Although he doesn’t paint as often as he used to or as often as I’d like, Laic217 has managed to get into a steady rhythm this year, painting about once a month or so. This archetypal piece appeared on the long wall of hoardings at Greenbank earlier on in July.
Laic217, Greenbank, Bristol, July 2023
Set on a large orange ‘L’, which I assume stands for Laic217, the skull character comes complete with a bucket hat and large chain around the neck. These are stock items for a Laic217 piece, but it is his trademark skill at painting fabric that really stands out. The folds created with shadows and highlights give the material an almost velvet appearance. A nice tidy piece from a firm favourite on Natural Adventures.
I fell in love with this piece the moment I saw it. Of course, I am an admirer of Laic217’s work, and this piece brings together so many of his themes and his talent into one place. No skeleton this time, but a flesh and blood human character holding a spray can.
Laic217, St John’s Lane, Bristol, June 2023
I will focus on two or three elements of this outstanding piece; The flesh tones and shading on the face and hand are exceptional, demonstrating that he is not a skeleton one-trick pony. The chain around the character’s neck is really well done and there is a sense of weight, and that it doesn’t hang perfectly shows that Laic217 is thinking one step ahead. It is the shirt, though, that really thrills me. From time to time, Laic217 dresses his characters in patterned shirts, and somehow he manages to paint in the creases and folds, with disruption tom the pattern, in this case pink smiley faces. I have seen him use this technique before to great effect, and I think it is one of the things he does that sets him apart from others. This is a truly exceptional piece on a rather nice new hoarding.
Laic217, L Dub, Bristol, September 2021Laic217, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2019Laic217, Wilder Street, Bristol, May 2019
I remember quite clearly the first collaboration I saw between these two artists, and it was also the first time I encountered Hire’s work; it was in Armada place and had a vibrant pink background. That was in April 2017, and both artists have come a long way since then.
Hire, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023
To the left of the collaboration is a squat HIRE from Hire. There is a softening of the jagged edges he is known for, but other elements of this style are intact, such as the mid-line running through his letters. Two things help this piece stand out, the subtle flame coloured accent lines which give depth to the shadow and the solid white border, so very neat and tidy.
Laic217, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2023
To the right, Laic217 continues his purple patch with this typical skeleton character. As ever, the folds in the fabric of the hoodie and baseball cap are trademark skills that the artist excels at. Interestingly, the skull has an ear, which adds to the intrigue. The piece is brought to life with the red skull badge on the cap, without which the piece simply wouldn’t shout so loudly. This is a fine collaborative wall from the Polish artists.
Laic217 and Hire, Armada Place, Bristol, April 2017
Laic217, Sako and Zake, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, April 2023
Zake has been involved in a lot of collaborations already this year, but this one is a bit unusual, in that it includes Laic217 and Sako (an artist I am not familiar with). The collaboration is one in which the artists share a broad colour scheme, but each piece is discrete.
Laic217, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, April 2023
Starting on the left, Laic217, who is going through a bit of a purple patch, has a rather dark, masked figure suspended over the letters LAIC. There are threads connecting the head and shoulders with the letters in something reminiscent of the Borg from Star Trek. The head is highlighted with a halo of pink, which adds an extra dimension to the piece. Lovely work from Laic217.
Sako, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, April 2023
In the middle is a warehouse landscape by Sako and a fragmented planet earth at the bottom left. I certainly don’t know what this is about, but there must be a meaning in it somewhere. The scene reminds me of the Ikea store bit before the tills… a place I dislike for so many reasons. A great scene created with some atmosphere, which is an achievement given the subject.
Zake, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, April 2023
Finally, on the right, Zake continues with his ever-expanding repertoire, giving us his version of a six-armed god – inspired by the multitude of Hindu Goddesses with this characteristic. In Zake’s version, each arm is holding a spray can, of course, getting ready for some speed painting I would think. As usual, the light and shade work is exemplary, and the figure has enormous depth. A bright and rather eclectic collaboration from the three artists.
Laic217 is on fire at the moment, and painting fairly regularly, which is great to see. This portrait piece takes us back to a theme that Laic217 particularly enjoys, which is the distortion and disintegration of the face.
Laic217, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2023
Set on a red background, the skin is melting away to reveal the skull underneath. Of course, a baseball cap with an ‘L’ on it is a required accessory and shows off the artist’s skill with recreating the illusion of fabric and materials. A great example of Laic217’s work, with more to come on Natural Adventures soon.
In this piece, part of a recent paint jam on the St Paul’s side of the roundabout, we see Laic217 at his magnificent best. A rather evil looking skeleton is set on a fabulous backdrop of church windows in true horror film style, brandishing a gold medallion with the letter L for Laic.
Laic217, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2023
As with all his pieces, the folds of the fabric of the skeleton’s robe are beautifully painted and convey a texture that many artists struggle to portray. Light and shade play a large part in Laic217’s work, creating depth and perspective. This is an outstanding piece from the master of skeletons.
Laic217 has awoken from a little bit of a winter slumber, and what a joy it is to see his work appearing on the streets again. I must have found this one pretty quickly after he had painted it, because I hadn’t seen it on any social media when I stumbled across it.
Laic217, River Avon, Bristol, April 2023
This piece demonstrates the impact of colours against greyscale. We see one of Laic217’s skeleton characters complete with textured clothes, a neck chain and baseball cap all painted in black, greys and white. The portrait piece is brought alive with the addition of rainbow colours on the character’s lightweight sunglasses, changing the whole dynamic of the piece – imagine how it would look without the splash of colour. Clever work from Laic217.
The waits seem to get longer between finding new Laic217 pieces, which is a real pity. I can only hope that the reason behind his slow down in street activity is that he has other great things going on in his life. It is not uncommon for street artists to go through peaks and troughs in activity, and that is all part of the game.
Laic217, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2023
This is Laic217 at his classic best, a skeleton holding a spray can, wearing a puffer jacket over a hoodie. There is tons of shape and texture in his work, especially on the clothes. Seeing this piece reminds me just how good he is and how much I miss his work.
As the development alongside the Bristol to Bath cycle track reaches its completion, the long hoarding is being dismantled in sections as each new block of the development is finished. We always knew this would be a temporary spot, but it feels rather sad that it is shrinking away and will soon be gone altogether.
Laic217, Greenbank, Bristol, December 2022
One of the regulars here over the last few years has been Laic217, and here he is with another classic piece. This one, along with other recent pieces, reverts back to his rather sinister distorted faces. Distorted and trippy some might call it. All the elements of a Laic217 piece are there, but once again it is his attention to detail in folds in material that really stands out. He has become a master of painting the clothes worn by his skeletal characters. Brilliant stuff from one of my all-time favourite artists
Laic217, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, September 2022
This piece from Laic217 was painted while I was away on my family summer holiday, but I was more than aware of its existence due to the fact that it was all over the Bristol Instagram feeds that I follow. Of course, on my return home, I made a beeline for the spot in Cumberland Basin.
Laic217, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, September 2022
There is something rather striking about the portrait piece, and I have a feeling the background pattern has a lot to do with it. The portrait itself is a classic piece of Laic217 art, disturbing and menacing, with the figure clan in a full mask and goggles. It has a dystopian future feel about it.
Natural adventures 