Tag: Graffiti

567. Upfest 2016 (78)

This was one of the larger pieces from Upfest, and I have just spent 20 minutes looking for some other pictures that I took of it once it was completed, but can I find them…? It is quite an unusual piece by Fin DAC, and I have to say I think it is brilliant.

Fin DAC, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Fin DAC, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

I particularly like the way the chimney stack has been incorporated into the work (which of course, you can’t see from these crappy pics) – I love it when street artists use the environment they are painting in to enhance the work. Fin DAC is an artist from Ireland but who now resides in London. I don’t think I have ever seen anything like this before, but it has some real overtones of Japanese culture in it, which I don’t think is common to his other work. Maybe that is just me. Really nice piece.

Fin DAC, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Fin DAC, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

566. Upfest 2016 (77)

This rather nice large, clean piece by 45RPM, one of Bristol’s finest street artists, captures the theme of the festival ‘Mr Men’ (and little Miss) with a new addition of Mr Paint? I’m not sure what he is called, but it is a witty piece painted in the spirit of the event.

45 RPM, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
45 RPM, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

The wall though is a complete bugger to photograph. It would seem that the parking bay in front of it is reserved 24/7 for white van man (although in this case a Range Rover)! I can’t count how many times I have been to north street to photograph this piece, and there it is…some bloody van. So I will calm down, and you will just have to put up with van pollution in my pictures. To help me retain my poise, I offer two other pieces by 45RPM – an owl, and an anteater…ahhhh that’s better.

565. Upfest 2016 (76)

2016 was a highly charged year on the political front, and many artists who came to Upfest presented various viewpoints and commentaries on the major issues of our time. One of the most compelling was this incredible portrait of Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the opposition.

Andy O'Rourke, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Andy O’Rourke, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
The quote next to the portrait reads:

‘When you cut out a man’s TONGUE, you are not proving him a LIAR, you’re telling the world that you FEAR what he might say’

This was a view supported by many on the left of the Labour Party, and is a nice quote. The portrait itself is really stunning, and captures the man extremely well. right down to the beige suit.

Andy O'Rourke, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Andy O’Rourke, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
I like O’Rourke’s entry in the Upfest programme which reads…‘Born to dabble. Wannabe polymath. Jack of all trades, master of nuns. Photorealism, anamorphic illusions, trompe l’oeil, cartoons, calligraphy, digital stuff, itchy feet.’ Great biog.

564. Picton Lane (8)

This is a little spot in a very narrow lane where Aspire likes to paint his birds. I recently posted a work from here of a couple of house sparrows. This, according to Aspire’s website is a coconut lorikeet. So very beautiful and nicely painted, as one would expect from Aspire.

SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES
SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES

The lane itself is so narrow, that taking decent pictures is really difficult. One note I would make though is that the pictures look ever so slightly out of focus. This is not in fact the case – Aspire manages to create a hint of soft focus on some of his pieces, and you can see this on both the lorikeet and the sparrows.

Aspire, Picton Lane, Bristol, November 2016
Aspire, Picton Lane, Bristol, November 2016

I will never tire of finding and reporting on Aspire’s work. I tried to find some in London’s Leake Street recently, but failed.

563. Raleigh Road, Vector (4)

Alongside works by Voyder, Deamze and Soker sits this unusual and rather good collaboration by two great graffiti artists – Beastie and Decay. The Decay element is easy to identify, displaying all his concentric shapes and tones although this time in blues, rather than the usual reds, greys, whites and blacks that are his favoured colours.

Decay, Raleigh Road, Bristol, November 2016
Decay, Raleigh Road, Bristol, November 2016

Had the piece not been signed, it would have taken me a little while to identify Beastie’s contribution on the left. Some will remember his mischievous cat in Stokes Croft that had been tagged, but has now been resurrected. Because I only see occasional works by Beastie, I haven’t properly ‘got my eye in’ with his stuff, and his style is rather more broad than some other artists.

Beastie, Raleigh Road, Bristol, November 2016
Beastie, Raleigh Road, Bristol, November 2016

This is an interesting collaboration with a rather solemn message, but i think they have carried it off really well. Such a pity about the black line through the piece, but you have to be quick these days.

562. Richmond Road (2)

I took a stroll in Montpelier a little while ago and visited some streets I have not been to before, and some others that I haven’t been to for a long while. I was very pleased to find this Tom Miller piece on Richmond Road, and although it has been quite heavily tagged, it still conveys loads of movement and emotion in the world of Miller’s ‘imaginite’.

Tom Miller, Richmond Road, Bristol December 2016
Tom Miller, Richmond Road, Bristol December 2016
It is a pity I didn’t get to see this when it was clean, as I love this fine artist’s street work. I love the way Miller’s works spew out colours in all directions – an enjoyable confusion. As an observation, you can see that one of the tags is by Whysayit, a local graffiti artist.

Tom Miller, Richmond Road, Bristol December 2016
Tom Miller, Richmond Road, Bristol December 2016

561. Ashley Road (10)

Although Face F1st’s work is, on first viewing, not as spectacular or striking as some of the other local street artists, there is something very cultured and empathetic about his work. The familiar technique of incorporating a girl’s portrait into the word ‘face’ combined with the soft colour schemes marks out Face F1st’s pieces as something rather special.

Face F1st, Ashley Road, Bristol, December 2016
Face F1st, Ashley Road, Bristol, December 2016
Most of his spraying is done in the Stokes Croft area of the city, and on the corner with Ashley Road in particular. This is a relatively recent piece on a hoarding where the turnover or work can be very high. This one has survived a few weeks, and at the time of writing was still there. Always good to find his works.

Face F1st, Ashley Road, Bristol, December 2016
Face F1st, Ashley Road, Bristol, December 2016
These photographs are a little ropey due to the dappled sunlight on the piece at the time of taking them.

560. Armada Place (9)

Well this pair is a rather good collaboration of wildstyle writing from Whysayit and Nero. Whysayit’s work can be found dotted all over Bristol, and as well as these more elaborate burners, he does his fair share of tagging too. The colours are very easy on the eye and the translucent effect really clever.

Whysayit, Armada Place, Bristol, December 2016
Whysayit, Armada Place, Bristol, December 2016
I have seen a few of Whysayit’s pieces, but this is the first I have seen of Nero, and I have not been able to find out any more that I can add to this post, having trawled the Interweb. In time I will have more to report.

Whysayit, Armada Place, Bristol, December 2016
Whysayit, Armada Place, Bristol, December 2016
In my view, this is top drawer graffiti writing, but by many it will be discarded, overlooked or disapproved of. That is the nature of urban art.

Nero, Armada Place, Bristol, December 2016
Nero, Armada Place, Bristol, December 2016

559. St Werburghs tunnel (4)

I have really grown to like the work of OHMS as it is markedly different from anything else on the Bristol graffiti art scene. I still haven’t tracked down the artist or crew, but will find something before too long I hope.

OHMS, St Werberghs tunnel, Bristol, May 2016
OHMS, St Werburghs tunnel, Bristol, May 2016

The work of OHMS usually appears to have an artistic theme based around the letters OHMS. They range from a ‘jungle‘ theme to a ‘cartoon space‘ theme for exmple. Always the filling of the lettering is ornate and colourful, and often includes artistic motifs. In this work an ancient Egyptian theme runs through it.

OHMS, St Werberghs tunnel, Bristol, May 2016
OHMS, St Werburghs tunnel, Bristol, May 2016

As the pictures were taken in a tunnel, they don’t really convey the vibrancy of this piece, but is is very good. Looking forward to loads more from OHMS as 2017 unfolds.

558. Old Bread Street (9)

This is a piece I photographed back in 2016, as are most of my posts at the moment…something that I fear will be happening for quite some while yet. It is a fine wildstyle piece by the irrepressible Deamze (Tom Deams) whose website is here, and is essential reading for those who want to understand why people choose a name and spray paint it.

Deamze, Old Bread street, Bristol, September 2016
Deamze, Old Bread street, Bristol, September 2016
This piece, on a purple background, is typical of his work, with beautifully constructed shards, shapes and colours coming together to form the whole. The geometric precision comes across as being effortless, but is technically brilliant. It is always great to find these.

Deamze, Old Bread street, Bristol, September 2016
Deamze, Old Bread street, Bristol, September 2016