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.

2058. Dean Lane skate park (196)

Recently Face 1st has been teaming up with an artist I have not been aware of before who likes to paint elephants, Junk. I don’t yet know much about the artist, but I like his simple style which goes so well with a very similar style used by Face 1st.

Face 1st, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2019
Face 1st, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2019

I have actually posted a collaboration by these two before fairly recently, but thought that the whole thing was by Face 1st and that he had branched out into doing elephants…he corrected me via Instagram.

Junk, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2019
Junk, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2019

I hope to see more of this pairing…there is something rather calming and meditative about this collaboration… maybe it is an elephant thing.

Face 1st, M32 roundsbout, Bristol, January 2019
Face 1st, M32 roundsbout, Bristol, January 2019

2056. St Werburghs tunnel (63)

Zake is an artist who is really coming out of the shadows and making a bit of a name for himself. I first became aware of him last Summer but I don’t know if that was because he was reasonably new to the Bristol scene or whether I just hadn’t spotted any of his work before.

Zake, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2019
Zake, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2019

This piece is a little bit different and has some similarities with artwork by Laic217…which can only be a good thing. A skull leaving its host through the mouth is surely an odd concept, but one which allows Zake to experiment beyond his faces. Skulls are difficult to get right, but this is not too bad at all. I love it that Zake is more mobile and seems to have teamed up with some of the PWA artists and friends. A lovely surprise piece in the tunnel.

2054. M32 roundabout J3 (128)

Another one that slipped through the net is this melting face piece by Laic217 from a time when he was experimenting with these kinds of facial distortions and disfigurements, back in February 2017.

Laic217, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2017
Laic217, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2017

Although it is only a small piece, sandwiched between two bits of graffiti writing, it demands to be looked at, and why not…this is the kind of piece that typifies the work of this Polish adopted son of Bristol. Melting face, bucket hat, smilie face smoking… all trademarks used by Laic217. Another fine piece.