Conversation stops
outside the kitchen window
brimstone butterfly.
by Scooj
Tag: Nature
2126. Spring Hill
The day I found Banksy’s ‘Rose Trap’ turned out to be rather special for another reason. I had taken a detour from my normal route in to work , and rather than try to return to my normal route, I decided to just meander a little in the right direction. It was a great deceision because only 100 meters or so from the Banksy was this stunning piece by ATM.
I have known about this lynx for some time, which I think it was actually painted in November 2016, but I never managed to find it. Sometimes life just catches up with you, and good intentions fly out of the window. In a way, finding a piece like this without intent is somehow extra rewarding… it is like receiving a gift that you weren’t expecting.
The sensational piece is nestled at the bottom of a very steep and narrow cobbled lane that leads up to Cotham. On his twitter feed at the time, ATM wrote:
Bring back the Lynx! We need top predators for healthy ecosystems #rewilding #streetartbristol #lynx #ecosystem
This tweet I think tells you how much ATM cares about wildlife, and he uses his art to raise awareness and get people thinking about the world around them.
It is unfortunate that the patches (presumably covering up tags) weren’t properly colour-matched with background, but great that someone cares enough to keep this piece in great condition. Let’s hear it for the lynx.
2110. Upfest 2018 (137)
This distinctive mural is by Danish artist No Title. From his biography in the Upfest programme we are told that he is influenced by organic natural structures and the systems of the body. Well this piece certainly runs true to form then.
The simple two-tone scheme lends itself to picking out the details of the piece and works as a kind of reverse silhouette. Interesting work, full of symbolism.
Rebirth
Lobbed over the hedge
laughed about then forgotten
a new life begins.
by Scooj
2089. Hotwell Road (2)
Life is so full of surprises, and this piece by Silent Hobo rounded off a fantastic walk around Bristol during which I found several artworks completely new to me. The piece is tucked away on the side of a shop, and easily missed if you approach it from the wrong direction without looking back.
In this piece we see a fabulous blend of urban landscape in the form of the M32 and nature trying to get a grip from the ground upwards. The beautiful girl seems to be caught in the middle of the natural world and development… something of a conundrum for us all.
I love the work of Silent Hobo, particularly his characters who seem to have so much soul and mystery about them. This is a magnificent and somewhat unexpected piece.
False dawn
It’ll end in tears
nature waking up early
just you mark my words.
by Scooj
Signs
.
Crocus spears emerge
snowdrops now in reverence
The land is waking.
.
by Scooj
Yaffle
Am I mistaken?
I think I heard the call of
a green woodpecker.
by Scooj
1815. Upfest 2018 (75)
Another South American artist at Upfest 2018, this time a Peruvian who is based in Barcelona, Bronik. The hat is the clue to the origin of the artist, but as I mentioned in the Dinho Bento piece two posts ago, there is something about the continent of South America that seems to have its own style.
In this lovely piece, we see again a story of connection between people and nature. This appears to be an inescapable component of our lives and yet one that we seem to be ambivalent towards if it gets in the way of our lifestyles. Only today (I wrote this two days ago) the WWF announced that since 1970 we have lost 60% of vertebrate species. Shameful. That is in my lifetime. Art like this may be all we have to remember our beautiful planet by.
This piece sings to me. It gives me what I need to redouble my efforts to make a real difference in this world and to act at whatever levels I can to slow the rate of biodiversity loss. A while back I wrote a haiku about our self-destruction. It was called Ants and is as follows:
When we are long gone
you shall inherit the earth
take good care of it.
I hope it is not prophetic.
1813. Upfest 2018 (73)
Yet another new wall for 2018, and how well it has been utilised by Dinho Bento. I guess this wall could have been split into two or three slots, but what a great decision to keep its integrity.
Dinho Bento is a Brazilian artist whose work seems to draw inspiration from the natural world. A quick glance at his Facebook feed tells you that he is interested in portraying the interconnectedness of humanity with our environment, and the organic green strands in this piece are a representation of that connection – or at least, that is my interpretation.
I can’t necessarily put my finger on it, but artists from different countries definitely have national styles, or perhaps continental styles, and this piece really screams out South America. I guess the more art you see, the more you recognise this phenomenon, and while it is not true of all artists, it is a real thing.
The natural world themes and story of this piece really chime for me. It is called ‘Listen to Nature’ – something I have done all my life. Great work Dinho Bento.
Natural adventures 