Tag: Laic217

1704. Dean Lane skate park (161)

Following on immediately from my last post is this collaboration in Dean Lane between Laic217 and Cort. You should be able to spot immediately the similarity of the Laic217 character here and the one he sprayed in Moon Street a few days earlier. This time the piece is complete with teeth and spray can.

Laic217, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2018
Laic217, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2018

I love this character and for me is reminiscent of the absurd ‘Far Side’ characters dreamed up by cartoonist Gary Larson. There is a lot to admire here, and the special detail of a Nirvana t-shirt with a spaced-out smiley just highlights how good this piece is.

Laic217, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2018
Laic217, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2018

I also am increasingly enjoying the work of Laic217’s painting partner, Cort, and although his style might take a little getting used to, it is good work. I am beginning to wonder if Cort and Corupt might be the same artist, as they share many characteristics, but I have nothing to confirm this idea. I’ll have to investigate. A fine collaboration.

Cort, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2018
Cort, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2018

1703. Moon Street (53)

This is a really interesting piece by Laic217 in Moon Street for two reasons. Firstly, it is unfinished, which is quite unusual in itself and secondly it seems like it might have been a practise wall for a piece he sprayed in Dean Lane skate park a few days later (see next post).

Laic217, Moon Street, Bristol, August 2018
Laic217, Moon Street, Bristol, August 2018

I rather hope that the character isn’t anyone he knows, because it isn’t particularly flattering. The mouth is unfinished and in fact the first time I looked at it I thought it was graffitied by someone else and the spray can is also unfinished. I do find it a bit of a puzzle that it is incomplete, because he appears to have put in a lot of effort before giving up. Perhaps he was disturbed. Anyhow, incomplete or not, I love this piece and the idea behind it. more classy work from Laic217.

1697. St Werburghs tunnel (38)

Hurrah, it is great to find one of Laic217’s distorted face pieces, it feels like an absolute age since I last saw one, he has mostly been spraying skeletons and skulls of late, so this is a welcome return.

Laic217, St Werburghs, Bristol, August 2018
Laic217, St Werburghs, Bristol, August 2018

This is one of a pair of pieces sprayed side by side in St Werburghs tunnel in early August by the artist, and of the two I would say I slightly prefer it although both are excellent. I really do like his work, and for as long as he keeps putting them out there, I will continue to photograph them and write about them…if I find them. Those eyes!

1675. Dean Lane skate park (153)

I only took this picture a couple of weeks ago and it has been buffed over at least twice since then. It is by the irrepressible Laic217 who never tires of creating these wonderful skulls and skeletons in various guises.

Laic217, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2018
Laic217, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2018

This skull is donning a gas mask, or is it a sophisticated protection mask from the fumes of spray paint? I guess perhaps the latter and the yellow patterns are the paint fumes. It works either way really. The detail in the eye sockets of the skull is awesome and the bucket hat with the smiley so full of character. Laic217 has smashed it with this one.

1558. M32 roundabout J3 (86)

This is an old one by Laic217 from my archives, and I think it demonstrates really well the progress he has made over the last couple of years. This was a format that he used a lot back then, his letters and a character. Somehow it all looks a little more crude than his current work. Always great to see an artist develop.

Laic217, M32 roiundabout, Bristol, October 2016
Laic217, M32 roiundabout, Bristol, October 2016

The lettering is the word LAIC, somewhat broken up, and the character is that of a young woman with her hair tied up. It is a curious looking portrait, but there is something rather compelling about it.

Laic217, M32 roiundabout, Bristol, October 2016
Laic217, M32 roiundabout, Bristol, October 2016

I can’t think why I never published this at the time…maybe Laic217 was going through one of his productive periods and I couldn’t write about them quickly enough. Anyhow, great to post it now.

1543. Moon Street (46)

I don’t think  that there has ever been a time when I didn’t enjoy finding a new Laic217 piece and this one is no exception. The work is in one of his favoured spots in Moon Street and fits the frame of the doorway perfectly. There is a sinister element to the piece with the eyes missing and the scarf obscuring the face – I would expect nothing less.

Laic217, Moon Street, Bristol, June 2018
Laic217, Moon Street, Bristol, June 2018

I have mentioned many times before that Laic217 has developed his techniques a great deal over the last few years especially the different materials worn by his characters. In this piece the handkerchief tied around his neck has folds that disrupt the pattern on it, a nice touch.

Laic217, Moon Street, Bristol, June 2018
Laic217, Moon Street, Bristol, June 2018

Three hallmark signs mark this out as a Laic217 piece…The bucket hat, the smiley and the distorted face. They just keep coming.

 

1528. M32 roundabout J3 (86)

Hurrah, another Laic217 piece containing all the things I love about the artist, but this time there is a significant shift in the style and application of the spray paint.

Laic217, M32, Bristol, May 2018
Laic217, M32, Bristol, May 2018

The whole feel of the piece is much lighter touch from his usual deeply coloured and thickly layerd pieces. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but it has a watercoloury kind of effect, which I think works really well.

Laic217, M32, Bristol, May 2018
Laic217, M32, Bristol, May 2018

As this artist develops, we are witnessing an amazing versatility emerge, and the more I see, the closer I am to thinking about creating a new category for the blog, along the lines of a gallery featuring all the work of a specific artist on one post. I’ll give it some more thought.

Laic217, M32, Bristol, May 2018
Laic217, M32, Bristol, May 2018

Inb the meantime just feast your eyes on this talented artist’s letters and skeletons.

1505. M32 roundabout J3 (77)

Ah, how nice to see a fine collaboration piece by Cort and Laic217 down at the M32 roundabout. I was actually on the lookout for some ASK crew work, but this piece was also there.

Laic217 and Cort, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 10

I think that this time Cort worked on all the writing while Laic217 concentrated on the bookend characters. I say this because the style of the writing is consistent throughout.

Laic217 and Cort, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2018
Laic217 and Cort, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2018

Laic217 is doing here what he does best, giving us skeletons busy spraying their work. His fantastic use of greyscale colouring is masterful and he is continually improving the textures of the different types of clothing worn by his characters.

Laic217 and Cort, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2018Laic217 and Cort, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2018
Laic217 and Cort, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2018

Of course, no Laic217 piece is fully complete without a bucket hat or brick wall – motifs that he usually adopts. I really like this collaboration, and it is great to see Laic217 up to his productive best again.

1494. Moon Street (44)

Just when I begin to think that I havebn’t seen anything from Laic217 for ages, up pops a new piece in one of his favourite spots. All the usual motifs we are accustomed to seeing in this artist’s work are here: the bucket hat and smiley; the gold chain with 217 and skeleton dressed in a tracksuit top. All very Laic.

Laic217, Moon Street, Bristol, May 2018
Laic217, Moon Street, Bristol, May 2018

This piece is interesting in its use of bright colours on the black background, it gives the whole thing a strong and fresh look. The smile on the hat has an interesting shadow, which would suggest a light source quite close and to the right of the piece because of the way it lands on the hat. (I think I know what I am trying to say here).

Laic217, Moon Street, Bristol, May 2018
Laic217, Moon Street, Bristol, May 2018

Finally, you just have to admite the gold rings on each hand spelling out LA – IC, awesome stuff from a firm favourite.

1389. Dean Lane skate park (116)

Another Laic217 piece, this time on the long wall at Dean Lane which was sprayed at the same time as the NEVERGIVEUP piece just to the left. Both artists are part of the vibrant community of Polish street artists in Bristol, which also includes Hire and Skor85. It is nice when they work together.

Laic217, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2018
Laic217, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2018

This is only a small piece, but what a fabulous piece it is. I particularly like the folds in the leather (PVC?) jacket the skeleton is wearing. Laic217 has been improving so much over the last couple of years, but it is his understanding of materials that has really developed…his skeletons parading an extensive wardrobe. I look forward to seeing one wearing a fur coat…a challenge.

Laic217, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2018
Laic217, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2018

Laic217 has been busy lately, which is always a good thing in my book.