Tag: Graffiti

176. M32 roundabout Junction 3 (3)

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. I have been keeping my powder dry with this one, although I don’t quite know why. When I see a great piece of street art, I really ought to share it straight away.

3Dom, M32 Roundabout, Bristol, March 2016
3Dom, M32 Roundabout, Bristol, March 2016

3Dom is one of the most creative and imaginative of the Bristol street/graffiti artists. His works nearly all have a surreal feel to them and contain unique blends of shapes and colours that are rarely seen elsewhere. His imagination runs riot with this piece and he introduces different textures and shadings in this character. I love the green body and arm, that resemble a close-up of a spider’s leg.

3Dom, M32 Roundabout, Bristol, March 2016
3Dom, M32 Roundabout, Bristol, March 2016

The piece can be dated as having been sprayed post-Bowie’s death, as there is a mention of him and Buzz. What is pleasing about this is it is so clean, and as yet untagged. One of my absolute favourite pieces this year (so far).

175. Cheltenham Road, No 126

I found this lovely tribute to DJ Derek, the first of many I suspect, along the Cheltenham Road at the back end of last week. It is by Lemak and I believe was completed on 3 April 2016.

Tribute to DJ Derek by Lemak, Cheltenham Road, Bristol, April 2016
Tribute to DJ Derek by Lemak, Cheltenham Road, Bristol, April 2016

Lemak originally comes from Fleetwood but is currently based in Bristol.He was originally inspired by stencil artists and first took to spraying in 2011. I think this work is very accomplished, and the stencil portrait of DJ Derek is a fine and fitting tribute.

Tribute to DJ Derek by Lemak, Cheltenham Road, Bristol, April 2016
Tribute to DJ Derek by Lemak, Cheltenham Road, Bristol, April 2016

DJ Derek, was a locally well known septuagenarian disc jockey who played at clubs all around Bristol and beyond. He mysteriously went missing in July and his body was found in March this year. More on this in my posts 31. Leonard Lane (3) and 146. The Bearpit (6).

174. Midland Street (3)

This picture was taken in October 2015, and the wall has since been refreshed by Deamze, and featured here a few weeks ago. It has taken me a while to work out who this fine triptych was by; I think I have it now.

Voyder and Soker, Midland Street, Bristol, October 2015
Voyder and Soker, Midland Street, Bristol, October 2015

The face in the centre is by Voyder, a sensationally good street artist in Bristol, and it really draws the viewer in. It looks like the left hand side wildstyle is by Soker, although I cannot be certain.

Voyder and Deamze, Midland Street, Bristol, October 2015
Voyder and Deamze, Midland Street, Bristol, October 2015

The right hand side is by Deamze I think. The three elements together have a lovely symmetry, but for me the face wearing ski goggles? wins the day for me. I’m glad I captured it before it disappeared.

173. The Bearpit (9)

It was an accident of fate that took me to this encounter yesterday. I spent my lunch break walking to the Post Office in the Galleries, and then nipped into M&S for sandwiches…a treat I don’t usually afford myself. I intended to return to work, but thought I was so close to The Bearpit, I would just see if there was anything new.

Decay, The Bearpit, Bristol, 8 April 2016
Decay, The Bearpit, Bristol, 8 April 2016

Better than that…a graffiti artist was spraying in one of the tunnels. The colours of paint on his trousers pretty much gave him away – red, grey, white and black – I approached him and asked “excuse me, but are you Decay“. Not a phrase I use often. It was, and we struck up a conversation.

Decay, The Bearpit, Bristol, 8 April 2016
Decay, The Bearpit, Bristol, 8 April 2016

Decay has only recently moved to Bristol, but it would explain the proliferation of his work around the place. I asked if he would be at Upfest 2016, and indeed he will. I will look him out. Finally I asked if he would mind if I took some pictures, and he said it was fine, but not the face. The whole experience was a bit ‘Exit through the Gift Shop’, a Banksy film I thoroughly recommend.

My first real contact with an artist in action. A good day, which only got better, as on my way home I spotted Alex Lucas working on a commission, and chatted with her too…more on that in a future post.

Decay, The Bearpit, Bristol, 8 April 2016
Decay, The Bearpit, Bristol, 8 April 2016

Happy.

172. Jubilee Street (3)

A beautiful sunny day in November 2015 treated me to some fabulous walls that still sustain me now. This is a well worked collaboration by Feek and Soker on the side of the Manor Scrap Company, and opposite the playgrounds of the Hannah Moore Primary School. It also appears that Deamze might have had a hand in this too.

Feek and Soker, Jubilee Street, Bristol, November 2015
Feek and Soker, Jubilee Street, Bristol, November 2015

The characters either side of the wildstyle are by Feek, and you can read the lettering ‘Sokem’ by Soker. I don’t yet know why all his wildstyle burners say Sokem and not Soker. I guess it is a bit like Deamze writing Deam, Deams or Deamze…they probably do it because they can.

Feek and Soker, Jubilee Street, Bristol, November 2015
Feek and Soker, Jubilee Street, Bristol, November 2015

I like the slightly unsettling clown and bumper car rider in this piece…there is something menacing about them. Probably not ideal opposite a school, but hey, that’s how it is.

7.5/10

171. Brook Road

Some time ago, when I was strolling around the back streets of St Pauls and Montpelier I came across this really unusual wall by Jack Dones, who is one part of the Paintsmiths, although I think he painted this as a solo piece.

Dones, Brook Road, Bristol, November 2015
Dones, Brook Road, Bristol, November 2015

It is a very clever and rather touching idea and very different from most of the street art in Bristol. It is a well known image, but I’m not sure how many people know where it is as it is a bit off the beaten track. I would have liked to seen it in its pristine condition, but I came rather late to the party.

Dones, Brook Road, Bristol, November 2015
Dones, Brook Road, Bristol, November 2015

7/10

170. Dean Lane skate park (1)

It is a strange thing with hunting down street art that you can be completely ignorant of a particular artist, and then within a few days see several of their works. One such artist is Laic 217 who I featured for the first time on 31 March 2016. Earlier this week I spotted another of his pieces in the skate park in Dean Lane.

Laic 217, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2016
Laic 217, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2016

What I like about these is the character within the burner that seems to be common to his works, and the colours he uses.

Laic 217, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2016
Laic 217, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2016

I look forward to finding more of his stuff, especially as I now know where to look.

7/10

169. West Street

I am still coming across street art that was created during Upfest 2015, and on my walk yesterday I found this wonderful piece by Gemma Compton.

Gemma Compton, West Street, Bristol, April 2016
Gemma Compton, West Street, Bristol, April 2016

Compton is an artist and fashion designer who is based in Bristol, and another graduate from UWE (University of the West of England). A lot of her work incorporates wildlife and birds in particular. She has an interesting website that shows off her extensive work. Street art is clearly not her main focus, which is a pity, as this is rather good.

7/10

168. North Street Green (1)

It was a gorgeous sunny day yesterday, and now that I am back in work after the holidays, I couldn’t wait to escape for a long lunchtime walk. I was rewarded with some new street art that I haven’t seen before. This cheeky piece is by the ubiquitous Cheo – I knew he had recently been busy from his Instagram account, but wasn’t sure where this work was.

Cheo, North Street Green, Bristol, April 2016
Cheo, North Street Green, Bristol, April 2016

I think it might be called ‘gorilla gubbins’, although that might just be a label he gave it.

Cheo, North Street Green, Bristol, April 2016
Cheo, North Street Green, Bristol, April 2016

This particular wall has changed at least three times in the last 6 months or so, and it will change again during Upfest 2016, which I am getting rather excited about. I have pictures of two other works on this wall.

Cheo, North Street Green, Bristol, April 2016
Cheo, North Street Green, Bristol, April 2016

I love the bad gorilla smoking a cigar. I think the piece is only a few days old.

 

7/10

167. M32 roundabout Junction 3 (2)

Here is a lovely clean piece by another member of the PWA crew, following on from the Face F1st work that I posted a few days ago.

Soap, PWA, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2016
Soap, PWA, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2016

This fine double-mouthed creature is typical of Soap’s work. Beyond that I can really tell you nothing about the artist. Sometimes it is better like that.

Soap, PWA, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2016
Soap, PWA, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2016

I’m not sure who the alien ZAP figure (to the right) is by, but you can see there is quite a gap in quality between them. I like soap’s work, I just don’t get to see enough of it.

7.5/10