Tracking through my archives I found this piece by Decay. I thought that I had posted it, but it seems I had not, so here for the first time I bring you a piece which was sprayed during a bit of a Decay frenzy, shortly after he had arrived in Bristol.
Decay, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2016
This piece is quite different from most of his other work. The colour regime is typical, but the composition is something else. Usually Decay works with concentric rings of graded shades working out from the centre (although they are sprayed from the outside in – I think) and topped off with a smiley face. None of that here. This is a one-off.
Decay, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2016
I like this work, even though it reminds me of a duck.
At the end of the south tunnel of The Bearpit is this fabulous festive collaboration between Mr Klue on the left and Decay on the right. This is a colourful coming together of two of Bristol’s best abstract graffiti artists, whose styles are markedly different but which somehow works really well.
Mr Klue and Decay, The Bearpit, Bristol, January 2017
The colour schemes aren’t matching, and the angular shapes of Mr Klue seem to be at odds with the curvy concentric rings typical of Decay, but as a whole it works, probably because the very fact that it is a collaboration offers a relationship between the pieces and even more so the artists.
Mr Klue and Decay, The Bearpit, Bristol, January 2017
An outpouring of Christmas cheer from two of my favourites. Perfect.
Alongside works by Voyder, Deamze and Soker sits this unusual and rather good collaboration by two great graffiti artists – Beastie and Decay. The Decay element is easy to identify, displaying all his concentric shapes and tones although this time in blues, rather than the usual reds, greys, whites and blacks that are his favoured colours.
Decay, Raleigh Road, Bristol, November 2016
Had the piece not been signed, it would have taken me a little while to identify Beastie’s contribution on the left. Some will remember his mischievous cat in Stokes Croft that had been tagged, but has now been resurrected. Because I only see occasional works by Beastie, I haven’t properly ‘got my eye in’ with his stuff, and his style is rather more broad than some other artists.
Beastie, Raleigh Road, Bristol, November 2016
This is an interesting collaboration with a rather solemn message, but i think they have carried it off really well. Such a pity about the black line through the piece, but you have to be quick these days.
It has been quite some time since I last featured a piece by Decay, but I came upon this one quite by accident recently whilst seeking out a large mural by Kleiner Shames.
Decay, Backfields Lane, Bristol, September 2016
I love the radiating geometry and colours that Decay uses in his work and love it that nearly always the pieces are uplifting and fun. Sometimes edgy and political, but always good to look at.
Decay, Backfields Lane, Bristol, September 2016
Since moving to Bristol about a year ago, Decay has really made his mark on the graffiti art scene. He is now part of the furniture here, and that is a good thing.
One of the larger pieces by Decay sits at the end of the southern tunnel at the Bearpit. It is a piece that was sprayed back in April, but has been rather enduring, and is still there, or at least was last week.
Decay, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2016
All the hallmark ingredients of a Decay piece are here, the black, grey, white and red colours layered in concentric circles in a freestyle manner, focusing on a red face/image at the centre.
Decay, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2016
Decay’s work tends to be in these colours and general patterns and are nearly always pleasing to the eye. I recently saw on his Instagram feed a piece that he sprayed in blue shades for ‘battle of the oceans’ whatever that is. It may be a bit samey, but I am a really big fan of his work.
This picture was taken a couple of weeks ago in one of the tunnels of The Bearpit, a spot favoured by Decay. His style is so utterly unique, always using the same black, white, grey and red colours, and his freestyle approach tends to have concentric rings of shapes spreading from the centre, although I think he works from the outside in.
Decay, The Bearpit, Bristol, May 2016
This is a nice political piece, demanding a stop to Tory cuts and incorporating a visual prompt. Nice drips. There is room for filling in the blank here…one for the taggers?
This ‘throw up’ (a very quickly sprayed freestyle piece) was crafted by Decay on the same day (Friday 8th April 2016) that I wrote about this piece.
Decay, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2016
It is very simple and also very powerful, Decay could have a career in logo design! The initials DK obviously have driven his ‘Decay’ moniker. This is a nice crisp striking piece in one of the tunnels at the Bearpit.
Unfortunately, this has been ‘taken out’ in the words of Decay as have nearly all the Bearpit tunnel pieces by a Bristol tagger called DBK. It is a pity, but this is what DBK does, and all the other artists know this and, I guess, just put up with it.
It was an accident of fate that took me to this encounter yesterday. I spent my lunch break walking to the Post Office in the Galleries, and then nipped into M&S for sandwiches…a treat I don’t usually afford myself. I intended to return to work, but thought I was so close to The Bearpit, I would just see if there was anything new.
Decay, The Bearpit, Bristol, 8 April 2016
Decay, The Bearpit, Bristol, 8 April 2016
Better than that…a graffiti artist was spraying in one of the tunnels. The colours of paint on his trousers pretty much gave him away – red, grey, white and black – I approached him and asked “excuse me, but are you Decay“. Not a phrase I use often. It was, and we struck up a conversation.
Decay, The Bearpit, Bristol, 8 April 2016
Decay, The Bearpit, Bristol, 8 April 2016
Decay has only recently moved to Bristol, but it would explain the proliferation of his work around the place. I asked if he would be at Upfest 2016, and indeed he will. I will look him out. Finally I asked if he would mind if I took some pictures, and he said it was fine, but not the face. The whole experience was a bit ‘Exit through the Gift Shop’, a Banksy film I thoroughly recommend.
My first real contact with an artist in action. A good day, which only got better, as on my way home I spotted Alex Lucas working on a commission, and chatted with her too…more on that in a future post.
An unusual post this time. Several new pieces have appeared in the tunnels at The Bearpit over the last few weeks all of them signed ‘Decay’. They have been joined by a burner on the practice wall in Ashley Road in Stokes Croft.
Decay, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2016
These wonderful abstract street art works are eye catching and refreshingly different.
Decay, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2016
So far my attempts to find out more about ‘Decay’ have been fruitless, but if I do find out any more I will post it here as an update.
Decay, Ashley Road, Bristol, March 2016
‘Decay’ has certainly been busy, and I look forward to seeing more pieces around Bristol.
Natural adventures 