Tag: Goin

6115. Moon Street (106)

Goin, Moon Street, Bristol, June 2024
Goin, Moon Street, Bristol, June 2024

Ooh! This is a superb ‘extra’ stencil piece painted by Goin while he was in Bristol for Upfest. It is pieces like this that separate out the ‘circuit muralists’ from the everyday street artists. Although Goin is often a featured artist at paint festivals, he likes to paint on the streets too, which is something I like and appreciate.

Goin, Moon Street, Bristol, June 2024
Goin, Moon Street, Bristol, June 2024

This is a telling stencil piece, and I don’t think that you need to be a genius to work out what is going on. A soldier is pointing his rifle at a tiny ladybird, and the latter obviously doesn’t stand a chance in this contest. There are many ways of protesting against war, and this piece from Goin is a very powerful image making the point. The red colour of the ladybird in a strange way offers some hope and beauty to this horrific scene. Thank you Goin for this wonderful gift to Bristol.

6091. Upfest 2024 (18)

Goin, Spotted Cow, Upfest 24, Bristol, May 2024
Goin, Spotted Cow, Upfest 24, Bristol, May 2024

Goin is a brilliant stencil artist, who has visited Bristol a number of times, usually in association with Upfest. I met him one time when he was doing a little ‘extra’ piece on a non-legal wall, and he was reluctant to give anything away. I knew who he was because I recognised his style, but didn’t let on. This is a wonderful piece painted on the side of the Spotted Cow pub in North Street.

Goin, Spotted Cow, Upfest 24, Bristol, May 2024
Goin, Spotted Cow, Upfest 24, Bristol, May 2024

There is a simplicity to Goin’s work that makes it more meaningful in a way than some of the extraordinary multi-layered stencil pieces crafted by master technicians. The skill here is in telling a story, and the title of the piece ‘stop bullying’ provides enough to see what is going on. A young forlorn schoolgirl with a bag slung over her shoulder, all in greyscale, is equipped with a large red boxing glove, perhaps to protect herself. There is so much to take away from this piece and the imagery sticks in the mind. One of Upfest most consistent visiting artists.

4519. Upfest 2022 (16)

I have met Goin only once and it was at an Upfest a few years ago. He had just finished a stencil piece in a spot that was not a recognised Upfest wall (let’s call it) and was looking rather sheepish. I tried to strike up a conversation with him, but he wished to keep his anonymity intact and was backwards in coming forwards (and who can blame him). Things have moved on since then, and Goin has created this magnificent wall for Upfest 2022.

Goin, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022
Goin, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022

I had to have a couple of goes at photographing this piece, because there were shadows running across the wall in my first attempts. This was one of the first walls to be completed at this year’s Upfest, and is a real statement piece. Big, bold and simple the girl in greyscale is wearing a beret, but the only revolution here is for love. The only colour is a red badge on her beret and the heart cushion she is clasping to her chest. The piece feels important and significant and is a strong message in these uncertain and troubling times.

2477. North Street Standard (6)

I think that I happened to be passing by this piece very shortly after it had been completed by Goin, judging from the presence of the scissor lift just below it. This striking piece is yet another remarkable work organised by Upfest as part of their Summer Editions project in lieu of an Upfest festival this year.

Goin, North Street Standard, Bristol, September 2019
Goin, North Street Standard, Bristol, September 2019

Goin is no stranger to Bristol, but his pieces tend to be associated with his visits for Upfest related initiatives. This magnificent and really rather large stencil entitled ‘Add to cart’ is clearly a commentary on consumerism, but I don’t know the original artwork upon which this is an elaboration. Any ideas? I suspect that knowing the root piece would add significance to the story being told. I might have to have a little Google session to see if I can find out. In the meantime, enjoy this excellent work.

939. Upfest 2017 (13)

You can be pretty sure that when Goin takes to the street, the work he produces will have an edge and political aspect. His piece for Upfest was no exception this year. He has created a large monochrome stencil of a traditional working-class paperboy holding up a newspaper with the words ‘Bullshit’s Tories’.

Goin, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Goin, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

I believe that Goin is French and this might give us a clue to the slightly curious wording. It is obviously an anti-Tory slogan, but doesn’t quite read right. It matters not one jot though, because it is pretty overt either way, and the piece is really powerful.

Goin, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Goin, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

I like Goin’s work a lot, but was very slack last year, and missed out on his main Upfest piece. It was slightly off the main drag, and by the time I went to photograph it, it had gone. Not this year.

351. Upfest (10)

On the Monday of Upfest, everything went a little strange. I had to dash over in my lunch break, so didn’t have much time and was walking pretty fast. What I noticed first was that there were very few people compared to the previous two days, and most of the people I saw were street artists from the weekend leaving a few ‘extras’ for us to admire.

Goin, North Street, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Goin, North Street, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

One such ‘extra’ was this piece by Goin, a French stencil artist with his roots in punk culture (sounding a bit like Tian). I posted about one of his works back in November 2015, but at that point I didn’t know who the artist was. This time I was there just as he sprayed the red writing. I asked who he was, but as this was a ‘naughty’ piece, he didn’t seem too keen to talk to me, and just wanted to get moving quickly. I then spotted this piece on his Instagram account a day or two later. I especially like this because it is witty, beautifully worked, subversive and I was there at its genesis.