This piece is another belter from the recent Bristol Mural Collective paint jam, protesting for peace in Gaza and Palestine. Ailish has painted an abstract piece filled with doodles and symbols surrounding a central phrase ‘this is inhumane’, a sentiment that we all feel but are so powerless to do anything about.
Ailish, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2025
It almost feels trite talking about the artwork when the subject matter is so serious, but it is the artwork and the public nature of it that helps to convey the message and build on support for innocent Palestinians. The patterns and shapes are made up with the colours of the Palestinian flag, as is the centrepiece, creating an overall busy piece wit(a simple strong message. Great work from Ailish.
This is another contribution to the Bristol Mural Collective paint jam, protesting against the war in Palestine from a couple of weeks back, painted, quite obviously, by Werm.
Werm, Greenbank, Bristol, March 2025
Werm has used has symmetrical writing to great effect, incorporating three horizontal stripes of red, green and white to represent the Palestinian flag, with the tidy 3D drop shadows providing the black colour. While I wholeheartedly support such protests, I wonder how much they will change anything. It seems that while Trump is in power, the Israeli Government will act with impunity, knowing that Trump is only interested in some kind of business transaction outcome that will make him richer and adored. He cares nothing for people, for victims.
Thank you, Bristol Mural Collective, for organising this paint jam.
I have mentioned many times before on Natural Adventures how much I love the way street artists capture the moment or the mood of the city or country as a whole. In saying that, I would reflect that most, not all, street artists are aligned with progressive or left leaning sympathies. It is rare to see right-wing or fascist street art that evolves beyond slogan tags. This potent piece by Zoe Power is one of many painted during a paint jam organised by the Bristol Mural Collective up a Greenbank a couple of weeks ago.
Zoe Power, Greenbank, Bristol, August 2025
Zoe Power has kept her message and artwork simple and unambiguous. The captivating piece features two faces looking at one another with tears, symbolising sadness and tragedy, painted in the colours of the Palestinian flag, with the words ‘Boycott Apartheid’ book ending the work. Who, in their right mind, could support the slaughter of innocent civilians on such a mass scale? Has the Israeli leadership learned nothing about attempted eradication of a people? Zoe Power and her collaborators are keeping the tragedy unfolding in front of our eyes out there and protesting through their art.
Mind 49 has always been an activist, and although his art has mellowed in recent years, his principles are still very much intact. This anti-war piece is striking, poignant and beautifully presented.
Mind 49, St Werburghs, Bristol, July 2025
Skulls are a common motif/subject in street art and this is one of the very best examples I have ever seen. Mind 49 has captured the tones, shading and depth perfectly. Strangely, the helmet almost seems as though it is painted by a completely different artist. It is lacking in detail, the perspective is slightly out and the flags a bit untidy. I don’t know why this is, whether it is a deliberate device or that Mind 49 has absolutely cracked the skull and needs to work on helmets. It is a mystery.
The message to take home is clear. ‘Destroy the war machine’, which is directed at the UK, the USA and Israel. I could go into a long and thoughtful essay about the war in Palestine, and the impotence of voices that want an end to the killing and suffering. History will not look favourably on the genocide and the parallels with WWII concentration camps and justifications for extermination. Can’t people see the paradox? I’ll stop there. It upsets me too much.
For many years, and more acutely this year, there has been a massive focus on the issue of compensation overflows in the UK. These overflows are essentially permitted activities of pumping raw sewage from water treatment plants, when heavy rainfall makes the processing of large quantities of sewage almost impossible. Some (and I include myself in this) point the finger at underinvestment in the infrastructure of water treatment plants, rather favouring healthy annual handouts to investors and shareholders.
The problem existed before the privatisation of water companies, but has been exacerbated by privatisation and a growing population and demand on the existing infrastructure, that simply isn’t up to scratch. Much easier to lean on a polluting permitted activity than to spend money fixing the problem.
Privatisation of water has, in my view, been a disaster, making a few investors, chief executives and foreign companies very wealthy indeed, but leaving the necessary investment and impact on the environment way behind. The public have had enough and are demanding that something is done about the situation. National commentary and pieces of art, like this one from John D’oh reflect this public mood.
John D’oh, Brunel Way, Bristol, October 2023
In its minimalist way, this stencil by John D’oh distils the issue and makes it simple. ‘Shit doesn’t just happen (we have known about this problem for decades and done nothing about it), clean our rivers’. I have worked in the water/environmental sector my entire life, and John D’oh has nailed it. Clever placement too with the River Avon in the background. This is an understated and poignant protest piece. Bravo John D’oh.
I caught up with Mr Draws when he was painting this piece, and he told me it was going to be something a little bit different and he was right. Mr Draws has always had a strong environmental conviction running through his work, and he says that he wants to do more of this kind of messaging work in the future.
Mr Draws, Brunel Way, Bristol, June 2023
Drawing attention to contemporary issues is something that street art does very well, and Mr Draws doesn’t pull any punches in this piece which states “No art on a dead planet”. The whole thing is simply done with big bold letters on a striking background. The colour fades in the big letters have been worked very nicely, and although not painted in his usual style, there is something so very Mr Draws about the piece.
Clearly, this piece is more about the subject than it is about the artist, however as a chronicler of street art in Bristol I reserve the right to acknowledge and praise the artist Hazard for painting such a poignant and striking piece for #blacklivesmatter.
Hazard, Turbo Island, Bristol, June 2020
This is yet another wonderful and uniquely Bristolian piece from this brilliant artist. How lucky to have had two new pieces from her in recent weeks.
Hazard, Turbo Island, Bristol, June 2020
Of course, the Bristol BLM demonstration has hit the headlines at the weekend for the pulling down and throwing into the floating harbour of a statue commemorating Edward Colston, a Bristol slave trader. This lawless act has caused consternation at the highest levels of government, but I have to say it was completely understandable and rather predictable. The Bristol constabulary were amazing in the way they dealt with the demonstration and prevented anything flaring up by keeping a light touch approach to policing. One really has to ask what a statue commemorating Colston was doing in the centre of town in this day and age in the first place.
Without denying our history (a dangerous avenue) perhaps it is time to have a review of our commemorative monuments in today’s context and to mothball or place into historical museums statues that are inappropriate today.
Extinction Rebellion is a selfless movement that has a global future very much in mind. I must find a way to get involved without risk of losing my job.
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