5849. M32 roundabout J3 (555)

Saor, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024
Saor, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024

Saor, formerly known as Flava136, is an artist at the top of his game and one who paints in a similar style to Epok. He consistently pushes the boundaries of design, precision and interesting content. Saor often paints with his NTS crew mates, Mudra and Kosc, and this piece was part of a recent collaboration on the north wall of the M32 roundabout.

Saor, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024
Saor, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024

There is a lot to like about this outstanding piece of writing. The letters spell out Saor in Black Grey and white, with some subtle but impactful tints of green. There is a sense of geometry creating a framework from which some more organic shapes and forms are trying to emerge. Perhaps a tension between precision and softness that grabs the attention. The can control that Saor has is second to none and this is a magnificent piece of graffiti writing. We are blessed.

5837. M32 roundabout J3 (554)

Minto, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024
Minto, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024

I mentioned a little while back in a Minto post that we were likely to see a lot more of his work, and indeed that is exactly the case. There is something quite unique in the way that Minto combines his letters with characters or scenes to build up a story, and this one is a very green story.

Minto, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024
Minto, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024

The letters spell out, unsurprisingly, the word MINTO, and contains three or four faces sort of organically melded into the letters. To the right, the end face reminds me of the faces on the trains and other vehicles in the Thomas the Tank Engine books, but maybe that is just me. This is a nicely thought out and painted piece from Minto.

5834. M32 roundabout J3 (553)

Stivs, M32 roundabout, Bristol February 2024
Stivs, M32 roundabout, Bristol February 2024

On return from a week out of Bristol, the first piece I came across was this double-header by Stivs, which was a bit of a treat. A few days later, I was lucky enough to run into Stivs, on the other side of the roundabout and he told me that before he wrote STIVS, he used to write CRAP or variants of it, and that these two pieces are in recognition of that.

Stivs, M32 roundabout, Bristol February 2024
Stivs, M32 roundabout, Bristol February 2024

It looks like Stivs is enjoying some dayglo colours, giving his formal calligraffiti style letters a bit of a 1980s vibe. The first piece, I think, reads KRAP, which is slightly amusing because the word is at odds with the fine writing. Another artist who has done something similar in the past is Turoe, with his shite/shyte pieces.

Stivs, M32 roundabout, Bristol February 2024
Stivs, M32 roundabout, Bristol February 2024

The second piece is perhaps a little easier to read. I am glad to see that my dog’s rear end has managed to make it into the shot, just as a reminder that he is with me 99% of the time when I am photographing street/graffiti art. I expect lots more to come from Stivs this year, especially as he now lives a little closer to this spot.

5832. M32 roundabout J3 (52)

Hemper, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024
Hemper, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024

There was no stopping Hemper during the Covid period, but now things have returned to relative normality, his productivity has fallen back considerably, which makes it extra special when he does get out and paint one of his stunning burners.

Hemper, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024
Hemper, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024

This is a wonderful piece of graffiti writing bursting with colour and energy, spelling out the letters DRAPE, which I am guessing is a shout-out, rather than a tribute. Each letter in this piece has been given a different colour treatment and fill patterns. There is lots to look at and enjoy in this skilfully pulled together writing.

5828. M32 roundabout J3 (551)

Marckinetic and Kid Krishna, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024
Marckinetic and Kid Krishna, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024

I am mildly hungover following a wonderful wedding party for our niece, in the extraordinary setting of Farnham Castle on the border of Surrey and Hampshire, and am writing this post sitting in the car, waiting to get home back to Bristol. Fast forward a few hours, and I am now completing this post at home, a little later than usual.

Marckinetic, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024
Marckinetic, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024

This is a fabulous collaborative wall from Marckinetic and Kid Krishna, a duo who have started off 2024 in vigorous fashion. Marckinetic’s disguised FFS letters are written in such a unique style and filled with his wonderful ‘cosmic’ patterning, that they simply couldn’t be by any other artist. Creative and wonderfully presented, his work is always a pleasure to see.

Kid Krishna, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024
Kid Krishna, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024

Kid Krishna has been on fire this year too, after a relatively quiet period, so much so that I am going to have to gather up several of his early year pieces into a single post soon. The colours of this piece broadly match those used by Marckinetic, and create a feast for the eyes, enhanced by being painted on the black background. The letters CRIE are probably there somewhere. This is a fabulous collaborative wall from these unconventional graffiti writers.

5820. M32 roundabout J3 (550)

Laic217, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024
Laic217, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024

Throughout the winter, Laic217 has been in a good rhythm of painting, and I think that it has a lot to do with teaming up with the PWA. Although this wonderful piece isn’t part of a collaborative wall, it was painted at the same time as an adjacent PWA collaboration.

Laic217, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024
Laic217, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2024

This skull piece draws on so many of Laic217s trademarks, such as the brick wall, which hasn’t made an appearance for a little while, and the wonderful folds in the fabric of the clothes the skeleton is wearing. I don’t think I will ever tire of his work, or lose that spark of excitement I get every time I find one of his pieces.

5812. M32 roundabout J3 (549)

Werm, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2024
Werm, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2024

Having not seen Werm for an eternity, it was really nice to bump into him while he was painting this piece. What made the encounter stranger still was that we had been communicating the day before about a RichT piece that I had posted. Sometimes it is difficult not to believe in coincidence, although I know there is a whole ton of evidence to dismiss it.

Werm, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2024
Werm, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2024

Werm is trying out something a little different in this piece, and has definitely edged away from his ultra-complex wildstyle pieces of the last year or two. The notable thing about this piece is the gently pastel colours softly transitioning across all of the letters in a seemingly random sequence. The strong 3D shadow, green border and trimmings and the black buffed wall help the piece to stand out nicely. A good start to the New Year from Werm.

5763. M32 roundabout J3 (548)

Hypo, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023
Hypo, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023

Ooh! The colours of this wonderful piece by Hypo burst out of the wall and immediately infect the viewer with a sense of optimism and wellbeing (results based on a survey of one!). A sensibly neutral buffed wall add to the sense of energy and excitement generated by this cornucopia of colour.

Hypo, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023
Hypo, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023

The letters spell out HYPO as you’d probably expect, with a couple of nice graffiti arrows incorporated. I really like the way that Hypo produces something utterly different with each of his pieces, although there is always an underlying style that seems to permeate through. A delightful piece from Hypo.

5761. M42 roundabout J3 (547)

Lupa, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023
Lupa, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023

Although she has been writing for a little while, Lupa only made her first appearance on Natural Adventures last summer, and I have tried to keep her represented as much as I can. I do feel though that I need to trawl through my archives to dig out some of her older pieces.

Lupa, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023
Lupa, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023

This is a lovely green piece of chunky writing that, helped by a thick 3D drop shadow, pops out from the wall. Lupa’s finishing is sometimes a little crude, but in a way that is her style, so it kind of works. In this piece, it is the fills that excel, with a blend of green colours and shapes working very nicely together. Rounded off with a couple of trademark faces, this is a piece full of fun.

5757. M32 roundabout J3 (546)

Minto, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023
Minto, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023

I suggested recently that we would be seeing a lot more from Minto in Bristol, because I believe he has moved westwards from London, and so it seems to be, confirmed by another original and captivating piece on the M32 roundabout at the end of last year.

Minto, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023
Minto, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023

The letters MINTO are very well disguised in this piece of multiple characters, I can see at least four of them. There is plenty to look at in the piece, and the paint work is really classy, even Minto’s signature is classy. A really nice imaginative piece, and I expect to see a whole lot more from Minto in 2024.