637. Richmond Road (4)

I came across this wall quite by accident. I was looking for somewhere to park in the Montpelier area – a challenge in itself, so that I could investigate some garages which I had checked out on Streetview.

Sepr, Richmond Road, Bristol, January 2017
Sepr, Richmond Road, Bristol, January 2017

I noticed some scaffolding and early stages of spraying of a tribute to DJ Derek, more about him here and here. The first day I visited nobody was spraying – maybe they had gone home for the day, so I returned the following day.

Deamze, Richmond Road, Bristol, January 2017
Deamze, Richmond Road, Bristol, January 2017

This time two artists were working on the piece. Obviously I stopped for a quick chat – one was Sepr, I didn’t speak to the other, but it might have been Deamze. It was good to ask about the piece, and to meet Sepr, who is, like my daughter, the owner of a panther chameleon.

Sepr, Richmond Road, Bristol, February 2017
Sepr, Richmond Road, Bristol, February 2017

The piece is a really fitting tribute to the great, and very much missed, DJ Derek by two of the very best street artists in Bristol. And what a wall too. The right hand side of the collaboration, the protrait, is by Sepr and is quite unusual because most of his work is rather more cartoon-like and creative, let’s say.

Sepr, Richmond Road, Bristol, February 2017
Sepr, Richmond Road, Bristol, February 2017

The portrait is a good likeness to DJ Derek, and I am sure it will remain here for quite some time.

Deamze, Richmond Road, Bristol, February 2017
Deamze, Richmond Road, Bristol, February 2017

On the left hand side, we have some very recognisable writing from Deamze spelling out the words ‘One Love’ without any wildstyle disguise. I am guessing, but I don’t know that this might have been one of many catch phrases that DJ Derek was known for.

Deamze and Sepr, Richmond Road, Bristol, February 2017
Deamze and Sepr, Richmond Road, Bristol, February 2017

Everything about this tribute is good, the artists, the wall, the quiet location. It is great to honour important Bristol figures in this way.

 

 

335. Devon Road (6)

Let me take you back a short while to a gorgeous May day, when I discovered for the first time the wonders of Devon Road. This is a place where the local community wanted to brighten up their back street and so invited some of Bristol’s street artists to paint back doors, gates and walls. The result is absolutely wonderful and this is, in my mind, one of the highlights.

Sepr, Devon Road, Bristol, May 2016
Sepr, Devon Road, Bristol, May 2016

This brilliant piece by Sepr contains many of the themes he uses in his work. We have two young women playing instruments, in this instance snare drums and high-hats cast in monochrome on a delicious blue background.

Sepr, Devon Road, Bristol, May 2016
Sepr, Devon Road, Bristol, May 2016

I have been holding on to this piece for a long while, keeping it close…behaving a little like Gollum. It is my ‘precious’ you see. Well sort of. Now it is out there for all to enjoy. And if you get to Devon Road, be sure to stop and enjoy this piece.

304. Brusnwick Square hoardings (2)

I have been keeping my powder dry on this one for a long time now. I’m not too sure why. I think it might be because it is another one of my favourite collaborations in Bristol, by three of my favourite street artists: Sepr, Deamze and 3Dom. I like to have this one sitting in my pending file, reminding me just how good some of this stuff is. Today I am setting the pieces free and moving on. Liberation.

Sepr, Brunswick Square, Bristol, March 2016
Sepr, Brunswick Square, Bristol, March 2016
Sepr, Brunswick Square, Bristol, March 2016
Sepr, Brunswick Square, Bristol, March 2016

The left hand side of the triptych is by Sepr and shows a man driving a wheeled vehicle, incorporating the next part of the collaboration. Once more he uses his simple colour scheme that seems to bring out the detail in the character’s face. There is a great sense of movement.

Deamze, Brunswick Square, Bristol, March 2016
Deamze, Brunswick Square, Bristol, March 2016
Deamze, Brunswick Square, Bristol, March 2016
Deamze, Brunswick Square, Bristol, March 2016

The middle section is a wildstyle piece by Deamze, incorporating all the elements that make his writing so recognisable. Just to make it extra easy he even signs it for us. The flow of colour continues from left to right and into the third part of the collaboration.

3Dom, Brunswick Square, Bristol, March 2016
3Dom, Brunswick Square, Bristol, March 2016

The right hand side of the project is by 3Dom. This is a brilliant cartoon dreamlike character – a dark round ball with face and teeth and everything – riding on a chopper bicycle at speed towards the other pieces. The dust clouds are beautifully done.

3Dom, Brunswick Square, Bristol, March 2016
3Dom, Brunswick Square, Bristol, March 2016

The three pieces together tell a story, although unfortunately I’m not sure what the plot line is. I really must collar these guys and interview them sometime. Maybe Upfest will be an opportunity to meet and interview a few artists. We’ll see.

 

 

276. Old Bread Street (3)

Every now and then I like to check out the hoardings at Old Bread Street, near the rather peculiar Gardiner Haskins department store. Last weekend I was immensely pleased to see that a bunch of street artists from ASK had collaborated on several of the panels.

Sepr, Old Bread Street, Bristol, June 2016
Sepr, Old Bread Street, Bristol, June 2016

This is a wonderful piece by Sepr. Now who hasn’t had a telephone call like this, especially those of who can remember real telephones with cords? I think that Sepr really conveys the sense of irritation. The man’s expression and the pulling of his own tie speaks volumes – it is almost like a moving image. Very clever.

Sepr, Old Bread Street, Bristol, June 2016
Sepr, Old Bread Street, Bristol, June 2016

The observant among you will see this piece is sandwiched between Deamze and Voyder burners. Great company indeed.

 

 

271. M32 Roundabout J3 (11)

I have been sitting on this piece for a long time. I think it is because there is something rather enigmatic about it, and I can’t think what I want to say. It is unmistakably by Sean Sepr, but somehow a little different from the custimary expression, both in the artwork and the subject.

Sepr, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2016
Sepr detail, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2016

I feel it is a sad piece – a robot holding a heart – there is a lot of symbolism here. Sepr again has used limited colours – yellow, white and black – which brings out the contrast and shadows.

Sepr, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2016
Sepr, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2016

For me it is a piece that I like, but it is difficult to love…if that makes sense.

237. The Bearpit (16)

At one corner of The Bearpit, there is a large advertising cube which rises above the sunken area and can be viewed at the road level. It is a very prominent landmark when arriving in the centre of town. What is great about it is that it is not festooned with corporate marketing or consumer products. No…this is a place for messages to the people of Bristol by the people of Bristol. Some messages are politically inert, others are political commentary presented in a way so typical of this area.

Sepr, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2016
Sepr, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2016

This piece by Sepr is an interesting statement, a bomb holding hands with children – more thoughtful than the latest Mercedes model or Insurance company.

Sepr, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2016
Sepr, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2016

There is something slightly unsettling about the piece, the smiling bomb, the silhouetted children. I think this work has just been replaced very recently. You can see on the adjacent face a message ‘Peace – and not just for Christmas’.

Sepr, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2016
Sepr, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2016

228. Devon Road (3)

I’m still excited by Devon Road. This is an exceptional piece by the brilliant Sepr. Typical of his pieces, it is in shades of gray and features a musician, in this case a guitarist.

Sepr, Devon Road, Bristol, May 2016
Sepr, Devon Road, Bristol, May 2016

The mustachioed character has a continental look about him and there is something rather peaceful about the work. I can almost hear the music.

Sepr, Devon Road, Bristol, May 2016
Sepr, Devon Road, Bristol, May 2016

I think it is fairly obvious, but I am a big fan of Sepr’s work and to find this near-perfect mural in Devon Road made me very happy indeed. Imagine my surprise when I came upon another one just around the corner. More on that one soon.

Sepr, Devon Road, Bristol, May 2016
Sepr, detail, Devon Road, Bristol, May 2016

212. Dalton Square

This large wall by Sepr gave me enormous pleasure when I eventually found it in Dalton Square on the side of The Bell pub. I had seen images of it on the Interweb, but it took me an eternity to find it. It turns out, it is only a very small detour from my usual walk into work.

Sepr, Dalton Square, Bristol, April 2016
Sepr, Dalton Square, Bristol, April 2016

This is classic Sepr, plenty of things going on and lots of fine detail. It might be considered a little nightmarish, with all the characters inside the main character. It is difficult to figure out what is going on…are they all influences from the past?

Sepr, Dalton Square, Bristol, April 2016
Sepr, Dalton Square, Bristol, April 2016

Common to a lot of his work is wheeled transport, in this case a bicycle. There is also a beautifully crafted ball chain framing the main picture and leading to the two rather wonderful dogs.

Sepr, Dalton Square, Bristol, April 2016
Sepr, Dalton Square, Bristol, April 2016

Sepr signs off the work with an ornate wildstyle signature to the left of the piece. This really is a fabulous work, and the photographs, taken on a dull day, really don’t do it justice. So totally worth a visit.

Sepr, Dalton Square, Bristol, April 2016
Sepr, Dalton Square, Bristol, April 2016

 

161. Albert Park Place (2)

Yesterday was a red-letter day for me. I must have gathered up some 50 or more new (to me) pieces around Bristol. Something has to give…either I stop taking pictures or I post more often. Whatever happens, my backlog is getting serious.

Sepr & Piro, Albert Park Place, Bristol, March 2015
Sepr & Piro, Albert Park Place, Bristol, March 2015

This is an absolutely outstanding piece by Sepr and Piro. I have written on many occasions about Sepr and his wonderful work, indeed his work previously adorned this wall. Piro is a bit of a mystery to me, and I am having to do a little more digging around.

Sepr & Piro, Albert Park Place, Bristol, March 2015
Sepr & Piro, Albert Park Place, Bristol, March 2015

Together this collaboration is almost perfect. The colours are amazing and the balance between the characters and the burner works really well.

Sepr & Piro, Albert Park Place, Bristol, March 2015
Sepr & Piro, Albert Park Place, Bristol, March 2015

The piece is relatively recent, I believe it was sprayed in early march, and it retains its freshness.

Sepr & Piro, Albert Park Place, Bristol, March 2015
Sepr & Piro, Albert Park Place, Bristol, March 2015

I absolutely love this work and I also love the location, it has a small footfall…this is a work of love.

9/10

132. Cheltenham Road, Loans 2 go

Another Stokes Croft piece by Sepr on a shop shutter. This has been around for some while and is beginning to fade a little. It is rather difficult to photograph, because there are normally a couple of cars parked in front of the shop.

Sepr, Cheltenham Road, Bristol, January 2016
Sepr, Cheltenham Road, Bristol, January 2016

I like his signature in the number plate, and his “Yo Deams” comment in the top right (Deam is another local street artist). This piece reminds me a lot of the one Sepr did in St Pauls, probably around the same time.

Sepr remains one of my favourite Bristol street artists, but this work is not his best.

Plenty more Sepr pieces to come…

6.5/10