstrates clearly how interconnected and varied the art world is. The piece is a touching tribute to David Hockney, whose own unconventional style won over the public’s imagination and whose legacy will forever influence artists worldwide.
Taboo, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, June 2026
Taboo’s unconventional green letters sit on a pink background, but it is the scene inside the second ‘O’ that steals the show. There is a little pastiche of a swimming pool and diving-board, a theme so familiar in many of Hockney’s paintings. Such a lovely idea and tribute to pay. Bravo!
You can wait an awfully long time for a Ments piece, and then out of nowhere, two come along in quick succession. Following on from his superb Upfest piece, Ments has painted this gentle colourful beauty on the long wall in Cumberland Basin.
Ments, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, June 2026
Preparation can be everything for some pieces, and the lilac wall is a perfect starting point for this abstract piece of graffiti writing. The subtle colours are arranged to create a crystalline appearance with any hard edges softened with some skilful blending. The whole piece probably says MENTS, but even if it doesn’t the overall effect is one of calm.
Although he has only relatively recently come onto my radar, RBN One, who writes ARBIEN has been smashing it with his incredibly colourful and dynamic pieces of graffiti writing. I don’t know whether he is painting more often, or whether I am noticing his pieces more, but whatever the reason, it is all good news.
RBN One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2026
This writing is filled with the tried and tested combination of pinks and blues, which work so well together. The fill patterns and designs are beautifully varied through the letters, with spots, blocks, drips and cracks liberally dispersed across the piece. Classy work from RBN One.
Werm is going through something of a purple patch lately, and I am really enjoying his ‘next level’ pieces. As his style develops and evolves he is growing in confidence and technical ability. I think that he is also discovering that sometimes less is more, and that clarity of presentation pretty much trumps all else.
Werm, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2026
In this piece of graffiti writing, Werm has written his name into a kind of symmetrical diamond shape, partially framed on a light blue rectangle. The red colour stands out nicely on the turquoise background. A neat and tidy piece that shows off Werm’s talent well.
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