Tag: Nathan Bowen

3236. Jamaica Street (23)

Tucked away in a doorway on Jamaica Street is the third of three recent pieces in Bristol by London-based artist Nathan Bowen. All three have been roughly the same size and in portrait orientation, which is quite unusual for street art, most of which is in landscape.

Nathan Bowen, Jamaica Street, Bristol, September 2020
Nathan Bowen, Jamaica Street, Bristol, September 2020

The scribbled cartoon character is holding a sign with the words ‘I am a Man’ on it. I don’t know what this piece might refer to nor whether it has any political significance but I really like it. I am a fan of Nathan Bowen’s unique style and would surely love to see him hitting the walls of Bristol more often. Pitu about the rather useless ‘plus’ tag in blue, but it goes with the territory.

3222. Hepburn Road (17)

Welcome to the second piece by Nathan Bowen from a recent trip to Bristol tucked away in Hepburn Road, locally known as ‘crack alley’ although it seems to have become slightly less intimidating than it used to be.

Nathan Bowen, Hepburn Road, Bristol, September 2020
Nathan Bowen, Hepburn Road, Bristol, September 2020

This piece continues the theme of construction workers in yellow hats in line with the piece I posted a few days back. I am guessing that in choosing this theme Nathan Bowen is commentating on the rise and rise of gentrification in the area, something he will be all too familiar with in the street art areas of London. I am a big fan of his scribble cartoon style, which must be really difficult to do with spray paint. He must be using some super-skinny caps. One more to come from this talented artist.

3213. Moon Street (85)

I have been aware of Nathan Bowen’s work from my trips to London where he seems to have quite a presence, but I have only once before seen a piece by him in Bristol, and that was some time ago. Imagine my surprise at finding three small pieces, of which this is one, in some of our streets recently.

Nathan Bowen, Moon Street, Bristol, August 2020
Nathan Bowen, Moon Street, Bristol, August 2020

This portrait piece is on a piece of board in Moon Street, at a site that is starting to undergo some development (boo hiss). The builder depicted in the piece is typical of Nathan Bowen’s scribble-sketch style which reminds me a little of the cartoon drawings of Gerald Scarfe. Builders at work (gentrification in motion).