This is another striking piece from Katie Fishlock which I had meant to post back in March, but it simply didn’t happen. Fortunately my regular trawls through my archives allow me to unearth special pieces like this one.
Fishlock, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2024
Fishlock’s punchy pieces tend to be quite modest in size, but usually make up for it in both attitude and message. These big red lips contain the words ‘self-sabotage is misguided self-love’, which I think I get. Katie Fishlock’s art punches above its weight because of its arresting combination of design and message, and I am a fan.
Pura Decadencia and Mono, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020
I took a short journey into my archives to find this small collaboration, something I rather like doing from time-to-time, as there are so many fantastic artworks that never make it into this blog. These pieces were painted in Dean Lane way back in December 2020.
Pura Decadencia, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020
To the left is an iconic mega-tag piece featuring one of Pura Decadencia’s mouths, complete with vampire teeth and and very long tongue. I really like her straightforward design that remind me a little of the Rolling Stones logo, filled with mischief. Pura Decadencia paints only occasionally, and I was encouraged by her recent piece in Brunel Way, and hope she’ll bring more of her artwork to Bristol before too long.
Mono, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020
Mono, who I believe is no longer living in Bristol has been concentrating on her illustrations and animations that are really fantastic. This is a creative and imaginative piece of a rat (?) smoking a joint. The rat’s tail stems directly from its head, there is no body. The piece as a whole feels slightly provocative and edgy, which is sometimes so easily forgotten with a majority of rather more sanitised street/graffiti art. Altogether this is a fun collaboration decorating utility boxes, which deserve to be painted.
What an absolute pleasure to see Pura Decadencia back painting walls in Bristol, after quite an absence, with this magnificent piece on the long wall under Brunel Way. I think that she must have either been out of the country or busy with real life, but whatever the absence, it is great to see her back painting walls.
Pura Decadencia, Brunel Way, Bristol, June 2023
This piece reminds me of the first of hers that I posted in January 2021. She spells out her name with nice curvy bubble style letters and combines them with a couple of wicked mouths, complete with vampire teeth, biting into the letters or licking them with a long tongue. The background and fills are really nicely worked too. I look forward to more from Pura Decadencia.
This bright piece from Gosia Wadada both delights and frustrates me. Firstly, it is great to see that this artist made the most of her time in Bristol, painting both here and in Cumberland Basin, however, her choice of panel to paint on, was not great, because she painted over a one third of a very fresh and magnificent portrait piece by Rozalita.
I was once told by an artist that it is a bit disrespectful to partially obscure somebody else’s work, you should either leave it or go over the whole thing, and sometimes you can tag the artist in your new replacement as an acknowledgement. But as I am frequently told, there are no rules and it is a jungle out there. In fairness, I’m not sure that Gosia Wadada would have known that the Rozlita piece was only a few days old.
Gosia Wadada, Greenbank, Bristol, February 2023
Gosia Wadada has visited Bristol before (thank you, Paul H, for your Instagram post) and I will dig the piece out and post it some time soon. In this ‘swapsies’ piece, Gosia Wadada has painted two of her trademark mouths, but switched the colour combinations, to create opposites, although you might spot the small inconsistency in her approach. The mouths work well on the carefully constructed red backdrop, and overall this is a refreshing and fun piece. I would love to see more of her work in Bristol.
Gosia Wadada, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2023
Visiting artists are always, always welcome in Bristol (although the authorities might be a little luke warm) and it is a fine compliment to the city that street artists come from far and wide to paint on our streets and in our graffiti spots. A recent visit to the city by Gosia Wadada, resulted in at least two pieces of which this is the first.
Gosia Wadada, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, January 2023
I don’t know too much about Gosia Wadada, and her Instagram account doesn’t really let on very much, but I can confidently state that she is not from round these parts. She seems to specialise in these stylised mouths, and in that respect is in good company (Pura Decadencia, Soap and Muckrock for example). This piece is neat and tidy and certainly grabs the attention. Some nice design work in the fills too. Watch this space for more from Gosia Wadada.
It is pretty much impossible to observe one of these classic Soap pieces and not feel a small wave of happiness wash over you. The stylised laughing mouths/skull shaped characters are a trademark mega-tag that Soap has been painting and refining for years.
Soap, M32 roundabout, Bristol, February 2022
This piece in great bronze colours was one part of an outstanding PWA paint jam, that included Face 1st and Chill, and a guest appearance from Kool Hand. The finishing on this piece is first class and demonstrates amply Soap’s skills.
A few days ago I posted the debut piece from Morag on Natural adventures, and raved about the column piece on the opposite bank of the river to this one in Cumberland Basin. I sincerely hope that these are the beginning of more to come from the artist with such a unique style.
Morag, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, February 2022
This piece is broader than the other one, with the luxury of a wider piece of wall. The character has a speech bubble with the words ‘nice view’ almost certainly a reference to the river and Clifton suspension bridge that can be seen from this spot. There is something about these faces that works so well, and I think it is the mouth, which is perfectly painted and orientated, with movement and character about it. Another cracking piece from Morag.
Finding pieces like this one adds to the genuine fun of hunting out street art. I was on a bit of a wander in Bedminster and I took a look up a little alleyway I hadn’t noticed before, and my reward was this new graffiti piece by Pura Decadencia. I am guessing it is new, because the artist posted it on her Instagram account a day or two later.
Pura Decadencia, East Street, Bristol, September 2021
Pura Decadencia has been quite quiet lately, but that might be simply because she doesn’t paint walls all that often, which makes finding this one all the more satisfying. This is graffiti art at its very best – unexpected and sprayed directly onto an unprepared wall. The piece features a mouth with vampire teeth and long tongue, a theme that she returns to again and again. I love this raw piece.
This is a curious piece up at Purdown by an artist that doesn’t yet seemed to gained any traction with the community of followers of street art in Bristol – Skronius. This is only the second or third piece I have seen by the artist, and I haven’t seen anything beyond this particular spot.
Skronius, Purdown, Bristol, May 2021
I have to say that I rather like what I see, although it is on the unusual side. This particular piece reminds me a little of Conrico’s work in terms of the rather free style employed. The piece features some kind of wolf-like creature with a double mouth, which is pretty hard to work out. I can’t put my finger on it, but there is something I like about the piece and it certainly adds to the wonderful diversity of art we have in This magnificent city.
Aah! Pura Decadencia – pure decadence, that’s what I’m saying. It is so refreshing to have this ‘new’ artist about town, in a short time she has already made a great impact and found some walls that I haven’t even found. She is also unafraid to paint on high profile walls like this one. Great to see.
Pura Decadencia, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2021
Pura Decadencia likes painting mouths and also vampire teeth feature highly in her work. This piece is figuratively and almost literally on fire and conjures up an image of a saucy kind of hell where fun is to be had. Really enjoying her work and hope that as the weather improves we’ll get to see a whole load more of her about the place.
Natural adventures 