6215. Brunel Way (279)

Acer One, Dibz, Jody and Fade, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024
Acer One, Dibz, Jody and Fade, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024

I don’t think that I have ever seen so many production pieces as I have this year. The driving force behind these productions is the Dibz/Fade FUA brotherhood, and they have been oh so busy over the last eighteen months or so. In this full wall piece, they have been joined by Acer One and Jody, and what an amazing piece it is (gone now of course – overpainted by further FUA productions).

Acer One, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024
Acer One, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024
Acer One, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024
Acer One, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024

The production is bookended by two pieces by Acer One using his highly designed lettering spelling out ACER on the left-hand side and JODY on the right-hand side, thus ensuring that all four artists are named overtly in the production. The writing is painted over a moon/sun icon, and commensurate with the oriental feel of the entire collaboration.

Dibz, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024
Dibz, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024
Fade, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024
Fade, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024

There is a second set of inner bookends provided by Dibz and Fade, who present their wildstyle writing in a similar style and adopting an identical colour palette and decorations. In terms of painting, these two are brothers from different mothers, and while it is possible to tell the art of one from the other, it is becoming more difficult to do so.

Jody, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024
Jody, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024

Everything about the production points towards the centrepiece which is provided, as is often the case, by Jody, and he has surpassed even his very high standards with this astonishingly beautiful portrait piece. Jody has been working on this robot/human interface a fair bit lately, and this follows on from his remarkable Upfest piece (not yet posted here). It is the detail in the piece here that is so admirable, the hair and garland, the features of the face, machinery in the neck and patterns on the kimono. The portrait is a fitting climax to the whole production and shown how the coming together of different elements complement one another in perfect balance. Awesome stuff.

Jody, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024
Jody, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2024

5846. Sparke Evans Park (87)

Jody, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, February 2024
Jody, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, February 2024

A short while ago, Desi and Evey celebrated their birthdays with a paint jam in Sparke Evans Park, the theme of which related to Pokemon, which is not one of my strong points, having struggled for years with my son’s obsession with the cards when he was at primary school. While I understood the concepts and watched the TV show a few times, I was always concerned that my son knew more about Pokemon characters than he knew about British wildlife in his own garden. Things have changed considerably since then, for the better (IMO).

Jody, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, February 2024
Jody, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, February 2024

This is an absolutely stunning piece by Jodi, featuring a Pokemon character called Eevee – you can see what he did there. Jodi is one of Bristol’s very best street artists, who seems to keep a healthy balance between his street work and his studio work. In this piece he has captured the cartoon quality, faithful to the Pokemon brand, and presented Eevee on a rocky ledge with some atmospheric clouds in the background. Another wonderful piece from the incredibly versatile Jody.

5446. Queen’s Road (2)

Jody, Queen's Road, Bristol, August 2023
Jody, Queen’s Road, Bristol, August 2023

It is very special to see a Jody piece that has been painted on the street without spray cans, but rather with brushes… it doesn’t happen often, but what a magnificent result. This gorgeous portrait piece has been painted as part of the 650-year celebrations of Bristol and an event curated by Upfest in partnership with Bristol BID.

Jody, Queen's Road, Bristol, August 2023
Jody, Queen’s Road, Bristol, August 2023

Jody has gone full on renaissance style with this portrait, and in doing so was following the brief. In his own way, he has created something very special, although slightly incongruous being next door to the dreadful Weatherspoons pub. The lady’s hair and hair decoration are eclipsed only by the outstanding detail of her face.

Jody, Queen's Road, Bristol, August 2023
Jody, Queen’s Road, Bristol, August 2023

This piece is an antidote to all the horrors of our very own crisis in Britain and demonstrates that there are good and beautiful things in our lives. An ancient beauty for our modern times.

46. Greville Road

Jodi, who painted this mural, lives in Brislington, Bristol. He is a direct contemporary of Banksy, and started as a graffiti artist in 1987 at the age of 15 at the Barton Hill Youth Club.

Jodi, Greville Road, Bristol, September 2015
Jodi, Greville Road, Bristol, September 2015

He left the graffiti behind him and studied design and is now an established designer and brand consultant. In 2008 he came out of ‘retirement’ and started working on street art commissions. This mural was completed for this year’s Upfest, and is a treat for those who like incredibly detailed and realistic work.

Jodi, Greville Road, Bristol, September 2015
Jodi, Greville Road, Bristol, September 2015

Jodi also took a commission in Millennium Square this year above the drinking water fountain, depicting the source of the water that the fountain is fed from. This commission was part of European Green Capital 2015.