Tag: Rowdy

953. Bedminster

This is a fabulous Rowdy piece which is not only bright and vibrant but is also a tribute/protest piece for the survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire disaster. The crocodiles are festooned with flowers and there is a heart in the middle of the piece.

Rowdy, Bedminster, Bristol, July 2017
Rowdy, Bedminster, Bristol, July 2017

This piece demonstrates the reach of the tragedy in London, and I guess the whole wretched thing highlights a world we live in where profit and margins trump regulation and safety. Pitiful really. It is the same with environmental regulation – there are some that say it gets in the way of business and prosperity – try being prosperous when you have buggered up the environment, the place that provides our food, our water, our very life. Red tape is there for a reason, to keep us safe, and if it suppresses profit, then so be it. Right I’ll stop there before I go off on one.

Rowdy, Bedminster, Bristol, July 2017
Rowdy, Bedminster, Bristol, July 2017

I don’t generally get to see too much street work from Rowdy, so it is always nice when one crops up.

 

 

 

603. The Bearpit (35)

I am very excited about this piece. It is a crocodile by the fantastic Rowdy – one of Bristol’s original street artists. I am excited because since I have been blogging about street art, I haven’t come across any new works by him. One feels closer to the artist if you can still smell the paint on the wall.

Rowdy, The Bearpit, Bristol, January 2017
Rowdy, The Bearpit, Bristol, January 2017

This croc is sprayed on the side of one of the staircases into The Bearpit and looks very much at home. It is the kind of piece that should become a bit of a landmark. I would be amazed and disappointed if it gets tagged, like so much of the work in The Bearpit.

Rowdy, The Bearpit, Bristol, January 2017
Rowdy, The Bearpit, Bristol, January 2017

A big thank you from me to Rowdy. This is Bristol through and through.

555. Stokes Croft, the Carriageworks (21)

Without question this is the most iconic graffiti view in Bristol. These two have been side by side at the top of the Carriageworks building for as long as I can remember. Any street art fan that has visited Bristol is more than likely to have this shot.

Rowdy and Sweet Toof, The Carriageworks, Bristol, December 2016
Rowdy and Sweet Toof, The Carriageworks, Bristol, December 2016

The crocodile on the left is by Rowdy, many of whose works can be found in nearby Montpelier and which I have featured on this blog before. Remember this cat for example? The skull on the right is by the very famous Sweet Toof who along with Rowdy is one of the original Bristol street/graffiti artists. It is incredible, but I think this is the first piece by Sweet Toof I have featured here on the blog – I am losing my touch. I will dig out some other of his pieces. If you cannot wait for that, I recommend his very active Instagram account @thesweettoof or take a look at his rather nice website.

Rowdy and Sweet Toof, The Carriageworks, Bristol, December 2016
Rowdy and Sweet Toof, The Carriageworks, Bristol, December 2016

When you pull back from the closeups, you can see how high and large these pieces are, and for the observant among you, you will also notice the FOIS letters by Kleiner Shames on the bottom right. Welcome to Bristol.

247. Devon Road (4)

Another lovely piece from the extraordinary outdoor gallery, AKA Devon Road. This cat in a deckchair is by one of the godfathers of Bristol street  art – Rowdy, and contains all his hallmarks, as you can see from looking at this previous post.

Rowdy, Devon Road, Bristol, May 2016
Rowdy, Devon Road, Bristol, May 2016

I think that there is at least one other artist involved in this piece, but somewhat disconnected from our feline friend. I am not sure who the artist is.

Rowdy, Devon Road, Bristol, May 2016
Rowdy, Devon Road, Bristol, May 2016

There is something wonderfully laid back and ‘Bristol’ about the work of Rowdy. Highly accomplished, distinctive, relaxed and mildly anarchic – great stuff.

 

70. Picton Lane (4)

More from the wonderful Rowdy in this Montpelier hotspot for street art. This mural is called ‘Lilo’. I am not too sure what it depicts, but it may have a ‘fat cat’ reference there. Who knows? I’d better find Rowdy and ask him.

Rowdy, lilo, Picton Lane, Bristol, November 2015
Rowdy, lilo, Picton Lane, Bristol, November 2015

8/10

69. Picton Lane (3)

Rowdy is best known for his pictures of crocodiles with large triangular teeth (see the trousers?). He is a Bristol artist whose work is very well known locally, but he has painted throughout the country and internationally. He has been spraying for a long time and is well established on the Bristol scene. He has a playful mischief in his work.

Rowdy, Picton Lane, Bristol, November 2015
Rowdy, Picton Lane, Bristol, November 2015

This mural is called ‘Boxing Fox’ and is sprayed on a garage door, only a few yards away from his collaboration with Mau Mau, and another of his pictures called ‘Lilo’ which I will post soon. A Rowdy hot-spot.

Rowdy, Picton Lane, Bristol, November 2015
Rowdy, Picton Lane, Bristol, November 2015

As with a great many of the Bristol artists, there is a respectful nod to Mibsy and to Robbo (King Robbo, a street artist and ‘competitor’ of Banksy’s, who died in August 2014 aged 45).

7.5/10

 

 

60. Picton Lane (1)

My lunchtime stroll today took me to Montpelier, the heart of alternative Bohemian Bristol. Although I live nearby, I don’t know the area well, so I was in for a treat. I veered off the main roads into the back streets, and found walls festooned with murals, mostly by very local artists.

Mau Mau and Rowdy, Picton Lane, Bristol, November 2015
Mau Mau and Rowdy, Picton Lane, Bristol, November 2015

I came across this political piece, which speaks volumes about the severe cuts which are destroying public services. It is a collaboration between Rowdy and Mau Mau. Rowdy is known as one of the longest-standing graffiti artists in the UK, and paints a lot of crocodiles and jagged teeth. Mau Mau’s trademark is a fox, which features in most of his works.

Mau Mau and Rowdy, Picton Lane, Bristol, November 2015
Mau Mau and Rowdy, Picton Lane, Bristol, November 2015

This was, as far as I can make out, painted on 27 October 2015; so really recent. I am pleased to have seen it so soon after completion.

7.5/10