Tag: Shutter

5528. Trinity Street (2)

Merny, Trinity Street, Bristol, September 2023
Merny, Trinity Street, Bristol, September 2023

On a recent drive around Bristol getting from one spot to another, I managed to stumble across a few Merny pieces that I hadn’t been aware of or hadn’t been able to locate. This one is on a shutter in Trinity Street next to a Taboo Pink Panther piece a little bit away from the beaten track. Shutters are tricky, because most of the time they are up and you don’t get to see the artwork.

Merny, Trinity Street, Bristol, September 2023
Merny, Trinity Street, Bristol, September 2023

This philosophical piece features three passers-by  and the words; “The earth spins on its axis, one man struggles while another relaxes”. I like that. The characters are painted in Merny’s naïve style and reflect everyday people. Naturally there are little identification numbers and lines dotted about the place, consistent with most of Merny’s recent works.

5467. East Street

Andy Council, East Street, Bristol, August 2023
Andy Council, East Street, Bristol, August 2023

A rare foray into a part of Bedminster last week, looking for something that wasn’t there, led me to East Street, long after the shops had shut, which meant only one thing, a glimpse at closed shutter artwork that I hadn’t even been aware of before and which might have been there for some time. Among the discoveries was this gem from Andy Council.

Andy Council, East Street, Bristol, August 2023
Andy Council, East Street, Bristol, August 2023

From the signature, it looks like Andy Council painted this composite dinosaur piece in 2022, so it is possible that it was painted as an extra piece for Upfest, but more likely it might have been a permitted or commissioned piece from the shop store owners. As with much of Andy Council’s work, the whole monster character is made up of different components, including buildings and mechanical joints. He has thrown in a few toadstools for good measure too. I was most happy to come across this, especially as the things I was looking for didn’t even seem to exist.

5456. East Street

Taboo, East Street, Bristol, August 2023
Taboo, East Street, Bristol, August 2023

I went on a bit of a wild goose chase last week looking for some boards in Bedminster, but was completely unable to find them. The walk, however, took me to East Street after working hours and all the shops were closed, and I was in shutter heaven.

Taboo, East Street, Bristol, August 2023
Taboo, East Street, Bristol, August 2023

This shutter piece by Taboo, which I think is unlikely to be a commission, but you never know, spells out Boser, the significance of which passes me by. The anti-style letters are accompanied by an anti-style cartoon Tom cat from Tom and Jerry, with four ‘echo’ faces adjacent to the first. Typically anarchic and somehow charmingly comforting, this Taboo piece ticks all the right boxes. I am not too sure about the orange figure 8, which isn’t a motif I have seen in his work before, and I believe it to be a subsequent addition by a tagger, although the orange does match the letter ‘B’ in his signature. A mystery.

5177. Boswell Street

Conrico, Boswell Street, Bristol, April 2023
Conrico, Boswell Street, Bristol, April 2023

Conrico paints an awful lot of commissions on shutters and shop fronts, and this is a recent one opposite the M32 Spot in Easton. I don’t know how he gets his commissions, but he is either very persuasive or his ‘brand’ is recognised in the area and he gets work through word of mouth. Probably a blend of the two.

Conrico, Boswell Street, Bristol, April 2023
Conrico, Boswell Street, Bristol, April 2023

I don’t think that this is Conrico at his best, and that sometimes working to a brief can be a bit limiting, but it is nonetheless an interesting foodie triptych. Painted on the shutters of Desi Eats, an establishment I haven’t visited, is a selection of fast food, burgers and chips, alongside an oversize stylised knife and fork.

Conrico, Boswell Street, Bristol, April 2023
Conrico, Boswell Street, Bristol, April 2023

The second shutter has more fast food and a little delivery van, a bit like a tuk tuk. I am guessing that Desi Eats also deliver. I am not too sure about the ‘health and wealth’ claim on the outside, but maybe there is a more healthy selection of food available. A fun and rather different piece from Conrico.

4932. Nelson Street (17)

Taboo, Nelson Street, Bristol, December 2022
Taboo, Nelson Street, Bristol, December 2022

It was dark, and I was Christmas shopping when I passed by this shutter piece by Taboo in Nelson Street. I haven’t seen the piece in daylight since, so I don’t really know if the colours are a true representation in these pictures.

Taboo, Nelson Street, Bristol, December 2022
Taboo, Nelson Street, Bristol, December 2022

Taboo does paint rather a lot of shutters, and it would seem that he enjoys it, although it can’t be easy to do them, because of the textured surface. In common with several of his works, Taboo has incorporated a trippy Mickey Mouse character into his unruly letters. There is always so much to look at and admire in Taboo’s work, and I love the smiley peeping the first letter and the long ghoul-like fingers. I have been bamboozled by the letters, and am not too sure what they spell, APOS or OPOS maybe? A nice piece nonetheless.

4917. Park Street

Conrico, Park Street, Bristol, December 2022
Conrico, Park Street, Bristol, December 2022

My first street art post on Natural Adventures was by an unknown artist on Park Street, and was a rather unusual political installation involving a coffin. How things have moved on since then. This piece by Conrico was photographed at night, so the colours might be a little deceptive.

Conrico, Park Street, Bristol, December 2022
Conrico, Park Street, Bristol, December 2022

The wonderful piece has been painted on the shutters of one of the multitude of café’s on Park Street and is a lovely portrait piece of a woman enjoying a hot beverage (to use British Rail language). Painted in the typical paintbrush style that is Conrico’s signature, he has created an engaging and welcoming piece, one of many commissions he has painted around the city.

4528. North Street

I have said it many times, but it is worth repeating, that one of the additional benefits of Upfest is that artists often leave a little bit extra, over and above their ‘official’ pieces. This shutter piece is a ‘quick one’ by Irony that he painted before leaving Bristol. How privileged we are.

Irony, North Street, Bristol, June 2022
Irony, North Street, Bristol, June 2022

This piece is so good, and leaves us guessing so much about the woman in the portrait. We are teased by Irony, and it is what we can’t see that is as important as what we can see. I have spoken repeatedly on Natural Adventures about the talent of Irony, and this piece reinforces his status as a world class street artist. A magnificent portrait piece.

4466. North Street

Timing can be crucial when photographing street art, and shutters in particular need to be down to be photographed properly or indeed at all. Parking also presents a problem (if not on foot) with some specific spots, and this shutter piece by Taboo on North Street has evaded me for far too long, but a week or son ago the stars aligned, and I was able to grab a couple of snaps.

Taboo, North Street, Bristol, May 2022
Taboo, North Street, Bristol, May 2022

Taboo has such an interesting style, that I have a feeling might be called anti-graff, although it is only a term I have recently become aware of, and I might have got that wrong. However, using his writing and character combination, Taboo has smashed this shutter, with great design, colour and a spectacular Minnie Mouse.

Taboo, North Street, Bristol, May 2022
Taboo, North Street, Bristol, May 2022

There is a lot to like here, made all the more admirable for being on a shutter, which are notoriously difficult to paint. Captured and catalogued at last.

4194. St Marks Avenue (11)

In a small lane, largely hidden from the main streets of Easton there is a whole load of street art and graffiti pieces, some of them quite old now, but occasionally new pieces crop up. This is one of those newer pieces, although it might not be that new as it was about six months since my last visit.

Zubyblue, St Marks Avenue, Bristol, December 2021
Zubyblue, St Marks Avenue, Bristol, December 2021

The artist, Zubyblue, is not known to me and I haven’t seen any of their work before. Often artists who aren’t used to spray painting will have a go on shutters and walls, but the results can be really variable as it is such a different medium to the ones they are used to. Zubyblue seems to have mastered the technique pretty well, and this is a nicely painted toucan with some great tones and touches that hint at an experienced hand. Well worth taking a look if you are in the area.

4048. Princess Street (3), Burnham-on-Sea

Now I know that this classic piece from John D’oh has been here for a while, but as I only recently visited Burnham-on-Sea for the first time, I have not seen it before, but what a fabulous shutter piece it is. Beautifully executed and witty.

John D'oh, Princess Street, Burnham-on-Sea, September 2021
John D’oh, Princess Street, Burnham-on-Sea, September 2021

It is a really cleverly constructed pastiche of the work of Lichtenstein, and comes together as such really well. It takes a lot of skill and courage to carry something like this of, but John D’oh has managed it with his customary class. An excellent piece and really worth seeking out if you find yourself in the area.

It is also worth noting the cheeky little Veee character in the left of the shutter in the feature photograph.