Tag: Portrait

1143. Camden Town, London

On a recent trip to Camden Town, I visited a few of the streets I had been to a year previously. This particular hot spot for street art was rather annoyingly obstructed by this hoarding, which rendered any photography pretty useless, along the narrow passage where the best walls are. However, it was an ill wind really, as the hoarding has become the canvass for this fine and rather haunting piece by Irony.

Irony, Camden Town, London, November 2017
Irony, Camden Town, London, November 2017

I could tell, the minute I saw this portrait piece, that is was by an established and talented artist, but it wasn’t until I got home and properly looked at the pictures (and started seeing the image appearing on Instagram) that I realised it was by Irony. I am guessing that it is a reasonably new piece, and feel quite lucky to have ‘bumped into it’.

1131. Upfest 2017 (96)

Perhaps better known for his smaller pieces, stencils and wheatpastes, this large blue face by Beastie came as a bit of a surprise to me at Upfest, so much so that I didn’t even know it was by him when I photographed it.

Beastie, Upfest, Bristol, July2017
Beastie, Upfest, Bristol, July2017

This was a striking piece that stood out and grabbed the attention and would appear to have an environmental theme to it too. It is interesting that this year’s Upfest appeared to have quite a lot of large portraits, many in single shades of one colour – maybe it is a thing or maybe just coincedence.

Beastie, Upfest, Bristol, July2017
Beastie, Upfest, Bristol, July2017

Looking forward to seeing what direction Beastie takes with his street art as his work is always interesting.

1123. The Bearpit (106)

This is the second piece by an unknown artist I have posted in the space of a week, which is really unusual for me, but I don’t think I will ever uncover the mystery of this one as it is so unlike anything I have seen in Bristol before.

Unknown artist, The Bearpit, Bristol, August 2017
Unknown artist, The Bearpit, Bristol, August 2017

There are two faces adjacent to one another that ahve the appearance of having been etched out of the thick layers of paint laid down on this tunnel wall. They are in fact painted but in this really unusual style.

Unknown artist, The Bearpit, Bristol, August 2017
Unknown artist, The Bearpit, Bristol, August 2017

The face on the right hand side appears to be more complete that the other one and is lighting up a ‘cigarette’. The shading and colours used for the piece are from an interesting and varied palette; for example the thumb is made up of greens, yellows, pinks and reds.

Not knowing who the artist is was not a good enough excuse for not posting this piece. I like it a lot.

1097. Upfest 2017 (90)

On the hoardings in South Street Park, not far from the Miss Wah and Korp collaboration, was this exceptional piece by Hazard. I am not all that familiar with Hazard’s work, but she has been recognised by The Guardian as one of the top five female street artists in the UK, and you can see why.

Hazard, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Hazard, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

Her pieces are often feature a female portrait with ornate hair ornamentation, and this is a really superb example of her work. It is interesting to see that she completed the portrait first and then went on to decorate the hair with scarves and feathers. The horns add another strange element to the whole thing.

Hazard, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Hazard, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

I didn’t get a chance to meet her, but with any luck she will be back in Bristol before too long. I have a feeling, from reading her biography on her website, that she might live somewhere in the West of England, but that is just a hunch.

1072. Upfest 2017 (78)

I think that this is a bit of a cheeky Upfest piece from Jee See, a Bristol graffiti artist that I have featured on this blog many times before, and one whose work I particularly like. The suggestion that it is a bit cheeky is because I can’t see his name on the artist list for the festival, and this board was erected outside one of the venues, almost as if it was a bit of a teaser.

Jee See, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Jee See, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

I am guessing that there were a few ‘no shows’ for the festival and that spare boards were available for some local artists. This is all based on my own assumptions, and as I was once told, to assume things is to make an ‘ass of u and me‘.

Anyhow, I am pleased that Jee See managed to present his work and combine his trademark seismic writing alongside a beautiful portrait…all so very Jee See.

1051. Upfest 2017 (69)

It is unfortunate that sometimes the photographs I take of great works simply don’t do them justice, this is one such example. This is a brilliant portrait by the London-based artist Ant Carver, who has used amazing colour shadings to create a rich and textured appearance on the skin of the subject. It is a really clever technique that adds real depth to the piece

Ant Carver, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Ant Carver, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

By the time I got to photograph this great work, the sun was in completely the wrong place and it looks cold and a bit drab, which it most cerrtainly wasn’t. Ant Carver is an artist whose work chimes for me and I would have liked to have spent a moment or two to chat with him, but he looked a bit busy with finishing off, so I left him to it. Maybe next time.

1048. Upfest 2017 (66)

I never got to see this remarkable portrait in its final form, which was the case with several pieces sited at Ashton Gate this year. Having said that, I don’t think it changed a great deal from the featured image above, judging from pictures I have seen of it. It is by the excellent Naskool who produced another amazing piece at Upfest 2016.

Naskool, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Naskool, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

It may be my general ignorance, but I am not sure who the portrait is of…it might not be of anyone in particular. Any ideas?

Naskool, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Naskool, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

Naskool has an extraordinary touch for photorealistic work and it is interesting to see how he completes the subject first and then backfills the surround afterwards. All part of the fun of watching these pieces unfold over a few days. This was really one of the great pieces of the festival this year.

1031. Upfest 2017 (59)

Another set of three paste ups from the prolific Jimzina at Upfest this year. The first was the largest I saw and was A2 size roughly. The girl in glasses, clutching a ring doughnut can still be found on North Street just by the hoardings near the Standard.

Jimzina, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Jimzina, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

All of Jimzina’s pieces carried the same theme, a young lady presented on the front of a menu or drinks list – very distinctive. The next one looks rather different to most of them, in that the girl doesn’t have black hair, instead she is wearing a pink flower to go with her pink lips.

Jimzina, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Jimzina, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

The final one of these three looks a bit like what I would call ‘saucy-sophisticated’. Is that too much of a label seen through the lens of a middle-aged man?

More from this wheatpaster to come.

 

Jimzina, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Jimzina, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

1021. Upfest 2017 (54)

One of the most distinctive collaborations of Upfest 2017 was this piece by Tymon Ferenc de Laat (who really needs a shorter tag) and Nuno Viegas. The piece was sprayed in the garden of The Spotted Cow pub and has subsequently been sold.

Tymon Ferenc de Laat and Nuno Viegas, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Tymon Ferenc de Laat and Nuno Viegas, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

It has a high-quality finish to it and works really well as a collaboration with the particular style of each artist – the portrait by Tymon and the paper dart by Nuno – retained in the piece.

Tymon Ferenc de Laat and Nuno Viegas, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Tymon Ferenc de Laat and Nuno Viegas, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

I particularly like the amazing attention to detail in the paper dart, with the shadows cast, and the bright line along the leading edge of the wing as if it were catching the light. Very clever and skilful work.

Tymon Ferenc de Laat and Nuno Viegas, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Tymon Ferenc de Laat and Nuno Viegas, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

I’m not sure how often these artists collaborate, but for Upfest it worked a real treat.

998. Upfest 2017 (44)

One of the most striking and rather psychadelic pieces of this year’s Upfest was this portrait incorporating a glitched abstract background in the form of 3D colouring. The work is from the Brisish artist (Dan) Newso.

Newso, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Newso, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

This is quite a difficult and busy piece to look at. Do you look at the face and get distracted (I do), or look at the abstract surround and get pulled into the face? Either way it is amost impossible to look at the whole. A very clever piece.

Newso, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Newso, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

On his website, Newso has published a biography, which reads:

‘Throughout 2016 Dan Newso developed his work combining figurative with abstract content in a glitch or implied collage style. This work is often painted on compressed cement board to give the feeling of a painting on a concrete wall.

Since 2008 he has been well known in Birmingham’s post-industrial creative quarter Digbeth, painting murals in public spaces. This work has largely been self funded and has been a process of getting to know the community to open up spaces to paint.

He paints commissioned artwork and murals in varied styles to suit clients needs; he has painted internationally with the latest project of 2016 being a residency in Perth, Western Australia.’

Newso, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Newso, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

I like this piece, even though it confuses my ageing eyes. I hope he makes it back to Upfest next year.