3623. M32 roundabout J3 (309)

A classic piece of Face 1stery going on here on the M32 roundabout. In times of turbulence and disruption there are rocks, sturdy landmarks, that remind us that actually everything is ok. Face 1st is one of those rocks. His pieces are painted regularly and when I see them I feel comforted and grounded.

Face 1st, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2021
Face 1st, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2021

This is a lovely example of his work with the customarily cheerful girl whose hair is composed of the letters FACE. This time there is a pink goo highlighting the letters, looking a little bit like bubblegum, which in my experience is best kept well away from hair.

I remember once back in the 1970s I was in a smoke-filled cinema in Muswell Hill (incredible to think that smoking at the cinema was the norm). Half way through the film a discarded piece of bubblegum that had been lobbed from the circle seats landed and lodged in my 1970s hair. Disgusting. My mum had to cut it out with scissors when I got home. I felt violated and humiliated. If I ever catch the perpetrator I’ll…

3616. Cumberland Basin

Here we have a classic Face 1st piece. A wall tucked away from general view and a chuckling girl’s face splashed on it. It is pieces like this, dotted all over the city that add to the overall fabric of Bristol. Sub-consciously, many thousands of people in Bristol will have seen one of these faces, they might not have registered them, but they will have seen them, and they will process them simply as being part of the furniture of the city.

Face 1st, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, April 2021
Face 1st, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, April 2021

Somehow, Face 1st injects a sense of fun and mischief into his work that comes across so well. These cheeky girls probably play slightly into the hands of subversive minds (it is graffiti after all), but are entirely accessible for all to enjoy and feel free. This one is a particularly lovely ecxample.

3615. Dean Lane skate park (406)

More fabulous Pekoe work… this artist has been going paint crazy over the last few weeks and keeps turning out beautiful portraits. Painting this one would have involved climbing over an iron railing (rather her than me) to access this swimming pool wall.

Pekoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2021
Pekoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2021

This face-on portrait in blue with bright yellow hair certainly grabs attention. The subjects cheeks are emphasised with circles in which sit Pekoe’s trademark tears. I feel sad when I see the tears as it makes me think that the artist herself is sad and expresses her sadness in this way. Of course, it might simply be a thing that has no deeper meaning at all. This is another fine Pekoe portrait, yet another one in a superb series.

3610. M32 roundabout J3 (305)

The incredibly busy and talented Pekoe painted this piece a short while ago along with several of her RBF friends on a section of wall that was long overdue for a refresh. The wall at this particular point is in a narrow stretch of cycle path and very difficult to photograph without being totally over-faced by it.

Pekoe, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2021
Pekoe, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2021

Pekoe has been producing so many top drawer pieces of late and this is another one to add to her catalogue, although there is something about it that I am a little uncomfortable with, I’m not sure what, but I think it could be the mouth. The feature image gives you an insight into the length of this wall, and the size of the collaborative paint session (all the yellow-background pieces). Still more to come from Pekoe’s purple patch.

Slakarts

A gallery of outstanding faces from Bristol artist Slakarts.

Instagram: @slakarts

All photographs by Scooj

Slakarts, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2025
Slakarts, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2025
Slakarts, Lawrence Hill, Bristol, April 2024
Slakarts, Lawrence Hill, Bristol, April 2024
Slakarts, Purdown, Bristol, March 2024
Slakarts, Purdown, Bristol, March 2024
Slakarts, M32 roundabout, Bristol February 2024
Slakarts, M32 roundabout, Bristol February 2024
Slakarts, Greenbank, Bristol, February 2024
Slakarts, Greenbank, Bristol, February 2024
Slakarts, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, February 2024
Slakarts, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, February 2024
Slakarts, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, November 2023
Slakarts, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, November 2023
Slakarts, M32 roundabout, Bristol, November 2023
Slakarts, M32 roundabout, Bristol, November 2023
Slakarts, St Werburghs, Bristol, August 2023
Slakarts, St Werburghs, Bristol, August 2023
Slakarts, M32 Spot, Bristol, July 2023
Slakarts, M32 Spot, Bristol, July 2023
Slakarts, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2023
Slakarts, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2023
Slakarts, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, February 2023
Slakarts, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, February 2023
Slakarts, Purdown, Bristol, January 2023
Slakarts, Purdown, Bristol, January 2023
Slakarts, Elton Street, Bristol, September 2022
Slakarts, Elton Street, Bristol, September 2022
Slakarts, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2022
Slakarts, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2022
Slakarts, Mina Road, Bristol, February 2022
Slakarts, Mina Road, Bristol, February 2022
Slakarts, Peel Street Green, Bristol, February 2022
Slakarts, Peel Street Green, Bristol, February 2022
Slakarts,M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2022
Slakarts,M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2022
Slakarts, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2021
Slakarts, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2021
Slakarts, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, December 2021
Slakarts, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, December 2021
Slakarts, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, November 2021
Slakarts, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, November 2021
Slakarts, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, September 2021
Slakarts, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, September 2021
Slakarts, M32 roundabout, Bristol, November 2021
Slakarts, M32 roundabout, Bristol, November 2021
Nugmoose and Slakarts, St Werburghs, Bristol, September 2021
Nugmoose and Slakarts, St Werburghs, Bristol, September 2021
Slakarts, Frome side, Bristol, June 2021
Slakarts, Frome side, Bristol, June 2021
Slakarts, St Werburghs Tunnel, Bristol, June 2021
Slakarts, St Werburghs Tunnel, Bristol, June 2021
Sage and Slakarts, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2021
Sage and Slakarts, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2021
Slakarts, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2021
Slakarts, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2021
Slakarts, Purdown, Bristol, March 2021
Slakarts, Purdown, Bristol, March 2021
Slakarts, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2021
Slakarts, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2021
Slakarts, Lawrence Hill, Bristol, February 2021
Slakarts, Lawrence Hill, Bristol, February 2021
Slakarts, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, December 2020
Slakarts, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, December 2020
Slakarts, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2020
Slakarts, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2020
Slakarts, St Werburghs, Bristol, December 2020
Slakarts, St Werburghs, Bristol, December 2020
Slakarts, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2020
Slakarts, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2020
Slakarts, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, October 2020
Slakarts, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, October 2020
Slakarts, Cumberland Basin, Bristtol, October 2020
Slakarts, Cumberland Basin, Bristtol, October 2020
Slakarts, St Werburghs, Bristol, September 2020
Slakarts, St Werburghs, Bristol, September 2020
Slakarts, Purdown HAA Battery, Bristol, January 2020
Slakarts, Purdown HAA Battery, Bristol, January 2020
Slakarts, Hepburn Road, Bristol, January 2020
Slakarts, Hepburn Road, Bristol, January 2020
Slakarts, River Avon, Bristol, January 2020
Slakarts, River Avon, Bristol, January 2020
Slakarts, M32 cycle path, Bristol, December 2019
Slakarts, M32 cycle path, Bristol, December 2019
Rezwonk and Slakarts, Albert Park Place, Bristol, November 2019
Rezwonk and Slakarts, Albert Park Place, Bristol, November 2019
Rezwonk and Slakarts, Albert Park Place, Bristol, November 2019
Rezwonk and Slakarts, Albert Park Place, Bristol, November 2019
Slakarts, St Werburghs, Bristol, December 2019
Slakarts, St Werburghs, Bristol, December 2019
Slakarts, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2019
Slakarts, M32 Spot, Bristol, January 2019
Slakarts, M32 cycle path, Bristol, November 2019
Slakarts, M32 cycle path, Bristol, November 2019
Slakarts, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2018
Slakarts, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2018
Slakarts, St George, Bristol, September 2019
Slakarts, St George, Bristol, September 2019
Slakarts, M32 Spot, Bristol, August 2019
Slakarts, M32 Spot, Bristol, August 2019

3597. St Werburghs tunnel (232)

Slakarts has been ever so busy in recent months and I have enjoyed meeting him a couple of times lately. I think it says so much about my age that street artists, like doctors and teachers, seem to be so very young. In my mind’s eye I expect them to be so much older and am always surprised when I meet them. DFC1848 is a rare exception to this perception.

Slakarts, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2021
Slakarts, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2021

In this piece in the tunnel, Slakarts has reverted to his front face projection rather than three-quarter profile that he has been painting a lot lately. This character has crazy hair, maybe he is waiting for the barber’s to reopen, and rather dodgy teeth. Not the most attractive, but nicely done.

3591. Cumberland Basin

I have only seen three pieces by Hanski, and this one is a little different from the other two. Tucked away in a bit of a hole, this piece will be missed by many, which is a pity. It is an unusual and unconventional piece, blending the abstract with a face.

Hanski, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2021
Hanski, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2021

The colours are eye-catching and certainly command attention. I think that this is a great beginning from Hanski and hitting walls is the first step in building up confidence and capability (something I haven’t yet had the courage to do). I wonder where her adventure will take us next.

3585. Greenbank (1)

I don’t mind admitting that it took me a long time to find this hoarding. Variously known as the cycle path or Greenbank or the Bristol to Bath cycle path, I was just too proud to ask anyone where it was and in the end found it using Google Maps – where would we be without such miracles of the modern world? This hoarding on the periphery of a huge development is about 100m long, and it has recently become an important, albeit temporary, graffiti spot.

Face 1st, Greenbank, Bristol, March 2021
Face 1st, Greenbank, Bristol, March 2021

It was nice to be greeted with this firm favourite of mine, Face 1st along with so many other familiar artists… my archive for March overfloweth! This is a standard Face 1st design with a pretty girl’s face and hair constructed with the letters FACE. I like the addition of the gold earring and the little blue and pink accents by the eye. Lots more from this wall to come.

3583. Purdown HAA Battery (25)

Although Purdown is a beautiful part of Bristol and has some stunning views over the city, the old HAA battery has a rather strange feel to it. It is a historical ruin that has been allowed to decay and in recent times has become a very popular spot for graffiti. Walking around the place though is moving and one’s mind drifts back to the ghosts of the past defending the city against the blitz. Some of the bunkers, like this one with this fine Slakarts piece, feel a bit dingy and creepy and to be honest I don’t like going down there much.

Slakarts, Purdown, Bristol, March 2021
Slakarts, Purdown, Bristol, March 2021

Obviously such matters don’t appear to phase Slakarts too much and this is another fine addition to his series of monochrome pieces that he has been enjoying painting over the last year or so. The simplicity of the parallel lines on the glasses is so effective and a tick he likes to use a fair bit. It is always great pleasure finding pieces by this gentleman.

3570. L Dub (25)

This is a very special piece from Laic217 because it takes us back to a hallucinogenic theme explored by the artist a few years ago, and I haven’t seen one of these distorted faces in a long while.

Laic217, L Dub, Bristol, March 2021
Laic217, L Dub, Bristol, March 2021

This is classic Laic217 at his best… a character and the letters LAIC, but how his work has come on over the last few years. He takes a lot of care with his work and his finessing makes a significant contribution to some brilliant technical work. Here, the double-faced character is spraying the letters, an idea used several times in his work.

Laic217, L Dub, Bristol, March 2021
Laic217, L Dub, Bristol, March 2021

The face has two perspectives looking in slightly different directions, but cleverly, each face seems to work independently. The mouth is large and shared by each face. Confusing and unsettling, this is a challenging work. Nice to see the bucket hat and smiley making a return too. Wonderful trippy work from Laic217.