Tag: Face

226. Stokes Croft, the Carriageworks (10)

Every now and then, life throws wonderful surprises at you. On such days it is hard to contain one’s joy and enthusiasm. I am having one of those ‘red letter days’ that my grandmother used to talk about.

Shalak Attack, Clandestinos Collective, Stokes Croft, Bristol, 9 May 2016
Shalak Attack, Clandestinos Collective, Stokes Croft, Bristol, 9 May 2016

My walk to work on a Monday via Stokes Croft always gives me a bit of a thrill, because the graffiti artists tend to spray over the weekend, especially when the weather is nice, and many walls in the area get a facelift. This morning I was greeted with a double surprise on the archways of the Carriageworks. Two spanking new, clean pieces by internationally famous artists.

Shalak Attack, Clandestinos Collective, Stokes Croft, Bristol, 9 May 2016
Shalak Attack, Clandestinos Collective, Stokes Croft, Bristol, 9 May 2016

This husband and wife team come under the combined name of the ‘Clandestinos Collective’ and are ‘Shalak Attack’ and ‘Bruno Smoky’. This stunning colourful portrait is by Shalak Attack and is one of the most beautiful pieces I have seen in Stokes Croft.

Shalak Attack, Clandestinos Collective, Stokes Croft, Bristol, 9 May 2016
Shalak Attack, Clandestinos Collective, Stokes Croft, Bristol, 9 May 2016

Shalak Attack is a Canadian-Chilean artist who has been spraying urban murals across the world for over a decade. She and her husband are currently in the UK (London) with an exhibition ‘In the Raw’ of their work. What I love about this piece is that of all the places in the UK that they might have gone for the weekend, they chose Bristol and Stokes Croft…getting in some recreational spraying. How cool is that? I will post the second half of this happy event very soon.

220. Drummond Road (1)

On the edge of St Pauls at the Stokes Croft end of Ashley Road, this lovely work by Face F1st complements a PWA collaboration opposite it. Some may consider Face F1st to be a bit of a ‘one trick pony’, as the works are all very similar, with little variation. I, however do not subscribe to this idea. All the faces are beautifully crafted with clean lines and have a distinctive consistency, which is in a way rather comforting in a world of frenetic spraying.

Face F1st, Drummond Road, Bristol, March 2016
Face F1st, Drummond Road, Bristol, March 2016

This piece I photographed in March this year, but I also snapped a newer one today during my lunch walk. I always get a bit of a glowing feeling whenever I happen across any of Face F1st’s work.

216. Stokes Croft, the Carriageworks (9)

This beguiling piece by Tom Miller appeared last weekend and has already now been painted over, and even when I took this picture a day after it was completed, it had already been tagged. I love Miller’s work, but I have reservations about this one. There is something in me that is slightly uncomfortable about using street art used to promote anything, even your own exhibition.

Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, April 2016
Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, April 2016

I have many pictures of street art in Bristol which promote night clubs or special evenings of music etc, but I don’t post about them. They are deliberately ephemeral and are usually not quite up to the standard of other work. There is less love about them…they become perfunctory.

Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, April 2016
Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, April 2016

This I think is a case in point. Miller’s work is usually of such a high standard, and this feels just a little bit rushed. I look forward to seeing the gallery, but look forward more to seeing a more considered Tom Miller piece in the near future. Does that sound harsh?

208. North Street (A38)

In the grubbiest little bit of street on the northern approach to St. James Barton Roundabout and The Bearpit from Stokes Croft, is a building that spans across the main road called 51º02. It is not the most beautiful of buildings. On a side wall is this incredibly well concealed Gregos face.

Gregos, North Street (A38), Bristol, April 2016
Gregos, North Street (A38), Bristol, April 2016

Gregos needs no introduction, but for those new to his work, I point you in the direction of a previous post about a mask he did in the other North Street in Bedminster. This face really has to be hunted down, most people pass by it completely oblivious…this is the joy and mischief of street art.

Gregos, North Street (A38), Bristol, April 2016
Gregos, North Street (A38), Bristol, April 2016

The forlorn face complements well the large metal disk it has been attached to, and indeed the general demeanour of this tatty stretch of road. Another great work from the Frenchman.

164. Ashley Road (4)

Anyone who reads this blog regularly will know that I have a real soft spot for Face F1st. Part of the PWA crew (Pirate Wall Art), Face F1st’s pieces are always low-key and often tucked away.

Face F1st, Ashley Road, Bristol, March 2016
Face F1st, Ashley Road, Bristol, March 2016

What I like about this piece is the calming image and simplicity in the artwork. Nothing flashy, but a pleasing end result. I have posted another Face f1st piece here.

8/10

156. Moon Street (8)

Quick Weird One

Well, as I said yesterday, I have a large backlog of street art to upload at the moment, but what a sweet pleasure it is for me. Here is another wonderfully colourful piece by the amazing Kid Crayon.

Kid Crayon, Moon Street, Bristol, March 2016
Kid Crayon, Moon Street, Bristol, March 2016

Another spray job, demonstrating his versatility between techniques…many of his works are wheatpastes. I appreciate that his works are not everyone’s cup of tea, but me they have a hint of the surreal about them, blended with Picasso and Gauguin…but let’s refocus for a moment, this is street art and Kid Crayon is, in my view, a master.

Kid Crayon, Moon Street, Bristol, March 2016
Kid Crayon, Moon Street, Bristol, March 2016

I am expecting a new wheatpaste from him soon, so keep your eyes peeled.

8/10

154. North Street, bus stop at Fairfield Road

Gregos is a world renowned French street artist who makes plaster casts of his face, Paints them and then sticks them to walls. He visited Bristol in 2015 during Upfest, and this is one of his pieces. He has made more than 1000 of these face casts, mostly in Paris – I know of only two in Bristol.

Gregos, North Street, Bristol, January 2016
Gregos, North Street, Bristol, January 2016

Cosmic Traveller, a Bristol street art blogger, wrote a great piece about Gregos in January this year. It is well worth a read.

Gregos, North Street, Bristol, January 2016
Gregos, North Street, Bristol, January 2016

I can’t help really liking this original idea, and of course it’ll make my next trip to Paris just that bit more interesting.

7.5/10

7. Trenchard Street, the one-way bit

This wheatpaste is a recent addition, slapped on a rather over-tagged door hoarding in the one-way section between the back entrance of Colston Hall and Colston Street in Bristol.

I have no idea who it is by, but it appears to have been initialled IM. I have tried to find out who this is, but not had much success.

IM? Trenchard Street, Bristol, July 2015
IM? Trenchard Street, Bristol, July 2015

There is something rather peculiar and sad about the face that I like. I’ll certainly be looking out for more.

7/10

Face

Opportunity

simply irresistible

creativity.

 

by Scooj