Tag: Pasteup

650. Upfest 2016 (99)

It seems that everywhere I looked during Upfest, I was being stalked by this brilliant little creature, called Jake the dog, created by LostHills. In each of the paste ups, Jake the dog is striking a different pose with something different happening. I love this kind of themed approach to street art.

Losthills, Jake, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Losthills, Jake, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

Although I don’t believe that Losthills was an official artist at Upfest, his wheatpastes brightened up every corner of Bedminster, and several still remain six months on.

Losthills, Jake, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Losthills, Jake, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

Together with C3, 23 Magpies, Phoebe New York, Face the Strange, What have I done Now and D7606, paste up artists were very well represented at Upfest 2016, and I rather hope there will be more this year.

Losthills, Jake, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Losthills, Jake, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

 

570. Moon Street (18)

What an unexpected pleasure, not only to find a P0G0 piece in Bristol, not only to find a paste up by P0G0 in Bristol but to find TWO paste ups by P0G0 on the same day in different parts of town. I am indeed a lucky seeker.

P0G0, Moon Street, Bristol, January 2017
P0G0, Moon Street, Bristol, January 2017
The paste up is the same one in each location and both are in street art ‘hotspots’. You will remember the amazing piece by P0G0 from Upfest, which really was one of the highlights of the festival. THe first one I found was in Moon Street.

P0G0, North Street, Bristol, January 2017
P0G0, North Street, Bristol, January 2017
The second one is in amongst the hoardings on North Street in Bedminster, surrounded by stencil work from John D’oh amongst others. I read on P0G0’s Instagram feed that he had been in town to visit Upfest…I am guessing it migh have had something to do with the launch of the Upfest book. I love it that these artists see every visit, every wall as an opportunity.

P0G0, North Street, Bristol, January 2017
P0G0, North Street, Bristol, January 2017

A red letter day.

454. Upfest 2016 (51)

There is something dark, political and edgy about What Have I Done Now’s work. His paste ups are full of menace, like this one (called laugh riot) of a riot police figure, waving a US flag and adorned with Mickey Mouse ears. Taking a swipe at some attitudes in a small wheatpaste without words is part of the skill of this kind of street art.

What Have I Done Now, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
What Have I Done Now, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
This piece was situated in the small lane at the bottom end of Dean Lane skate park where it joins North Street. I think some bits of it still remain. I have also found in my Upfest archive his ‘official’ piece for the festival and I will post it shortly.

This is one for the fans of political street art, an art form that seems to be slightly out of vogue at the moment.

448. Brick Lane (2)

In a small side street off Brick lane, there is a fairly squalid car park…the perfect site for some great street art and graffiti art. At this site there were some wonderful pieces which I will get round to posting some time. My eye was caught, however, just as I was leaving the side street by this fabulous D7606 pasteup.

D7606, Brick Lane, London, August 2016
D7606, Brick Lane, London, August 2016

I like the bright colours he uses, the icons he adopts (in this case the telephone itself and David Bowie) and his recognisable style. Although a small piece, this is really fun art.

432. Upfest 2016 (48)

C3 is a street artist I admire very much. The distinctive cut out pasteups C3 produces were very much in evidence at Upfest along the hotly contested spots of North Street. There wasn’t a biography of C3 in the Upfest programme, so I am not certain that the works were entirely official, which in my mind makes them all the better.

C3, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
C3, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

The work of C3 will often feature, as in this wheatpaste, a backdrop of newspaper, typically with an image of a woman in black ink and red hair. Instantly recognisable and each telling a story of love or heartbreak. Since seeing C3’s work in Bristol, I have photographed a whole lot more in Shoreditch, which I will share soon. Worth a quick squint at C3’s website too.

416. Upfest 2016 (43)

I like a bit of edge, and at This year’s upfest it was provided in small doses by the brilliant wheatpaster ‘What Have I Done Now’. I don’t know if he had a ‘feature piece’ or whether he had been invited to simply paste up his work wherever he felt like, but there was plenty of the latter on show.

What Have I Done Now, North Street, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
What Have I Done Now, North Street, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

This small Piece appeared on the corner of a large advertising hoarding, and as with so many of these things, many visitors to Upfest walked straight past it, probably focusing on finding the next art venue. A pity.

What Have I Done Now, North Street, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
What Have I Done Now, North Street, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

I liked What Have I Done Now’s biography in the Upfest programme, it reads:

‘When people ask me what kind of artist I am, I say political.As more often than not I’m responding to the machinery of control as it grinds us all up in its gears. I’m trying to remind folk we can simply refuse to stop applying the grease.‘

Good words, and great art work. More to come.

414. Upfest 2016 (41)

23Magpies is an artist I have admired for sometime now. Although she has already featured in one Upfest 2016 post already, her ‘official’ work, I couldn’t resist including some of her ‘extras’.

23Magpies, North Street, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
23Magpies, North Street, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

These extras are often left behind by street artists during a festival and wheatpastes in particular seem to appear all over the place. 23Magpies leaves these treats for people like me to find. Often she pastes them onto utility boxes and lamp posts.

23Magpies, North Street, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
23Magpies, North Street, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

Generally to get a good look and photograph one needs to stoop somewhat drawing strange glances from passers-by. Of course if you don’t look, you won’t see. Some will never see beyond their next text message.

23Magpies, North Street, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
23Magpies, North Street, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

23Magpies is known for her wildlife and environmental themes in her work and with this cat and mouse pair she doesn’t sdisappoint. More 23Magpies extras in a future post…I promise.

397. Charles Street (2)

I posted about this duo back in January this year, with a focus on the robin by the talented Aspire. At the time I didn’t know who had created the wheatpaste of a yellow telephone box with Marilyn Monroe in it. It was of course D7606…he even signed it!

D7606, Charles Street, Bristol, August 2016
D7606, Charles Street, Bristol, August 2016

Recently, the yellow telephone box has been replaced by an orange one and Monroe by Bowie, I am guessing that D7606 made this exchange during Upfest, as he was in Bristol doing his stuff during the festival.

D7606, Charles Street, Bristol, August 2016
D7606, Charles Street, Bristol, August 2016

Since becoming aware of D7606, and reading an excellent interview with him, I have really begun to enjoy his work, and with my weekly work trips to London, I encounter his treats all over the Shoreditch area. There is something fun about the repetition of themes that he pastes up, and he makes street art very accessible for wannabe graffiti artists (like me).

D7606, Charles Street, Bristol, August 2016
D7606, Charles Street, Bristol, August 2016

This is a wonderful vibrant, contemporary piece, and I love it. Aspire looking good as ever.

379. Moon Street (16)

One of the great things about Upfest is all the ‘extras’ that get left behind by artists who come over to Bristol for a few days. Hunting these down is all part of the fun for street rats. This is a wonderful set of three wheatpastes left by Din Din, whose ‘official’ stencil was utterly fantastic.

Din Din, Moon Street, Bristol, August 2016
Din Din, Moon Street, Bristol, August 2016

Here on the North side of town it is great to see some of Din Din’s work. Although it is already looking a bit scruffy, it is still a pleasure to see it. I am not too sure who the pictures are of other than they are heavily tattooed men, but I like them regardless. More of these ‘naughties’ to come.

374. Upfest 2016 (25)

Anyone who reads this blog regularly will know that I am particularly fond of wheatpastes. First it was Kid Crayon that got me interested and then 23 Magpies. More recently I have discovered the magic of Phoebe New York. Always there though, has been the work of D7606 a recent convert to the world of street art. Take time to read this excellent interview with D7606 by London Graffiti Interviews, in which he explains his name and describes his transition into wheatpasting.

D7606, North Street, Upfest, Bristol, July2016
D7606, North Street, Upfest, Bristol, July2016

When D7606 first pasted up this “Twiggy” post box, there was nothing else there, just a clean red box and his Twiggys. By the time I came to photograph it a day later, it was accompanied by no end of stickers…it would seem that a great many sticker enthusiasts enjoy the freedom that Upfest affords. You will spot also that some horns and glasses have been added to the left hand Twiggy.

D7606, North Street, Upfest, Bristol, July2016
D7606, North Street, Upfest, Bristol, July2016

I really like D7606’s work, and have spotted it all over the place so look out for more posts about him coming soon.