5142. New Stadium Road (49)

Risco, New Stadium Road, Bristol, March 2023
Risco, New Stadium Road, Bristol, March 2023

Not so long ago, some nasty people set fire to a car under this small subway. Now it might be my age, but I just don’t understand why people do this kind of thing – life is hard enough without mindless idiots making things more unpleasant for everyone around them. In spite of this, almost phoenix-like, Risco, known for his epic work,  has crafted one of his skeletal pieces, using the sooty residue from the fire as his background.

Risco, New Stadium Road, Bristol, March 2023
Risco, New Stadium Road, Bristol, March 2023

The snake skeleton sits on top of a Claro_que_sssnoh piece and Haka piece, and gives them a second life after the fire. It is interesting to note that precious little tidy up has been done by Bristol City Council, apart from removal of the car, and it is the graffiti artists who have immediately moved in and brightened things up. You can be certain that a burnt out car and any damage caused in a more well-heeled area of Bristol would have been cleaned up immediately.

The paradox is that the Council are furiously buffing well known and much loved graffiti walls grey, in their war against ‘antisocial behaviour’, but they haven’t cleaned and painted the walls of this underpass which has been the site of far more serious anti-social behaviour, in my view. Double standards, appealing to the affluent and Pius communities in the City.

5011. St Werburghs Tunnel (351)

Mr Klue, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2023
Mr Klue, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2023

How nice it was to see Mr Klue again, when he was painting a new piece adjacent to this one last week in the tunnel. At first, I didn’t recognise him, as it has been a few years since we last met. During the course of our conversation, I managed to establish that he always writes KLUE in his pieces, and never deviates, which is great to know, because there have been times when I thought he has written something else altogether.

Mr Klue, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2023
Mr Klue, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2023

This, I think, is one of my favourite Mr Klue pieces, Mainly on account of the colour selection. I love the reds, yellows and oranges, which combined with the wispy, smokey style of Mr Klue’s work give the impression of fire. Now that I know it definitely says KLUE, I can see it so much more clearly – funny how the mind can fill the gaps when you have a little bit of information/confirmation. A wonderful piece from a lovely man.

4738. Greenbank (56)

Laic217, Greenbank, Bristol, September 2022
Laic217, Greenbank, Bristol, September 2022

This morning I bring you your regular dose of Laic217 and this fiery piece on the Bristol to Bath cycle path. The days of this spot are numbered, as the housing development completes, sections of hoarding will be removed and replaced with flimsy iron railings… arguably more in keeping with the housing, but I will mourn the loss of this fantastic graffiti spot.

Laic217, Greenbank, Bristol, September 2022
Laic217, Greenbank, Bristol, September 2022

As ever, this piece contains many of the key attributes we would expect to see in a Laic217 piece; a skeleton beautifully painted fabric, a touch of menace, a chain, a hat and fire. Always a pleasure seeing one of his pieces.

Set the fire

.

Balls of newspaper

and our own home-cut kindling

time for a real fire

.

by Scooj

2742. Turbo Island

Oh my goodness, Sled One is literally (almost, figuratively too sort of) on fire at the moment, or at least painting fire, with this bright character toasting a cartoon marshmallow over a hot flame.

Sled One, Turbo Island, Bristol, February 2020
Sled One, Turbo Island, Bristol, February 2020

This piece is more contrived than might at first be apparent. The subject is a direct nod to the bonfires that are regularly started on the little ‘green’ on Turbo Island usually by revellers, homeless people or addicts of one sort or another. I think that this is a remarkable piece by Sled One in so many ways. Technically it is brilliant, but equally brilliant is the little story that is unfolding in front of us.

Sled One, Turbo Island, Bristol, February 2020
Sled One, Turbo Island, Bristol, February 2020

I don’t really know how it is even possible, but I think this young artist is just getting better and better and I’m not sure he is even close to peaking yet. I hope this purple patch we are seeing from Sled One continues well into the year.

Open fire

 

As a child I’d watch

the dancing flames and listen

to the crackling pops.

 

by Scooj

 

 

2466. Cheltenham 2019 (5)

How fabulous to see a Decay piece in his old stomping ground of Cheltenham and what a stunner it is too. This writing, that we are all so familiar with has been given the ‘hades’ treatment, looking like the fiery colours of the Earth’s core. Actually it is a bit of a protest piece and has a message: ‘Flames rage while the Amazon burns’

Decay, Paint festival 2019, Chemtenham, September 2019
Decay, Paint festival 2019, Chemtenham, September 2019

I visited the festival twice, once on the Friday and again on the Saturday, but although I missed Decay painting this, I did catch up with him for a short while, and as ever it was a real pleasure. Like so many of his peers, he is so modest about his work which really has hit a new level this year.

For making fires

 

old wooden drawers

branches from the garden

perfect for kindling.

 

by Scooj

 

Scorched

.

From the charred remains

green shoots will quickly emerge

the gorse will return. 

.

by Scooj

Fire

 

And I in hades

must gaze in awe at the flames

that will consume me.

 

by Scooj