Tag: Cumberland Basin

5080. Cumberland Basin

SkyHigh, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2023
SkyHigh, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2023

Back to the here and now, I bring you this magnificent large piece from the visiting SkyHigh. Although it was only painted a few days ago, it has already been painted over, which I have to say I find a little disrespectful, but I guess most graffiti writers don’t know how long the piece they are overpainting has been there. Some though are resentful and malicious and deliberately target work superior to their own to exert some kind of childish power… when that happens we are all losers.

SkyHigh, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2023
SkyHigh, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2023

Sky High has absolutely nailed his style of writing, choosing different block styles for each letter of the word. He also manages to keep everything so clean and tight, even down to the white frame for this piece.

SkyHigh, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2023
SkyHigh, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2023

The colour selections are great and there is an element of symmetry in their deployment. I particularly like the style of the ‘Y’, which I think is probably the most challenging letter technically in the piece. I’m already looking forward to his next visit to Bristol (with Roo, of course).

5066. Cumberland Basin

Marckinetic, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2023
Marckinetic, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2023

I’ve not posted much from Marckinetic for a while, and that might be because he tends not to paint all that regularly. I might have missed a recent piece in the tunnel, but will have to correct that omission.

Marckinetic, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2023
Marckinetic, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2023

This is a typical piece from Marckinetic writing in his unique style, set on a cosmic backdrop. I would like to think that his letters spelled out Mark, but I really don’t know, and I haven’t yet met him to ask. The pink arrow features on either side frame the piece really well, and you can imagine that the piece would be poorer without them. These ‘extras’ are what sets people above the ordinary.

5054. Cumberland Basin

Werm, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2023
Werm, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2023

I haven’t seen a character piece from Werm for quite a while, so it was really great to find this one in the little tunnel at Cumberland Basin. Werm has definitely been concentrating on his writing, which has been going from strength to strength, but I have to say that I miss his characters, because they brought something a little different to our streets.

Werm, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2023
Werm, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2023

In this piece, Werm hasn’t entirely dispensed with his letters. The skull makes up the letter ‘R’ in the three-letter acronym LRS – an international crew that Werm belongs to, called Last Radical Souls. The shading work on the skull and letters is beautifully executed, and the white border is nice and sharp. This is another great piece by Werm.

5050. Cumberland Basin

Lee Roy, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2023
Lee Roy, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2023

It feels like Lee Roy is a man in a hurry. I haven’t seen much from him over the last couple of years and now all of a sudden his work is appearing all over the city and it is difficult to keep up. This is a recent one on the long wall at Cumberland Basin.

Lee Roy, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2023
Lee Roy, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2023

Lee Roy likes to paint his letters in a rather unconventional style, verging on anti-style. The letters are beautifully designed, but unruly and unfettered. There is scope for the artist to do whatever he likes, and he does. Weirdly, some kind of order is restored with the inclusion of a strand of barbed wire running through the piece. This is a really imaginative, creative and curious piece from Lee Roy. Watch this space for a whole bunch more from him.

5038. Cumberland Basin

Mote, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2023
Mote, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2023

Another day and another monster character from Mote, although this one is a little different from his others. I am guessing that this is a representation of a jellyfish kind of creature, and the wobbly border line would probably confirm this.

Mote, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2023
Mote, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2023

Unusually, Mote has signed this piece and I can’t think of any other occasion when he has done this, so that comes as a bit of a surprise. If I am honest, I’m not sure that the wobbly line thing works too well, but it is great to see the artist experimenting and stretching himself. Another one for the menagerie.

5035. Cumberland Basin

Nightwayss, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2023
Nightwayss, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2023

The monkeys are back – at least for a fleeting moment. This piece was painted by Nightwayss, who recently returned to Bristol for a visit and kindly left us this reminder of the talent that we lost last year. It is always good when artists return the their former home city and drop a piece.

Nightwayss, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2023
Nightwayss, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2023

Even the dog was pleased to see this graffiti writing piece. The departure of Nightwayss has left a hole in the street art scene and the PWA crew that he used to enjoy painting with. I hope that this will be the first of many return trips.

Nightwayss, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2023
Nightwayss, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2023

The piece spells out NIGHT in a nicely selected palette of blue pink and red colours, but it is the monkey that continues to steal the show for me. I do miss them.

5023. Cumberland Basin

Mommynature and Nugmoose, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2023
Mommynature and Nugmoose, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2023

It has been a pure joy to see the recent collaborative walls from Mommynature and Nugmoose and to see how their contrasting styles sit comfortably side by side. As seems typical when artists paint together, Mommynature is usually on the left and Nugmoose on the right.

Mommynature and Nugmoose, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2023
Mommynature and Nugmoose, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2023

The beautiful pigeon in front of a yellow sun is by Mommynature and clearly demonstrates her growing confidence with painting walls and owning her space. The stencil-effect of the piece is cleverly executed, too. To the right, Nugmoose has painted another avant-garde piece, the explanation of which is deeply rooted in his own imagination. There is some alien writing and alien forms, all presented in a rather trippy fashion. I am loving these two and look forward to their next creative collaboration.

5007. Cumberland Basin

Desi, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2023
Desi, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2023

I met Desi earlier this week when she was painting a new piece in Dean Lane with her friend Lupa. I took the opportunity to ask Desi why she had started painting the letters VEIL, and her answer was swift and honest – “no reason, I just wanted to play with some letters”. So there you have it, sometimes there simply isn’t a backstory or meaning.

Desi, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2023
Desi, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2023

This is a very nice piece, simple in structure and well executed. Desi continues to improve, with strong fills and sharper lines, getting better with each new piece. It is interesting that most times (but not always, as I have learned to my deep embarrassment)  you can spot the gender of the artist. For example, it would be a rare thing for a male artist to put a heart instead of a dot on top of the “i” as Desi has done here. It is almost as if handwriting is transposed onto the wall in some way.

5003. Cumberland Basin

Kosc, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2023
Kosc, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2023

This is another outstanding piece of writing from Kosc in his current series of greyscale pieces. In this piece, we have a familiar element of styling in the shape of ‘rivets’ holding the ‘metal’ pieces of the letters in place. This is a technique that the artist has used quite a lot in the past.

Kosc, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2023
Kosc, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2023

These letters are strong, solid and uniform, and generally have a presence – some pieces just ooze style and confidence, and this is one of them. I have to say that I am very much enjoying this greyscale series… more to come I hope.

5001. Cumberland Basin

Gosia Wadada, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2023
Gosia Wadada, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2023

Visiting artists are always, always welcome in Bristol (although the authorities might be a little luke warm) and it is a fine compliment to the city that street artists come from far and wide to paint on our streets and in our graffiti spots. A recent visit to the city by Gosia Wadada, resulted in at least two pieces of which this is the first.

Gosia Wadada, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2023
Gosia Wadada, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2023

I don’t know too much about Gosia Wadada, and her Instagram account doesn’t really let on very much, but I can confidently state that she is not from round these parts. She seems to specialise in these stylised mouths, and in that respect is in good company (Pura Decadencia, Soap and Muckrock for example). This piece is neat and tidy and certainly grabs the attention. Some nice design work in the fills too. Watch this space for more from Gosia Wadada.