4998. M32 Spot (154)

Dopes, Jaksta and Neddy Ned Ned, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2023
Dopes, Jaksta and Neddy Ned Ned, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2023

Well lookee here, on one of my favourite walls we have a fabulous three-way collaboration from Dopes, Jaksta and Neddy Ned Ned. The whole thing is painted in Autumnal colours (although a winter collaboration), and provides more than a little contemporary commentary.

Dopes, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2023
Dopes, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2023

To the left is a fine piece of writing from Dopes, offering his beautifully proportioned letters in a metallic style with plenty of shading fades and highlights, neatly finished off with a tidy blue border and some arrows thrown in for good measure.

Jaksta, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2023
Jaksta, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2023

The most eye-catching element of the triptych is the portrait of Prince Harry, painted by Jaksta. This mischievous send-up of the Prince directly relates to the revelations in his autobiography ‘Spare’ and is a play on the word Charlie (cocaine) and Charles (his father the King). The portrait is nicely worked, but very different from the style I would normally associate with Jaksta.

Neddy Ned Ned, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2023
Neddy Ned Ned, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2023

I have never (knowingly) come across Neddy Ned Ned before, although his work does look slightly familiar. It is always great to have visitors to the city, especially when they are clearly as talented as Neddy Ned Ned is. There is a nice flow and confidence to the shapes of the letters, and there is a bit of a fill-fest going on too. Altogether, this is a banging collaboration.

4374. Sparke Evans Park (38)

Dopes is an artist who appears to like spraying in tight little spots tucked away on the margins of popular graffiti spots, or maybe I just happen to find his pieces in such places.  This one is underneath the bridge in Sparke Evans Park, alongside a Maesyhook piece that until a week ago had been there forever (to make an appearance on Natural Adventures soon).

Dopes, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, April 2022
Dopes, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, April 2022

Set out in chrome on a turquoise background, Dopes spells out his name, with a rather curious character figure making up the ‘O’. A subtle splash of pink decoration and border gives the piece a little bit of zing and lifts it up above other chrome throw ups.

4196. New Stadium Road (37)

On the wall opposite the tunnel under New Stadium Road was this lovely little Christmas collaboration from Silent Hobo, Mr Riks, Dopes and a very special mini Hobo. All three artists have been fairly active of late, but weirdly I have only ever posted one of Mr Riks’ pieces before, which would appear to be a terribly omission on my part.

Silent Hobo Dooes and Mr Riks, New Stadium Street, Bristol, December 2021
Silent Hobo, Dopes and Mr Riks, New Stadium Street, Bristol, December 2021 

The right hand side of the collaboration is by Mr Riks and Dopes and appears to say RIK JAY with some fabulous horizontal shading and fades with a load of drips hanging off the letters. Classy work indeed from the two artists.

Silent Hobo, New Stadium Street, Bristol, December 2021
Silent Hobo, New Stadium Street, Bristol, December 2021

The Mini Hobo is by Silent Hobo with help from his very little daughter who looked pretty useful with a spray can judging from the pictures on Hobo senior’s Instagram feed. All in all this is a very nice little Christmas piece and maybe the beginning of great things to come from Mini Hobo.

4086. M32 Spot (126)

You know that thing where you hear a word for the first time, and then start hearing it again and again, and realise that you have been blind to that word for no explicable reason? Well it is a bit like that with me and Dopes. I met the artist a couple of months ago, and although I have seen and probably photographed his work in the past, I just didn’t post any of it. After meeting him, I am seeing his work everywhere, and it is really good. This is a nice little burner recently painted in the M32 Spot.

Dopes, M32 Spot,Bristol November 2021
Dopes, M32 Spot,Bristol November 2021

The colours are really nicely selected and work well, and he has fitted his letters to this awkward space really well. Super nice that this is a birthday piece for his son Jack. Great work.

4044. City Road (11)

Having only recently started to post pieces by Dopes, it was particularly gratifying to find this absolute beauty recently. Sprayed during a recent paint jam celebrating the opening of a relocated eatery, this piece really stood out, and ticks a lot of my boxes.

Dopes, City Road, Bristol, October 2021
Dopes, City Road, Bristol, October 2021

The multi-coloured, beautifully and skilfully patterned fills are truly exceptional, and the white spots and trims provide the depth and 3D look. Dopes’ letter shapes are all very nice too, particularly the elaborate D. This is a belter of a piece of graffiti writing from the RAW man.

3996. Dean Lane skate park (433)

Hot on the tail of his first piece on Natural Adventures, I am pleased to bring you this second one from last month. Of course, there are a whole ton of his pieces in my archives, but it will take me a little while to unearth them all.

Dopes, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2021
Dopes, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2021

Dopes seems to  favour these large letters with chrome or other bold solid fills and accent highlights and the overall effect is a good one. I know he takes care with his work, and it is clear to see from the sharp and clean lines that he is really conscientious about his work. Lots more to come.

3976. Dean Lane skate park (431)

Although I have photographed many pieces by Dopes over the years, I can’t recall ever posting any of them, which is a pity really, because he is a very skilled graffiti writer who has collaborated with other artists (largely from RAW) whose pieces have made it into Natural Adventures. Time to make amends.

Dopes, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2021
Dopes, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2021

While I was photographing this piece, Dopes was actually watching on, unbeknown to me, and eventually he self-disclosed that he was the artist and we struck up a conversation. He was fretting a bit over the colours and some of the detail and was wondering whether to come back and make some small adjustments. I love it that some writers are such perfectionists, for example Rusk is another, that they agonise over a piece even after they have finished it. The lettering in this chrome piece is nicely accompanied by the blue borders and gaps, and the pink dashes just set the piece off really well. More to come from Dopes, and a few forays into my archive are likely.