Tag: Face 1st

2612. M32 Cycle path (43)

Yet another fine PWA (Pirate Wall Art) production from Soap and Face 1st down under the M32 along the cycle path. I think that this is quite a good wet-weather spot, because there is a small overhang to protect the wall and artists from the rain.

Soap, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, November 2019
Soap, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, November 2019

On the left is a ‘traditional’ soap face, with two mouths agape. Looked at onother way, the shape can be seen as a kind of skull, with the mouths forming the eyes or eye sockets – that’s what I see at least.

Face 1st, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, November 2019
Face 1st, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, November 2019

On the right is a Face 1st ‘beauty’ in a rather unseemly situation, vomiting toxic looking stuff. Now I’ve noticed that in recent weeeks Face 1st has been animating his faces with things like this, to tell more of a story than simply creating a pretty thing to look at. His faces are beginning to convey sadness, frustration, disgust, nausea and so on. An interesting development and great to see.

2586. St Werburghs tunnel (111)

This is the second piece of fine writing I have seen from Face 1st in recent weeks and once again shows the diversity of his ability. In my view, this is a very fine piece of graffiti writing indeed and unfortunately the pictures just don’t convey how good it is. I think the piece was painted during a session with Fiva (to the left and already posted on Natural Adventures) and if you look closely there is a little shout out to Fiva at the top above the C and E.

Face 1st, St Werburghs, Bristol, November 2019
Face 1st, St Werburghs, Bristol, November 2019

The piece transitions seamlessly from gold through light bronze to silver, an effect that is accentuated by the yellow lighting in the tunnel. This particular work kind of gives me a warm feeling – maybe it is nostalgia as the letters have a bit of a 1970s feel about them. A classy piece.

Face 1st, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2019
Face 1st, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2019

2579. St Werburghs tunnel (109)

This lovely sprite-like face by Face 1st has been at the entrance to St Werburghs tunnel for a little while now, but remained completely untouched, which is as it should be. There is a seasonal feel to the piece with bronze-coloured leaves for hair.

Face 1st, St Werburghs, Bristol, September 2019
Face 1st, St Werburghs, Bristol, September 2019

All of Face 1st’s work is really good at the moment, in fact it has been for a few years now and the artist is showing his versatility by adapting his style iteratively from piece to piece. For its simplicity and beauty this is opne of my recent favourites.

2562. Brunel Way bridge (24)

Wow, wow, wow. Face 1st is really going for this new look girl’s face with tears flooding from her sad eyes. This is the third crying piece I have posted recently and it is a trend that seems to be a commentary on the state of our nation at present.

Face 1st, Brunel Way, Bristol, October 2019
Face 1st, Brunel Way, Bristol, October 2019

This is a crisp and clean piece down under Brunel Way, next to the Bristol New Cut. Face 1st often paints the columns round here, but less frequently paints the main walls, so this is a bit of a treat. An artist who consistently ticks all my boxes.

2547. M32 Cycle path (35)

How fantastic to see these two PWA artists hooking up again after what feels like way too long. Soap and Face 1st have been painting buddies for a long time, but lately have been doing their own thing. I was beginning to think that they might have fallen out and may maybe they had, so it was with some relief  that I came across this fine collaboration on the M32 cycle path.

Soap and Face 1st, M32 cycle path, Bristol, October 2019
Soap and Face 1st, M32 cycle path, Bristol, October 2019

The collaboration itself is a lovely crisp piece, which is tapping into Face 1st’s recent theme of a crying face, which I interpret as a metaphor for the desperate state of our nation. This collaboration is really tight and one of my favourites that this pair have produced. The yellow boundary contains the two elements into a ‘proper’ collaboration of shared paint and merged ideas rather than the loose collaboration of when artists paint different things together.

2538. St Werburghs tunnel (106)

An unusual piece by Face 1st in St Werburghs tunnel, unusual because it is writing without a character. I think this is the first time I have seen this from him although he quite often does character pieces without writing.

Face 1st, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2019
Face 1st, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2019

Simple in its construction and tidy in his use of fills this is a rather fun piece, and it has lasted well in the tunnel where the turnover is often quite rapid. I particularly like the orange and red stripes on the ‘A’  – something for me to go away and practice. Also you might notice one of his girl faces at the base of the ‘F’. Always good to see Face 1st breaking boundaries.

2522. M32 roundabout J3 (173)

This is quite a rare piece by the mild-mannered Face 1st, because he doesn’t very often get political, but this piece has been painted to show the artist’s despair over Brexit. It is a sentiment that will chime for the majority of Bristol citizens who voted overwhelmingly to remain in Europe.

Face 1st, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2019
Face 1st, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2019

I share the tears being shed by Face 1st’s subject and they are tears that reflect a sadness that our country is so divided, more so than at any time in living memory. The UK is shattered, and we can be pretty sure that the outcome of leaving Europe will be several more years of austerity (haven’t we had enough? – as a public sector worker, I’ve not had a more than 1% pay rise for a decade), the break up of the Union, with Scotland the first to go, and a vast and costly new domestic bureaucracy (replacing the one in Europe) just to manage our trade relationships and regulations that will be required for each nation we trade with. I wish I could wake up from this nightmare. Face 1st’s piece says it all really.