Another wonderful stencil piece from John D’oh’s outdoor gallery underneath the M32. There is no annotation, just an image of a woman speaking into a megaphone, from which flowers are cascading.
The piece tells a story which I guess is open to interpretation. I think it speaks of protest and peace, a little bit like Banksy’s famous ‘flower thrower’. The piece is beautifully presented, simple and thought-provoking. Good to see.
One of the central tenets of graffiti art is to protest against perceived and real injustices. Walls have been used for centuries to express support for, or dissatisfaction with, those in power, and this example from Rowdy perfectly demonstrates this.
The piece demands the freeing of the Filton 24. You might ask who they are, so I recruited ChatGPT to provide a summary as follows:
The Filton 24 are a group of pro-Palestinian activists, many linked to the direct-action group Palestine Action, arrested in connection with an action at the Elbit Systems UK site in Filton, Bristol in August 2024. Elbit Systems is an Israeli-owned defence company, and the protest was intended to disrupt what activists say is the company’s role in supplying military equipment used in Israel’s operations in Gaza. During the action, protesters breached the site’s perimeter using a modified vehicle and caused damage to property and equipment.
Initially, a small number of activists were arrested at the scene, with further arrests made later through coordinated police raids, bringing the total to 24. Police used counter-terrorism powers during the investigation and detention phase, although the protesters have not been charged with terrorism offences; instead, they face charges such as aggravated burglary, criminal damage, and violent disorder. All have been remanded in custody, many for unusually long periods before trial, which has sparked controversy and criticism from civil liberties groups. Supporters argue the prolonged pre-trial detention and use of terrorism-related powers represent an excessive response to protest activity, while authorities point to the seriousness and planning involved in the action.
Rowdy has added one of his fabulous cats, as if to add some humanity to the words, which on their own are not as potent. I love it that street art and graffiti is a way that voices can be heard, whether you agree with them or not. There is something authentic and visceral about it.
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.
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 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 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.
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.
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The people fight back
discredit and crush them all
validate response
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by Scooj
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.
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.
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.
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The question is not
why are you protesting, but
why are others not
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by Scooj
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