Tag: Figure

2902. The Bearpit (186)

This prophetic piece by Object… in The Bearpit was a protest and exposure of Bristol City’s determination to shut down the space and clear it of all ‘undesirable’ activity and make it a safe, clinical space. Object… quotes from Tom Flemming a creative consultant for Bristol City Council:

“…it will also be vital to champion the messy, the marginal and the avante garde, where imagination drives the city of the future.”

The Council shut The Bearpit down, expelled the homeless people (some of whom I note have returned), removed skateboarding and buffed all the walls with anti-graffiti paint. The space is now sterile (and indeed safer), but street art and graffiti were not contributing to a lack of safety, but perceptions seemed to rule the Council decision making. A council, I would add, that celebrates its association with Banksy. Some muddled thinking here.

Object..., The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2018
Object…, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2018

Object…’s piece once again features a contorted and strangely proportioned figure propping up the rights of the overlooked, the messy, marginal and avante garde mentioned above. He is a true champion and I salute him.

 

2887. The Carriageworks (40)

This is something of an iconic piece at The Carriageworks by DNT and Hoax, and possibly other collaborators. The wall can be dated as pre-2019 because it has been behind protective scaffolding due to the development of the site for a long time now.

DNT, The Carriageworks, Bristol, October 2016
DNT, The Carriageworks, Bristol, October 2016

The figure is by DNT and he has produced something similar since in Hepburn Road. I think that the beautiful patchwork background is by Hoax or maybe Sheva or maybe the whole thing is by DNT. This uncertainty might be the reason I never published these pictures before.

DNT, The Carriageworks, Bristol, October 2016
DNT, The Carriageworks, Bristol, October 2016

I think it is a beautiful piece and in some way really represents this area well. It is a great pity that this wonderful wall has been lost to street artists, but I guess it has ever been thus.

DNT, Hepburn Road, Bristol, August 2017
DNT, Hepburn Road, Bristol, August 2017

MGB stands for Matchbox Gallery, a little gallery shop that DNT used to run in Stokes Croft.

2843. St Werburghs tunnel (161)

I don’t get to see too much work from Object… these days, but I seem to have a fair amount in my archives and this wonderful piece in St Werburghs tunnel was painted back in October 2018.

Object..., St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2018
Object…, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2018

Object… specialises in these political commentary pieces in which contorted figures agonise and tentacles are often involved. I have a feeling that this might have been a collaboration with another artist contributing the colourful flower on the left hand side – it looks altogether too upbeat to be Object…’s work. I like his work a lot, Nd it feels good to release this one from the archive.

2142. M32 Spot (40)

I haven’t posted much by Tasha Bee lately, not because she hasn’t been painting, but more because I haven’t been able to get out much over the past fortnight. This one is under the M32 in the wet-weather DIY skate park, known as the M32 Spot.

Tasha Bee, M32 Spot, Bristol, March 2019
Tasha Bee, M32 Spot, Bristol, March 2019

Sprayed on one of the ramps rather than on a wall, this is another of her calm, soulful trademark figures with beautifully decorated hair. Recently she has been working or her writing which from the Instagram shots I have seen is really exciting. Unfortunately I’ve not seen any yet… it’s a turnover thing.

2052. Upfest 2016 (170)

Rounding off this batch of ten Upfest 2016 pieces is this powerful piece by Bram. Depicting  a person standing behind a glass barrier, the piece makes a bold statement about refusing refuge, which in 2016 was a huge issue across Europe.

Bram, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Bram, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

Although the piece on first inspection might seem a little simple, it is in fact beautifully composed and executed, with fine detail on the hands pressed up to the screen, but a murky figure behind the hands is obscured. It is a moving piece and a classic case of less is more, as you try to fill the gaps of the story for yourself.

Bram, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Bram, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

I know nothing of the artist and have struggled to find out anything from the Interweb.

1960. Ashfield Place

One of my favourite pieces of 2018 was this lovely collaboration by Soap and Face 1st. It is one of those collaborations that is more of a proximity of work, rather than a true collaborative merger.

Soap, Ashfield Place, Bristol, January 2018
Soap, Ashfield Place, Bristol, January 2018

I must have driven past it hundreds of times thinking that I really must stop and take a picture, but it is close to a road junction and there are very limited parking opportunities. The left hand side is by Soap and is one of his most regularly used designs in a nice metallic silver. The tongues are particularly nice with the purple tinge.

Face 1st, Ashfield Place, Bristol, January 2018
Face 1st, Ashfield Place, Bristol, January 2018

It is the Face 1st piece though that is in my view outstanding. I do so much like his full figurine, and every time I see her, she seems just that bit more special. In this piece it is her hair that is so captivating, and the blue spotted bow. Her eye lashes too are extraordinary. When I spoke with Face 1st not long after he had painted this lady, he told me it was one of his favourites too.

Face 1st, Ashfield Place, Bristol, January 2018
Face 1st, Ashfield Place, Bristol, January 2018

A beautiful lady.

1862. M32 roundabout J3 (105)

The first time I saw this figure by Face 1st it had some posters rather unhelpfully draped over her face. On returning some days later, the posters were gone and she was revealed in all her glory.

Face 1st, M32 roundabout, Bristol, November 2018
Face 1st, M32 roundabout, Bristol, November 2018

At any one time there must be four or five pieces by Face 1st on this roundabout, and as soon as one is covered over, another one seems to appear. This one belongs to the group of full figure ‘face girls’ that the artist has started doing lately and I have to say I am a big fan. There is always something soft and beautiful in his work, never threatening or aggressive. Another winner.

1514. The Bearpit (148)

What a lovely piece in The Bearpit from Tasha Bee, who not so long ago painted in collaboration with Hazard in St Werburghs tunnel. I know little about her or her work, but she is very much on my radar at the moment. I think she has recently been collaborating with PWA, in particular Face 1st.

Tasha Bee, The Bearpit, Bristol, May 2018
Tasha Bee, The Bearpit, Bristol, May 2018

This is a beautiful impish character full of colour and vigour. It is something quite different from the usual fare in The Bearpit and all the better for it. Everything that I have seen from Tasha Bee I like, so I am definitelty going to try and track down more of her work.

1469. Upfest 2017 (168)

I think the prize for the busiest artists of Upfest 2017 goes to Pahnl who were not only the featured Festival artists for the year, but who also painted two walls with their intricate stencil work.

Pahnl, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Pahnl, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

Actually, it was some days after the festival that they finally managed to finish this wall, but it was worth the wait. Their style of work has the look and feel of corporate identy and logos, with ‘toilet door man’ setting about various tasks and activities.

Pahnl, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Pahnl, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

The partnership certainly produced something out of the ordinary with their work, unlike anything else at the festival. there is more about this duo from Birmingham on their fine website.

915. M32 Spot (8)

I am fully aware that today is the second day of Upfest, and that you might be expecting a post from the wonderful Bristol street art festival. I’m afraid It’s not going to happen for a while. I will have an enormous amount of work to do with photographs and getting to grips with artists  before I can start to publish. If you want instant gratification, then follow #upfest2017 in instagram, it’ll be smoking!

For now I will post this characterful piece on one of the pillars under the M32 by Deamze. The faces on this work are quite unusual, and not something that I would ordinarily associate with Deamze.

Deamze, M32 Spot, Bristol, July 2017
Deamze, M32 Spot, Bristol, July 2017

There is a figure on each of the four sides of the pillar, each striking a different pose. I have only posted three of them, because the fourth is impossible to photograph due to the light conditions.

Deamze, M32 Spot, Bristol, July 2017
Deamze, M32 Spot, Bristol, July 2017

If you want to see the fourth side, you’ll just have to get down to the M32 Spot and check it out. I rather like this piece, and love the jeans and pink shirt, and the burger looks almost good enough to eat.