697. The Bearpit (53)

Ah! what joy to see one of the Bristol favourites back in his home town. Mau Mau is an established artist who features a crafty and irreverent fox in most of his works. I haven’t seen much new stuff in Bristol, so it was great to see this a week or so ago. A skateboarding fox with a bit of attitude.

Mau Mau, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2017
Mau Mau, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2017

The last work I saw from Mau Mau was in Camden Town in London during the summer (yet to be posted), and I felt that he really ought to be doing more in Bristol. Well here it is, and it is beautifully done too. It is hard not to like a fox, isn’t it?

178. Hillgrove Street (5)

Remember this naughty fox?

Mau Mau, Moon Street, Bristol, March 2016
Mau Mau, Moon Street, Bristol, March 2016

Well Mau Mau has returned with a topical piece (when he sprayed it), cleverly conflating an urban fox with R2D2 from Star Wars.

MauMau, Hillgrove Street, Bristol, April 2016
MauMau, Hillgrove Street, Bristol, April 2016

Always witty and often quite acerbic, Mau Mau rarely disappoints. I only wish I had found this gem before it had been tagged. Maybe someone was offended by the language (I think not).

MauMau, Hillgrove Street, Bristol, April 2016
MauMau, Hillgrove Street, Bristol, April 2016

I look forward to more foxes in the Stokes Croft area.

139. Moon Street (7)

This must be one of the most rapidly changing walls in Stokes Croft at the moment. It seems each time something goes up, it gets painted over and then not long after, replaced. It is not long ago that I featured the wall in this blog.

Mau Mau, Moon Street, Bristol, March 2016
Mau Mau, Moon Street, Bristol, March 2016

This is a wonderful new addition by Mau Mau, which he posted on Twitter on February 19 this year. Featuring his signature fox, it is witty and slightly edgy. Much of Mau Mau’s work contains social comment and I think that this is no different.

Mau Mau, Moon Street, Bristol, March 2016
Mau Mau, Moon Street, Bristol, March 2016

I have only encountered two of his pieces so far, the first being a wonderful political collaboration with Rowdy. I love this piece, and hope it has a longer stay of execution than some of the previous works here.

7.5/10

60. Picton Lane (1)

My lunchtime stroll today took me to Montpelier, the heart of alternative Bohemian Bristol. Although I live nearby, I don’t know the area well, so I was in for a treat. I veered off the main roads into the back streets, and found walls festooned with murals, mostly by very local artists.

Mau Mau and Rowdy, Picton Lane, Bristol, November 2015
Mau Mau and Rowdy, Picton Lane, Bristol, November 2015

I came across this political piece, which speaks volumes about the severe cuts which are destroying public services. It is a collaboration between Rowdy and Mau Mau. Rowdy is known as one of the longest-standing graffiti artists in the UK, and paints a lot of crocodiles and jagged teeth. Mau Mau’s trademark is a fox, which features in most of his works.

Mau Mau and Rowdy, Picton Lane, Bristol, November 2015
Mau Mau and Rowdy, Picton Lane, Bristol, November 2015

This was, as far as I can make out, painted on 27 October 2015; so really recent. I am pleased to have seen it so soon after completion.

7.5/10