Tag: Philosophy

6119. Leonard Lane (47)

John D'oh, Leonard Lane, Bristol, June 2024
John D’oh, Leonard Lane, Bristol, June 2024

It is rather pleasing to be posting another stencil piece, there have been a rash of them lately, and especially one from John D’oh, who has been a little quiet over the last six months or so. This is one of a couple of pieces by the artist currently in Leonard Lane.

John D'oh, Leonard Lane, Bristol, June 2024
John D’oh, Leonard Lane, Bristol, June 2024

This philosophy, I am not sure if it is a quote or a wisdom from John D’oh himself, is perhaps a message of our times and our collective obsession with consumption, upgrade and appearance. It reads:

“If you knew how quickly people forget the dead, you would stop living to impress people”.

I think that this is aimed at people with outer-directed values, a segment of our society that has ballooned since Thatcher came to power. The statement is accompanied by a skeleton character holding a spray can. Great work from John D’oh.

#DFTE

A gallery of short philosophical musings from the creative mind of Bristol’s #DFTE

Instagram: @d.f.t.e

all photographs by Scooj

#DFTE, Dean Lane, Upfest 24, Bristol, May 2024
#DFTE, Dean Lane, Upfest 24, Bristol, May 2024
#DFTE, Cheltenham Paint Festival, Cheltenham, July 2023
#DFTE, Cheltenham Paint Festival, Cheltenham, July 2023
#DFTE, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2023
#DFTE, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2023
#DFTE, Weston Wallz,Weston-super-Mare, May 2023
#DFTE, Weston Wallz,Weston-super-Mare, May 2023
#DFTE and Fishlock, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2023
#DFTE and Fishlock, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2023
Dave Sharp and #DFTE, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2022
Dave Sharp and #DFTE, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2022
#DFTE, Stokes Croft, Bristol, April 2019
#DFTE, Stokes Croft, Bristol, April 2019
#DFTE, Christmas Steps, Bristol, March 2020
#DFTE, Christmas Steps, Bristol, March 2020
#DFTE, Christmas Steps, Bristol, February 2020
#DFTE, Christmas Steps, Bristol, February 2020
#DFTE, Leonard Lane, Bristol, Jnuary 2020
#DFTE, Leonard Lane, Bristol, Jnuary 2020
#DFTE, Town, Bristol, March 2019
#DFTE, Town, Bristol, March 2019
#DFTE, Town, Bristol, March 2019
#DFTE, Town, Bristol, March 2019
#DFTE, Cumberland Road, Bristol, November 2019
#DFTE, Cumberland Road, Bristol, November 2019
#DFTE, Cumberland Road, Bristol, November 2019
#DFTE, Cumberland Road, Bristol, November 2019
#DFTE, Welshback, Bristol, September 2019
#DFTE, Welshback, Bristol, September 2019
#DFTE, North Street, Bristol, June 2019
#DFTE, North Street, Bristol, June 2019
#DFTE, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2019
#DFTE, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2019
#DFTE, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2019
#DFTE, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2019

5528. Trinity Street (2)

Merny, Trinity Street, Bristol, September 2023
Merny, Trinity Street, Bristol, September 2023

On a recent drive around Bristol getting from one spot to another, I managed to stumble across a few Merny pieces that I hadn’t been aware of or hadn’t been able to locate. This one is on a shutter in Trinity Street next to a Taboo Pink Panther piece a little bit away from the beaten track. Shutters are tricky, because most of the time they are up and you don’t get to see the artwork.

Merny, Trinity Street, Bristol, September 2023
Merny, Trinity Street, Bristol, September 2023

This philosophical piece features three passers-by  and the words; “The earth spins on its axis, one man struggles while another relaxes”. I like that. The characters are painted in Merny’s naïve style and reflect everyday people. Naturally there are little identification numbers and lines dotted about the place, consistent with most of Merny’s recent works.

5304. Weston-super-Mare

#DFTE, Weston Wallz,Weston-super-Mare, May 2023
#DFTE, Weston Wallz,Weston-super-Mare, May 2023

Continuing with the Weston Wallz theme this morning, is this fabulous piece from the enigmatic #DFTE, who after something of a hiatus has come alive over the last year or so, upgrading his small pictures dotted around Bristol to full-size murals with his witty and sometimes wise one-liners.

#DFTE, Weston Wallz,Weston-super-Mare, May 2023
#DFTE, Weston Wallz,Weston-super-Mare, May 2023

#DFTE comes from the ‘signwriting’ school of street art, but with his own idiosyncratic twist. In this piece from Weston Walls 2022, the drippy letters, in his own ‘house font’ says “Don’t think too much, just do what makes you happy”. If only it were that easy, but I love the sentiment. #DFTE is another artist who I am lining up for a gallery – watch this space.

4195. Purdown AA Battery (40)

Although Daz Cat has been steadily active over the last few weeks, I haven’t been able to find space to post any of his work, such is the volume of new pieces being produced like a relentless incoming tide, one which I welcome of course. I have a few in my folders that I need to share. I keep telling myself that I’ll be able to share them during a quiet period, but I don’t think such a thing exists.

Daz Cat, Purdown, Bristol, December 2021
Daz Cat, Purdown, Bristol, December 2021

This cat piece has been sprayed on one of the square concrete slabs which appear to have been built to protect the store areas around each gun emplacement, and which make splendid canvasses. Featuring a Daz Cat cat, it would seem that the artist has joined the ranks of street art philosophers with the written phrase “Never enough, show me new pathways. More than enough, put me in my place”, which on doing a quick Interweb search looks like it is an original thought. The cat itself in 3/4 aspect is superbly well painted and looks to have taken longer to paint than some of his throw up cats.

2829. Christmas Steps (2)

Never was a message from #DFTE more apt and more welcome. As we find ourselves thrown into lockdown in the UK due to the Coronavirus pandemic, acts of kindness must be at the front of our minds at all times. For my part, having patience with my family is probably the single biggest challenge, but I must chill out and see the good. My wife and kids are amazing people and we have a chance to reset the dial in these unusual circumstances.

#DFTE, Christmas Steps, Bristol, March 2020
#DFTE, Christmas Steps, Bristol, March 2020

This is the second piece of street philosophy from #DFTE on Christmas Steps, right at the top (of the lower section). I rather like the fact that another kind soul has slapped a sticker on this framed installation saying ‘you are beautiful’. Bristol street art bringing out the best in us.

2785. Christmas Steps

I don’t ascend or descend the Christmas Steps all that often these days and perhaps if I did I might have seen this great wheatpaste by #DFTE sooner. The switch from framed installations to pasteups has worked well for the artist and perhaps offers a little bit more scope for locations and a second string to their bow.

#DFTE, Christmas Steps, Bristol, February 2020
#DFTE, Christmas Steps, Bristol, February 2020

The words of wisdom on this one read:

Be yourself, people do not have to like you and you do not have to care #DFTE

Fine words indeed from the self-styled urban philosopher.

2626. Town somewhere

I cannot for the life of me remember where this lovely framed philosophical offering from #DFTE actually is. I know it is in town, and probably on a wall that doesn’t have too many other street/graffiti art pieces, as #DFTE tends to stay away from the regular spots. I took the picture way back in March, and my brain is so useless that I struggle to remember what happened yesterday, let alone back in March.

#DFTE, Town, Bristol, March 2019
#DFTE, Town, Bristol, March 2019

The guidance presented here says ‘Love in such a way that the person you love feels free’. I’m not too sure I am on the same page as this one, because it might be making the assumption that love could be a form of imprisonment and I am not sure that that is what love is. Smothering love maybe, and perhaps that is what this is about.

I am annoyed that I can’t remember where this is, because one of the great skills of installation artists like #DFTE is that placement is a key element of the work.

2603. Cumberland Road (1)

Last week I found one of the older pieces by our resident philosopher in Bristol, #DFTE. This particular piece of motivational wordsmithing is a little more prescriptive than some of other ponderings, it says:

Life Doesn’t get better by chance, it gets better by change

I suspect winners of the national lottery might disagree. I like the fact that by simply changing one letter (a C for a G) the whole phrase is repositioned – clever wordplay.

#DFTE, Cumberland Road, Bristol, November 2019
#DFTE, Cumberland Road, Bristol, November 2019

Somehow #DFTE finds some great spots to position his work – it is half the skill in what he does and this one is magnificent. I have probably driven and walked past it several times and never noticed it – you have to look up, which is the cas with many of his framed phrases. #DFTE is a street art hunter’s dream, because he will place his works away from the usual spots, so finding things feels like an extra big treat. Looking forward to finding another one.

 

 

 

 

 

2297. North Street

These philosophical musings are a positive force on the streets of Bristol, and #DFTE has introduced an original way of presenting them. The picture frames give a sense of value and permanence to his words which without them would certainly be dismissed as graffiti/tagging.

#DFTE, North Street, Bristol, June 2019
#DFTE, North Street, Bristol, June 2019

‘Be good to yourself for no reason’ seems like sound advice to me and surely contributes to the positive mindfulness revolution supporting mental health. Perhaps #DFTE should be sponsored by the NHS to do this work nationally! I like the simple full caps font and slightly random orientation of his letters. From a communications perspective (it is my job after all)  we would normally advise against any written communication using full caps as it is significantly more difficult to read, and often comes across as shouting, but the font he uses is soft and works well.