Tag: PLB

5425. Sparke Evans Park (78)

Solar, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, July 2023
Solar, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, July 2023

Solar is definitely an artist I would like to know more about, as he is something of an enigma to me, and I have never had the fortune to meet him, or indeed most of his elusive PLB friends. His work is quite unique and touches on the anti-style, but not in a way that is similar to others who paint that way. Although he changes his fonts from piece to piece, there is a consistency about his letters within a piece.

Solar, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, July 2023
Solar, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, July 2023

The most striking thing about this work is the colour combination and contrast between the blue and black letters and the red and orange surround, set on a blue buffed background. I can’t really describe the letter forms, but can say that somehow they are typically Solar, and the gentle way he has of almost disguising his name. I will soon be able to pull together a gallery of his work which will be a great showcase of his individual style.

5301. Peel Street Green (12)

Solar, Peel Street Green, Bristol, June 2023
Solar, Peel Street Green, Bristol, June 2023

As mentioned in a previous post, I am trying to give Solar a bit more of a profile on Natural Adventures, because I believe his work provides another strong element on the vast spectrum of graffiti writing in the city.

Solar, Peel Street Green, Bristol, June 2023
Solar, Peel Street Green, Bristol, June 2023

I’m not quite sure how I would describe Solar’s style, but I think ephemeral and free are words that spring to mind. Like Lee Roy’s work, it is tending towards anti-style, but perhaps in a more passive way. The letters in this piece, spelling SOLAR and with a PLB crew tag, are written in a mixture of upper and lower case, breaking any formal conventions. The blues are uplifting, and unusually the background is also the fill. The letters are disrupted by vertical streaks of cloudy something. The whole piece is rather atmospheric and compelling in a modest presentation.

5261. M32 Cycle path (218)

Solar, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, May 2023
Solar, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, May 2023

Some artists manage to keep themselves very much to themselves, and that is true of most of the PLB crew, including Solar. I have been featuring Solar’s work for a few years, but have never met the artist and have never found out anything about them. That is fine and how some like to keep it, as anonymity is an important part of illegal graffiti and street art.

Solar, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, May 2023
Solar, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, May 2023

I like to post pieces by Solar because they are very different to most of the stuff you see from day to day, often writing with thick letters in a blocky style but with an organic feel to them. Solar has gone full-solar on this one, with a sizzling sun-drenched background around the strong white letters. Nice work from an artist slightly underrepresented on Natural Adventures.

4859. Cumberland Basin

Taboo, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022
Taboo, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022

Taboo, is definitely going through a pink period, in fact it is a very popular colour all round in Bristol at the moment, and I don’t think I have seen so much pink paint since Stupid Stupid Meathole was active. I wonder what happened to him.

Taboo, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022
Taboo, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2022

The unruly letters spell Taboo, with a skull and sphere making up the OO at the end. There are lots of little detail s and distortions to keep the eye busy in this piece, and a nicely worked PLB crew mention. Great work from Taboo, tucked away.