Tag: Mask

1875. Upfest 2018 (94)

I love this stunning piece by Mose78, and I think the guy with the beard seems to rather like it too. Mose78 started off as a graffiti writer in the mid 1990s and transitioned into street art, although he doesn’t restrict himself to the spray can.

Mose78, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
Mose78, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

I have taken a look on his website, and I wouldn’t say that this piece is all that typical of his work, which is actually really diverse. Having said that, I really like this one, there is something rather compelling about it. It would be great to see more work from this Birmingham-based artist.

1817. Upfest 2018 (77)

I love this striking stencil work by Paintily. The concept of a mask hiding another mask beneath it is a good one, and the ancient look adds to the mystery of the piece. The whole thing is worked really beautifully with great care and attention being paid to the shadows cast by the outer mask on the inner one.

Paintily, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
Paintily, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

This piece is all the more remarkable for being a stencil, which must have taken an eternity to prepare. The standard of stencils at Upfest 2018 has really been quite staggering and we are lucky to have seen so many over the course of the festival. Below is a little reminder of Paintily’s piece from last year.

Paintily, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Paintily, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

1434. Raleigh Road, Tobacco Factory (11)

I’m not too sure when Gregos came to Bristol, but I have a feeling it might have been for Upfest 2015. There are only one or two of his face masks that remain in the city. I took this picture in 2016, and to be honest I’ve not checked to see if it is still there.

Gregos, Raleigh Road, Bristol, July 2016
Gregos, Raleigh Road, Bristol, July 2016

His masks adorn walls all around Europe and beyond, and it is always a pleasure to come across one. These haunting masks retain so much detail from the original mould and you can see wrinkles and eyelashes. His expressions vary from mask to mask, and with all installation artists location is critical. Gregos is the king of this style of street art.

1126. Hanbury Street, London

It is impossible not to marvel at the work of Dan Kitchener, and the incredible atmospheric cityscapes he produces. One of the other things that he  works on are his ‘speed paintings’ which are insanely brilliant photorealistic pictures – I strongly recommend that you take a look at his Instagram account to check these out.

Dan Kitchener, Hanbury Street, London, September 2016
Dan Kitchener, Hanbury Street, London, September 2016

I took these pictures last year when I was working two days a week in London and used my overnight stays as an opportunity to go to Shoreditch or Camden Town to check out the street/graffiti art.

Dan Kitchener, Hanbury Street, London, September 2016
Dan Kitchener, Hanbury Street, London, September 2016

This amazing piece by Dan Kitchener was actually hiding a little secret, which is pretty much invisible until you get close up to the piece. In amongst the cars and lights in this street scene there are three masks by Gregos.

Gregos, Hanbury Street, London, September 2016
Gregos, Hanbury Street, London, September 2016

Ther masks are different sizes and have three different expressions. Dan Kitchener has sprayed over these sensitively, but I am not sure if this was some kind of collaboration or if the masks had been there and Dan Kitchener simply sprayed over them at a later date. I’m not sure it matters too much, because on this wall you have such unbelievable creativity and two for the price of one.

Gregos, Hanbury Street, London, September 2016
Gregos, Hanbury Street, London, September 2016

All good.

 

814. Millennium Square

It took me an absolute age trying to find this piece, after another Bristol street art Instagrammer posted it a couple of weeks back. I was expecting a normal sized face mask, like I have seen in Bristol and London before, but this one is a mini, and very well disguised on a sign for the Bristol Aquarium (which is well worth as visit if you’ve not been before).

Gregos, Millenneum Square, Bristol, May 2017
Gregos, Millenneum Square, Bristol, May 2017

I have posted two of his pieces before, one in North Street (Bedminster) and the other in North Street (by The Bearpit). This one is rather cute and subtle, and so far has not been stolen. I believe Gregos left it here in July 2015, so it has certainly taken me a long while to find it.

Gregos, Millenneum Square, Bristol, May 2017
Gregos, Millenneum Square, Bristol, May 2017
SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES
Gregos, North Street, Bristol, January 2016
Gregos, North Street (A38), Bristol, April 2016
Gregos, North Street (A38), Bristol, April 2016

 

 

567. Upfest 2016 (78)

This was one of the larger pieces from Upfest, and I have just spent 20 minutes looking for some other pictures that I took of it once it was completed, but can I find them…? It is quite an unusual piece by Fin DAC, and I have to say I think it is brilliant.

Fin DAC, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Fin DAC, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

I particularly like the way the chimney stack has been incorporated into the work (which of course, you can’t see from these crappy pics) – I love it when street artists use the environment they are painting in to enhance the work. Fin DAC is an artist from Ireland but who now resides in London. I don’t think I have ever seen anything like this before, but it has some real overtones of Japanese culture in it, which I don’t think is common to his other work. Maybe that is just me. Really nice piece.

Fin DAC, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Fin DAC, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

293. M32 roundabout J3 (13)

Some time in Early June, a whole bunch of ASK and Lost Souls spent a day or two refreshing the walls at the M32. I love it when these guys do this, because there tends to be a common thread – for example a colour scheme – throughout the collaborative get-together. This is the first of several posts from this gathering.

Kid Crayon, M32, Bristol, June 2016
Kid Crayon, M32, Bristol, June 2016

This was the first time I have seen Kid Crayon and SPZero 76 working together, but curiously I have seen them collaborate since (another post soon). It will come as no surprise to regular readers that I am a massive fan of Kid Crayon, and this is a lovely example of his work, purple face and crayon making a return.

SPZero 76, M32, Bristol, June 2016
SPZero 76, M32, Bristol, June 2016

The SPZero 76 piece depicts a mask (I’m not sure if it is African or Pacific) which is a common feature in so many of his works. On this occasion he has done some other work with another artist, so had a busy day.

Kid Crayon, M32, Bristol, June 2016
Kid Crayon, M32, Bristol, June 2016

Detail for those who enjoy such things, firstly with Kid Crayon

SPZero 76, M32, Bristol, June 2016
SPZero 76, M32, Bristol, June 2016

And secondly with SPZero 76. Looking forward to blogging about the rest of this wall.

208. North Street (A38)

In the grubbiest little bit of street on the northern approach to St. James Barton Roundabout and The Bearpit from Stokes Croft, is a building that spans across the main road called 51º02. It is not the most beautiful of buildings. On a side wall is this incredibly well concealed Gregos face.

Gregos, North Street (A38), Bristol, April 2016
Gregos, North Street (A38), Bristol, April 2016

Gregos needs no introduction, but for those new to his work, I point you in the direction of a previous post about a mask he did in the other North Street in Bedminster. This face really has to be hunted down, most people pass by it completely oblivious…this is the joy and mischief of street art.

Gregos, North Street (A38), Bristol, April 2016
Gregos, North Street (A38), Bristol, April 2016

The forlorn face complements well the large metal disk it has been attached to, and indeed the general demeanour of this tatty stretch of road. Another great work from the Frenchman.