5472. Greenbank (94)

Mind 49, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2023
Mind 49, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2023

The sun wasn’t being kind when I took these pictures of Mind 49’s wonderful car piece recently, and these photographs really don’t do justice to the vibrant green paint used for the car. This amazing piece I find a little paradoxical, but I have got my head around it. There are elements that are a little ‘off’, for example the tyres are a little out of shape, and yet the reflections in the glass and panels of the car are nothing short of brilliant. The windows in particular give the impression that the car has been parked under some trees. An amazing effect.

Mind 49, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2023
Mind 49, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2023

Sitting over the car is a huge number 49, a number that plays a significant part in Mind 49’s life, having changed his moniker from Mind Control a year or two back. If you look carefully, he has also written the letters MIND in tiny little letters over the side of the car. This piece is a real treat and one of my favourite of the year so far. Note to self: isn’t it about time we had a Mind gallery?

Mind 49, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2023
Mind 49, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2023

5466. Cumberland Basin

Mind 49, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2023
Mind 49, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2023

I don’t quite know if Mind 49 has moved to Bristol, the West of England or something like that, but he is painting in the city much more frequently than he used to and, I have to say, he is knocking it out of the park on a regular basis. This pink portrait piece was his contribution to Werm’s birthday paint jam a little while back.

Mind 49, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2023
Mind 49, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2023

Mind 49 has a great touch, and his artwork almost looks like it has been painted with brushes. His portrait work is excellent, and he hasn’t gone down the route of super photorealistic, giving his pieces a bit of street authenticity, I like to think. The material on the jacket has been well painted, with plenty of texture, shading and folds that give it depth. Mind 49 is really establishing himself with this kind of portrait work in Bristol.

5354. M32 roundabout J3 (490)

Mind 49, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2023
Mind 49, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2023

This is an absolute classic from Mind 49, who has done a lot of maturing lately, and has absolutely nailed it with this piece on the roundabout straddling the M32. Mind 49 has produced something really special here with the letters MIND forming a backdrop to a really unusual portrait.

Mind 49, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2023
Mind 49, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2023

I don’t know who the portrait is of, but it looks like a Middle Eastern character popping a cigarette into his mouth. The photorealistic portrait is full of richness and interest, and totally not what you might expect to see in this spot.

Mind 49, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2023
Mind 49, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2023

Unfortunately, when I last saw the piece, some muppet had dogged the face of the gentleman, which is simply so difficult to understand. Let’s hope it doesn’t put off Mind 49 from returning to Bristol.

5342. Cumberland Basin

Mind 49, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, June 2023
Mind 49, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, June 2023

Formerly painting under the name Mind Control, Mind 49 (his current moniker) appears to have matured and mellowed a little. His raw talent used to focus on passionate causes, such as animal rights, however recently, he has brought some other themes and elements into his portfolio which is seeing him grow as an artist.

Mind 49, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, June 2023
Mind 49, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, June 2023

This portrait piece on the long wall at Cumberland Basin features a singer, with baseball cap and brilliantly painted glasses. As if to prove that he is not a one-trick pony, Mind 49 has sprayed a little bubble throw up to the left of the piece with the number ’49’. Since painting this great piece, Mind 49 has returned to Bristol with another superb work – to come.

4972. Dean Lane skate park (559)

Mind Control, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2023
Mind Control, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2023

As artists develop, they often change their names or identities, and that has happened with Mind Control, who naw goes by the name Mind 49. This kind of name change presents me with a bit of a conundrum. Do I continue my posts referring to the artist under their old name (which makes my whole system of filing and archiving so much easier) or switch to their new name? As you can see from the image captions, I have decided to go with Mind Control’s old name for the time being.

Mind Control, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2023
Mind Control, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2023

Mind Control has come such a long way, and his latent talent as a teenager is shining through now. This portrait piece in the tunnel is a first-class piece of art, that has a strong fine art feel to it. I have commented before that Mind Control’s work always seems to have an element of menace and I sense that here… the covering of the face and the chain tell you that all is not entirely well here. A fine piece indeed.