Tag: Graffiti

703. Upfest 2016 (107)

We were treated to some wonderfully colourful pieces at Upfest last year, but right up there with the best of them was this lovely piece by KOB, aka Kobtropikal. Kob, originally from Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, started painting in 1999.

Kobtropical, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Kobtropical, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

KOB has a rather organic approach to his work and favours painting surreal imaginary animals or plants or combinations of the two. He has a Facebook page, and interestingly has selected this piece as his avatar, so he must have been pleased with it. This piece has stuck in my mind, when many others have drifted in and out. It must have some strong elements that make it so memorable. A fine piece.

702. Upfest 2016 (106)

I love the high-end quality of the work produced by Zase and Dekor. Always highly designed and thought out, their pieces always contain a story picture and a wildstyle ‘Zase’. This magnificent wall sprayed for Upfest is no exception.

Dekor, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Dekor, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

It reminds me a little of a piece they did at Deaners a short while before Upfest, which might have been a fun practise run.

Zase, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Zase, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

Dekor was rather quiet and focussed at Upfest, but Zase was happy to have a good chat while he was working. I asked whether he would be happy to do an interview for my blog, which he agreed to do, but of course I haven’t got round to it yet. Watch this space.

Zase and Dekor, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Zase and Dekor, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

There is something very clean about their work, and the stories contained in them really play a large part. Zase produces these amazing 3D wildstyle writing which are a little like puzzles to unravel, but once you get your eye in are really pleasing.

Zase and Dekor, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Zase and Dekor, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

They workm on a lot of commissions, which is why it is so good to see them at Upfest, and at Deaners during July.

Zase and Dekor, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Zase and Dekor, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES
SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES

701. St Werburghs tunnel (11)

Well here is another weekly dose of Laic217. This piece is from a short while back and can be found at the city farm end of the St Werburghs tunnel, although turnover there is so rapid that it might have gone by now.

Laic217, St Werburghs tunnel, Bristol, March 2017
Laic217, St Werburghs tunnel, Bristol, March 2017

This piece bears some resemblance to his larger work in the Dean Lane skate park, and has something of the grotesque about it. Drug culture seems to play a large part in Laic217’s pieces and it looks like this pink individual is smoking weed. Not the most beautiful piece you will see, but all part of the broad and imaginative portfolio of this artist.

Laic217, St Werburghs tunnel, Bristol, March 2017
Laic217, St Werburghs tunnel, Bristol, March 2017

700. North Street, loft conversions

Sometimes collaborations really work well, and this beauty between Decay and John D’oh is quite a beauty. Half way along North Street, I first saw it during Upfest (it was a weekend and the shutters were down) although I don’t think it was sprayed for the festival.

Decay and John D'oh, North Street, Bristol, July 2016
Decay and John D’oh, North Street, Bristol, July 2016

It is a striking shutter piece and John D’oh’s stencil is rather special. I am not sure who it is of, but it works so well with the colours favoured by Decay. For me this is a special Bristol piece to be treasured.

699. Raleigh Road, vector (7)

Here is a great piece of precision wildstyle from local Bedminster graffiti artist, Dibz. All of his works have this characteristic jagged look, and ere always lovely and clean.

Dibz, Raleigh Road, Bristol, March 2017
Dibz, Raleigh Road, Bristol, March 2017

I don’t see his work on the streets too often, but he has a fine black book from which photographs are frequently posted on his Instagram feed. Always nice to see one of his sharp pieces up close though.

698. Dean Lane skate park (36)

I know that there are a great many Bristol street/graffiti artists that are not yet on my radar, which seems mad after two years of writing about them. The main reason is that some don’t sign their work and or have no social media footprint and are really hard to track down, so I see their work, but don’t know who they are.

Lokey, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2017
Lokey, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2017

This is a great 3D piece by Lokey, an artist I had heard of, but whose work I had not knowingly seen. I now find I have photographed some of his work before. There is something pleasing about this piece, it is very easy on the eye, and the fillers around the lettering add a nice touch. I will be on the look out for more.

697. The Bearpit (53)

Ah! what joy to see one of the Bristol favourites back in his home town. Mau Mau is an established artist who features a crafty and irreverent fox in most of his works. I haven’t seen much new stuff in Bristol, so it was great to see this a week or so ago. A skateboarding fox with a bit of attitude.

Mau Mau, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2017
Mau Mau, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2017

The last work I saw from Mau Mau was in Camden Town in London during the summer (yet to be posted), and I felt that he really ought to be doing more in Bristol. Well here it is, and it is beautifully done too. It is hard not to like a fox, isn’t it?

696. The Bearpit (52)

It is always great to see a new Tom Miller piece, and this is a wall he has favoured in the past. I can’t keep up with this particular wall, and have some pieces that have never made it to the blog. Maybe if I was retired…

Tom Miller, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2017
Tom Miller, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2017

This work has all the hallmarks of a Miller piece; body parts bursting with a suffusion of colour and ‘imaginite’ – the way thoughts might look if they could be painted. There is a little story going on here, chasing after love perhaps. I would like to think it is a happy picture and not a morose or sad one. I really am a big fan of Tom Miller’s work.

Tom Miller, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2017
Tom Miller, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2017

695. The Bearpit (51)

This is a remarkable and really well sprayed piece on one of the stairways of The Bearpit by Deamze. Quite often Deamze will write his name or some other word and incorporate a cartoon character. This time he has really gone to town, and been a little political too (which of course I love).

Deamze, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2017
Deamze, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2017

His chosen characters, Dennis the Menace and Minnie the Minx are from the famous British comic strip the Beano. Deamze has recreated these with absolute perfection.

Deamze, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2017
Deamze, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2017

The whole piece spells out ‘exist resist’ and carries the taglines ‘question authority’ and ‘Government is theft’. I have a feeling that the unending austerity, pressure on schools and the health service, compounded by the significant economic impacts that leaving the EU will impose, will lead to a great deal of protest in this country in the coming years. I hope future protests will be as peaceful and colourful as this.

Deamze, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2017
Deamze, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2017

I cannot say enough good things about this piece. The location is also well thought out, to be able to accommodate the long words but also with a footfall of predominantly sympathetic eyes passing it every day.

Deamze, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2017
Deamze, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2017

It is work like this that makes my pleasure a pleasure.

 

 

 

694. Dean Lane skate park (34)

This was a rather nice surprise left by one of Bristol’s master graffiti artists at the Deaner recently. Inkie has been back in town, and it is great when he leaves something like this behind. This is a beautiful piece of writing, typical of his style, and the colour selection is just brilliant.

Inkie, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2017
Inkie, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2017

I know how busy Inkie is, with commissions all over the place, so a piece like this…back to his roots…somehow seems so very valuable and meaningful. Enjoy this, from one of the longest lasting and very best there is.

Inkie, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2017
Inkie, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2017