Tag: Face

2122. The Nova Scotia

Anyone who can tell me what is going on here (other than the artist himself) deserves a medal, because it is wild and complex. Tom Miller has an exquisite touch and fertile imagination, a potent combination for creating vibrant and sometimes provocative street art.

Tom Miller, The Nova Scotia, Bristol, February 2019
Tom Miller, The Nova Scotia, Bristol, February 2019

Tom Miller left this piece unfinished for quite some time with a little note in the bottom right hand corner saying ‘work in progress’, but I have to say that the only difference I can make out between the unfinished and finished version is his signature.

Tom Miller, The Nova Scotia, Bristol, March 2019
Tom Miller, The Nova Scotia, Bristol, March 2019

The piece is in two very distinct and contrasting halves. On the left are several faces looking a bit like masks and typically distorted in a surreal way that Tom Miller does so well.

Tom Miller, The Nova Scotia, Bristol, March 2019
Tom Miller, The Nova Scotia, Bristol, March 2019

On the right hand side are two large intertwined and rather frightening dog heads and just above them a series of smaller ones. There is real threat and menace here which seems to be at odds with the unsuspecting mask faces to the left. A truly dream-like or even nightmarish piece from Tom Miller, executed with enormous skill.

2114. Moon Street (63)

Not quite as prolific as he has been in the past, but still keeping things ticking over is the brilliant Laic217 painting in one of his favourite spots in Moon Street. I think the dimensions of the wall lends itself to his portraits.

Laic217, Moon Street, Bristol, March 2019
Laic217, Moon Street, Bristol, March 2019

In this piece we see a return to several ideas used in Laic217’s work which link back to a theme of flammability. A melting face, which Laic217 has used to great effect many times,  that spells out his name. Spray can caps for eyes recessed deeply into the eye sockets and a bucket hat which in this case seems to be fashioned out of a spray can.

Laic217, Moon Street, Bristol, March 2019
Laic217, Moon Street, Bristol, March 2019

I will never get bored with his work and if I am honest probably look forward to discovering his work more than any other artist… it is like a game.

2099. Moon Street (63)

It seems that every artist I write about at the moment is accompanied with the phrase that ‘xxx has been very busy lately’. I don’t quite know what’s going on, but there seems to have been an awakening in Bristol over the last six months or so, and in the four or so years that I have been doing this, I have not quite known a winter so busy. Mr Sleven has also been rather busy and this fine wall in Moon Street is one of several recent pieces.

Mr Sleven, Moon Street, Bristol, March 2019
Mr Sleven, Moon Street, Bristol, March 2019

This is a fine piece of character writing, with the artist’s name interrupted by a girl in a facemask instead of the letter ‘V’. His style is somewhat different from some of the other writers here, who tend to work with much cleaner lines and solid fills, such as Cheo or Soker. Mr Sleven’s work is more organic perhaps, but is no less fantastic for it.

Mr Sleven, Moon Street, Bristol, March 2019
Mr Sleven, Moon Street, Bristol, March 2019

Showing off my ignorance, I’m not too sure what the icon on the woman’s mask is, but it sets the whole thing off nicely. Great to see something like this in Moon Street.

2097. Queen Charlotte Street (2)

My recent discovery of a Tim Marsh piece, kindly left behind after Upfest 2018, was accompanied by two other pieces of which this is one by Ione, another artist who had visited Bristol for the festival.

Ione, Queen Charlotte Street, Bristol, March 2019
Ione, Queen Charlotte Street, Bristol, March 2019

I have already posted Ione’s official Upfest piece a little while back, a piece that was full of character and an interesting style. This is another in that vein. Looking at it carefully now as I am writing this post, I think that there are two artists involved here, one, Ione, who painted the face and possibly another (Salt?) who painted the vase and skull. I think this might require further investigation.

Ione, Queen Charlotte Street, Bristol, March 2019
Salt?, Queen Charlotte Street, Bristol, March 2019

This brings into sharp focus the difficulty of writing about street art, but in particular writing about visiting artists whose work one is less familiar with and therefore less able to be certain of. I think I tend to be a little too up tight about being accurate and authoritative, when sometimes it would be wiser simply to enjoy the art in front of me.

2093. Lawrence Hill roundabout (6)

It seems that I have been a bit of a latecomer to the Lawrence Hill roundabout tunnels… well you can’t be everywhere can you? Although most of the graffiti in the tunnels is nothing to write home about, there are a few decent pieces, including this wonderful collaboration between Tasha Bee and Face 1st.

Tasha Bee and Face 1st, Lawrence Hill, Bristol, February 2019
Tasha Bee and Face 1st, Lawrence Hill, Bristol, February 2019

I like it when these two collaborate as their preferred soft-tone colour pallets and line drawings match so very well – there seems to be a good fusion of styles, which can’t be said for all collaborations. Peace and love.

2087. Dean Lane skate park (200)

Regular readers will know how excited I get when visiting artists leave behind a little gift for us to enjoy, and so I thought it fitting to write my 200th Dean Lane post about Italian artist Filippo Mozone.

Mozone, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2019
Mozone, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2019

The piece is so obviously not in the style of any of the Bristol artists I am aware of and for this reason was a real curiosity. The character appears to be painted in the manga style and has a sketch-like quality to it. The large eyes remind me of ‘Marine Boy’ a cartoon I loved as a child. I am quite pleased with myself spotting the Japanese link, because I have just read in Mozone’s website biography that he was ‘was dazzled by Japanese cartoons in the 80’s and graffiti in the early 90’s‘.

Mozone, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2019
Mozone, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2019

This piece was a lovely surprise (and I like surprises) and is one of my favourite pieces of the year so far.

2081. Brunel Way Bridge (11)

I was alerted to this wonderful piece by Kid Crayon through Instagram and naturally tried to get to see it as quickly as I could. The piece was part of a collaboration with Subtle but alas, Subtle’s half had been painted over by the time I got down to Cumberland Basin.

Kid Crayon, Brunel Way Bridge, Bristol, March 2019
Kid Crayon, Brunel Way Bridge, Bristol, March 2019

I am guessing that Kid Crayon rather likes this tone of pink, because it features a lot in his work. Either that or he ordered way too much pink and is wading his way through it.

Kid Crayon, Brunel Way Bridge, Bristol, March 2019
Kid Crayon, Brunel Way Bridge, Bristol, March 2019

Once again, Kid Crayon has turned out yet another impressive piece and rather wonderfully incorporated one of his characters into the ‘O’ of Crayon, and it is great to see his trademark floating Crayon making a comeback. So very good.

2071. St Werburghs tunnel (66)

Possibly the most distinctive style in Bristol belongs to Atchue and his ultra pink cartoon faces, such as this one from a little while back in St Werburghs tunnel. As with the work of Stupid Stupid Meathole there is something a little grotesque in these gurning characters.

Atchue, St Werburghs, Bristol, December 2018
Atchue, St Werburghs, Bristol, December 2018

It is impossible to ignore a piece like this and it stands out from the plethora of burners and throw-ups that adorn the walls of this tunnel. A simple idea which is nicely painted that picks you up and slaps you around the face just to make sure you are paying attention. Nice work.

 

 

2068. Shoreditch, London (27)

I have only seen Ant Carver’s work at Upfest, so it was with some excitement that I found this wheatpaste piece by him during my extensive stroll around Shoreditch. His style is instantly recognisable and all the better for having witnessed the way he builds his work up at Upfest 2018.

Ant Carver, Shoreditch, London, November 2018
Ant Carver, Shoreditch, London, November 2018

This was not the only wheatpaste by Mr Carver that I found on this particular walk and It will give me great pleasure to share the other one with you soon. It comes as no surprise that it is the eyes that captivate the audience in his pieces, and it must have something to do with the way he builds his pictures up. Great work.

2067. Shoreditch, London (26)

This wonderful mash-up piece by Ewan Blackford is right up my street, metaphorically speaking at least. To me it has components of the Sky High approach to mixing it up a bit, and some of the crazy character stuff of artists like 3Dom or Si2 (Hull Graffiti).

Ewan Blackford, Shoreditch, London, November 2018
Ewan Blackford, Shoreditch, London, November 2018

It is a nicely composed wall and certainly eye-catching. Together with the location of the wall itself, this piece was unmissable. I have not heard of the artist before, but that is true of so many of the London-based artists…let me conquer Bristol first.