Tag: M32

3068. M32 roundabout J3 (235)

Fortune favours the brave. I took a lunchtime walk last week and decided to take the dog to the M32 roundabout. I could have gone to any of the other spots, but decided on that one and lucky I did. I arrived to find an ‘A list’ of graffiti writers prepping for and starting a paint jam. Included in this extraordinary line up were Soker, Minto and Tizer from London, Rusk, Inkie, Hemper and Stivs.

Tizer, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020
Tizer, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020

Because of my working hours and limited ability to get out I rarely see artists at work, so this was a real treat, and the first piece I am sharing from this paint jam is by Tizer, who is a graffiti writing legend.

Tizer, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020
Tizer, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020

I learned two things when I chatted with Tizer the next day (another whole story), the first is that he freestyles all his pieces, which is incredible really – no drafts or prompts, just what’s in his head. The second is that he turned to spray painting and skateboarding as a youngster to escape the gangs where he grew up in Brixton.

Tizer, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020
Tizer, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020

It was really interesting to see how Tizer works. From what I saw he drafts an outline and then works on the colour fills from left to right. When that is done he paints on the black outlines and details ending up with a stained-glass window effect. Wonderful to watch and what an amazing finished piece. Of course the whole thing spells out Tizer.

3067. M32 roundabout J3 (234)

It seems such a pity when a lovely collaboration like this one from I Am Ian and Kid Crayon only lasts a day or so, but this wall has been in high-demand recently and turnover very fast indeed. I have already missed recent Laic217, Kid Crayon and Mr Draws Pieces right here in the last few days. I spoke with Kid Crayon the day after I took this photograph (he was painting a new piece – to come) and he told me that he and I Am Ian had trained together as graphic designers and remained friends and although they have taken slightly different paths they get together occasionally to paint a wall.

I am Ian and Kid Crayon, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020
I am Ian and Kid Crayon, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020

This collaboration is a lot of fun and a time-lapse video from Kid Crayon’s Instagram feed shows how the whole piece came together and is well worth a view. Kid Crayon has woken up and is painting like a mad thing which can only be great news. I am less familiar with I Am Ian’s work, but that is because he rarely hits the streets with his art. Their last collaboration was a fabulous piece in St Werburghs tunnel. There is so much to love about this.

Kid Crayon and I Am Ian, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2020
Kid Crayon and I Am Ian, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2020

 

3064. M32 Cycle path (66)

The last few weeks have seen a rash of Pekoe pieces popping up all over the place and it has been a real pleasure to see. Her distinctive style is the perfect complement to the large and growing cohort of graffiti writers in the city.

Pekoe, M32 cycle path, Bristol, July 2020
Pekoe, M32 cycle path, Bristol, July 2020

This piece by Pekoe is a real celebration of Bristol and articulates exactly how I feel about the city. Bristol has a great culture and with its history steeped in colonialism and the slave trade it is working hard to confront and come to terms with its past and move forward in a progressive and equitable way. The Black Lives Matters movement has had huge support in Bristol and a desire to understand white privilege and to take steps to make things right. We are at the start of something special I hope.

I love the green face and the hairstyle in this piece is a little different, but no less marvellous. A terrific work.

3063. M32 roundabout J3 (233)

Taboo has been so, so busy lately, and up until yesterday he had three large pieces spread out on this wall of which this is one. Taboo is different and most creative. His writing is unlike any other we see about the place and his characters play an integral role in the writing rather than a cheerful add-on. Ok… let’s get this straight… this is not by Taboo, but by Whos, whose writing looks like Taboo’s. So scratch the first half of this paragraph.

Whos, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020
Whos, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020

I would love to say that the writing says TABOO, but I can’t fully see it myself, so maybe it says something else (yep, it says WHOS). Embracing the letters is a long-armed character, possibly an inmate, because the thrust of the piece is articulated along the bottom ‘no more super prisons’. The sun and the green dog add extra colour and interest. A fine piece from Whos.

3061. M32 roundabout J3 (232)

Another artist relatively new to me and whose work I have started to notice about the place is Alos (I think), whose earthy and organic writing is deceptively well thought out and executed. For example the raggedy edges of the letters are reflected in a similarly raggedy shading and outline.

Alos, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020
Alos, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020

I have some other recent pictures of work from this artist and am enjoying trying to figure out more about him/her. The style might not be to everyone’s taste, but I rather like it as it is vert different from a lot of the regimented and precise writing that we see all too often. Watch this space for more on Alos.

3060. M32 roundabout J3 (231)

Ooh, it is always great to come across new work from Elvs and I am particularly enjoying his accompanying characters at the moment, which complement his superb writing really well. This is a nice spot on the M32 roundabout that Elvs favours from time to time. Yesterday this exact same wall was being painted by Inkie, Soker, Tizer, Minto, Rusk and Stivs… some of the greatest writers you’ll get to see in a single gathering. More on that paint jam to come soon.

Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020

It goes without saying that the beautiful script writing and shading are of such a high standard. Elvs has really nailed his technique for this style of lettering.

Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020

The character, Marvin the Martian, seems to be a favourite with street artists. Dasco has just done one in Spain and there are a couple of other examples below:

Dtor, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2020
Dtor, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2020
Deamze, Hill Street, Bristol, October 2018
Deamze, Hill Street, Bristol, October 2018

3055. M32 Cycle path (65)

Kool Hand is at it again, this time on the M32 cycle path, with his colourful Orangutan. This piece is from a few short weeks ago and was sprayed alongside painting pal Daz Cat. It is a near copy of one he painted in Dean Land and which I posted recently.

Kool Hand, M32 cycle path, Bristol, June 2020
Kool Hand, M32 cycle path, Bristol, June 2020

As I pointed out with the Dean Lane version, Kool Hand is experimenting with decorated fills, which is interesting to see, because his USP to date has been to adopt clean solid fills for his characters. I am going to try and see another of his recent pieces later on today that he painted recently. Great to see his work developing.

3053. M32 roundabout J3 (230)

Is it at all possible that this piece is all by one artist? Well not only is it possible, it is in fact true. The extraordinary piece is by extraordinary artist Taboo and is an old school/new school style split work.A piece like this really shows off the obvious talent of the artist in some style.

Taboo, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2020
Taboo, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2020

On the left hand side of the piece is a wonderful old school piece of wild style writing with a superb character smoking and sporting a fine red hat. The letter shapes, shading and fills are superbly done and appear to be being sucked into a contraption  converting the artwork into something altogether more modern.

Taboo, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2020
Taboo, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2020

On the right hand side, the piece is altogether more surreal and eclectic and perhaps reflects a more new school approach to graffiti writing. I have no idea what is going on here but there might be a clue to Taboo’s approach which is the little note at the bottom ‘find your own’. This is a really interesting piece from an artist who would seem to have had a new lease of life.

3051. M32 roundabout J3 (229)

Here she comes again, the magnificent Pekoe with one of her eye-catching portraits. This one was painted recently during a weekend paint jam by the great and the good of Bristol. Pekoe is another artist who has been very active since the easing of lock down. We are getting very spoilt by our street artists at the moment.

 

Pekoe, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2020
Pekoe, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2020

There are several aspects of this piece that signify it as a Pekoe piece… the bright colourful face, big hair with beautiful patterning and a third eye that adorns several of her pieces. She has been an active supporter of the Black Lives Matter campaign and is orchestrator-in-chief of the RBF crew. Love this one.

3048. M32 roundabout J3 (228)

Superb. But we expect that from Smak. Writing like this is something that we are privileged to see in Bristol on a pretty regular basis. There is a cohort of about 10 or so graffiti artists who are at the top of their game and Smak is at the front of the pack.

Smak, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2020
Smak, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2020

This particular piece from a couple of weeks ago is a real stunner and is one of his more colour-rich pieces. The App reminds me a little of a piece he did on the M32 cycle path about a year ago.

Smak, M32 cycle path, Bristol, May 2019
Smak, M32 cycle path, Bristol, May 2019