7063. Cumberland Basin

Nice One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2025
Nice One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2025

Although this piece is unsigned (which in itself is a clue), I have made the pretty safe assumption based on the letter font that it is by Nice One. The piece is a protest piece about the war in Gaza and says ‘Smash Elbit’. Elbit is an international military technology company and defence contractor based in Israel, and clearly central to the annihilation of Gaza and its people.

Nice One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2025
Nice One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2025

The bleak piece, which appears like a smashed window, is a reminder that we are all witnesses to a genocide that western democracies have failed to stop, and indeed appear to support. It cannot be that hard to get tough on the Israeli government, can it? Street art once again providing a running commentary of contemporary issues with impact.

7056. St Werburghs tunnel (516)

Mind 49, St Werburghs, Bristol, July 2025
Mind 49, St Werburghs, Bristol, July 2025

Mind 49 has always been an activist, and although his art has mellowed in recent years, his principles are still very much intact. This anti-war piece is striking, poignant and beautifully presented.

Mind 49, St Werburghs, Bristol, July 2025
Mind 49, St Werburghs, Bristol, July 2025

Skulls are a common motif/subject in street art and this is one of the very best examples I have ever seen. Mind 49 has captured the tones, shading and depth perfectly. Strangely, the helmet almost seems as though it is painted by a completely different artist. It is lacking in detail, the perspective is slightly out and the flags a bit untidy. I don’t know why this is, whether it is a deliberate device or that Mind 49 has absolutely cracked the skull and needs to work on helmets. It is a mystery.

The message to take home is clear. ‘Destroy the war machine’, which is directed at the UK, the USA and Israel. I could go into a long and thoughtful essay about the war in Palestine, and the impotence of voices that want an end to the killing and suffering. History will not look favourably on the genocide and the parallels with WWII concentration camps and justifications for extermination. Can’t people see the paradox? I’ll stop there. It upsets me too much.

6642. Sussex Street

Sepr and Andy Council, Sussex Street, Bristol, December 2024
Sepr and Andy Council, Sussex Street, Bristol, December 2024

This is a wonderful political commentary collaboration from Sepr and Andy Council, who are unhappy with the Government’s attitude towards the situation in Gaza. On the left Sepr has painted a passive protest piece featuring a dove sitting on an olive branch. It is both witty and poignant and is beautifully painted.

Sepr, Sussex Street, Bristol, December 2024
Sepr, Sussex Street, Bristol, December 2024

To the right, Andy Council presents on of his ‘stitched together’ composition creature pieces, which this time is a snail, perhaps representing the slow speed of any progress on ending the Israeli occupation and systematic demolition of Gaza. The snail is painted in the colours of the Palestinian flag. Brilliant stuff from the duo.

Andy Council, Sussex Street, Bristol, December 2024
Andy Council, Sussex Street, Bristol, December 2024

5645. The Carriageworks (46)

3Dom, The Carriageworks, Bristol, November 2023
3Dom, The Carriageworks, Bristol, November 2023

One of the things I love about street and graffiti art is that much of it captures the mood of the times we live in and reflects local or world events back to us, often with a political message or commentary. Wars receive a great deal of attention, for example the Russian invasion of Ukraine led to a spate of passionate and moving street art (Gallery to come on this one). Now we are seeing a proliferation of pieces representing the horrors unfolding in Palestine and Gaza.

3Dom, The Carriageworks, Bristol, November 2023
3Dom, The Carriageworks, Bristol, November 2023

3Dom, has painted a rather grim piece that represents the inequity and imbalance that is at play in the war on Hamas by Israel. The piece suggests that the USA and UK are complicit in the Israeli bombing of Gaza, and cleverly conveys the confined nature of the Gaza strip. What is happening in Gaza is beyond comprehension and reaffirms my view that nationalism, whipped up by dictators and fanatics (drunk with power), is an evil thing. Well done 3Dom for visually articulating the horror of this war so well.