There is no stopping Smak these days and this is another corker of a piece tucked under the M32 along the cycle path. This was painted alongside a whole bunch of other artists who had made the trip over the Severn Estuary from Wales to leave their mark in Bristol. There was a bit of a theme of ‘zebra’ stripes in the pieces that were painted.
Smak, M32 cycle path, Bristol, June 2019
As Smak pieces go, this one is not as complex as some of his pieces, but it is wonderfully crisp and the neon pink A is to die for. In recent pieces I have noticed that Smak is enjoying giving the A a bit of special treatment and some of them have been outstanding, this one included.
Smak, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, October 2022Smak, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2022Smak, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, May 2022Smak, Greenbank, Bristol, March 2022Smak, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2022Smak, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, January 2022Smak, Peel Street Green, Bristol, January 2022Smak, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, December 2021Smak, Brunel Way, Bristol, February 2021Smak, Picton Lane, Bristol, January 2021Kosc, Smak and Sled One, Picton Lane, Bristol, January 2021Smak, Upper York Street, Bristol, January 2021Smak, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020Smak, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, December 2020Smak, M32 cycle path, Bristol, November 2020Smak, M32 Spot, Bristol, October 2020Smak and Mena, M32 Spot, Bristol, October 2020Smak, M32 cycle path, Bristol, October 2020Smak, Curtis Hylton, Ments and Sled One, Clift House Road, Bristol, October 2020Smak, Clift House Road, Bristol, October 2020Smak, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2020Smak, M32 Spot, Bristol, September 2020Smak, Alfred Street, Bristol, September 2020Smak, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2020Smak, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2020Pekoe and Smak, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2020Tom Miller, Smak and Sled One, Nova Scotia, Bristol, July 2020Smak, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2020Hazard and Smak, Brunel Way, Bristol, June 2020Smak, Frome side, Bristol, June 2020Smak, Hereford Street, Bristol, April 2019Smak, M32 cycle path, Bristol, May 2018Smak, Upper York Street, Bristol, April 2020Smak, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2020Smak, M32 Spot, Bristol, February 2020Smak, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2020Smak, M32 Spot, Bristol, February 2020Smak, L Dub, Bristol, January 2020Smak, Brunel Way bridge, Bristol, January 2020Smak, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2019Smak, M32 roundabout, Bristol, November 2019Smak, L Dub, Bristol, October 2019Smak, M32 cycle path, Bristol, June 2019Smak, M32 cycle path, Bristol, May 2019Smak, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2019Smak, Upper York Street, Bristol, April 2019Smak, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2019Smak, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2019Smak and Sled One, Nelson Street, Bristol, March 2019Smak, Nelson Street, Bristol, March 2019Smak, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2019Smak, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016Smak, Lower Ashley Road, Bristol, January 2019Smak, Wilder Street, Bristol, December 2018Smak, Wilder Street, Bristol, December 2018Smak, M32 roundabout, Bristol, November 20189Smak, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2018Smak, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2018Smak, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2018Smak, Tower Hill, Bristol, August 2018Smak, Tower Hill, Bristol, August 2018Smak, Ashton Road, Bristol, September 2018Smak, Hepburn Road, Bristol, March 2018Smak, Moon Street, Bristol, March 2018Sled One and Smak, Moon Street, Bristol, April 2016Smak, Raleigh Road, Bristol, January 2018Smak, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2018Smak, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, October 2017Smak, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017Smak, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017Smak, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2016Smak, The Bearpit, Bristol, June 2017
Another tremendous piece of writing from Smak along the M32 cycle path from a few weeks back. In some of his more recent pieces I have noticed that he is going for this style of blocking out letters in different ways, along similar lines to SkyHigh, and here, the M and A in particular are outstanding.
Smak, M32 cycle path, Bristol, May 2019
All the letters are blended and yet individual, clever work, but for me the jewel in the crown is the box around the A and circle around the M which make this piece extra special. I had difficulty photographing this piece, because it was very bright every time I visited, and the way the light falls in this alleyway makes photography really tricky. Yet another outstanding work from Smak.
This is one of my favourite Smak pieces of the year so far, and my goodness there are a lot to choose from. This is another of his ‘double vision’ pieces where he has written SMAK twice and in this instance has played around with fonts and styles reminiscent of another brilliant graffiti writer, SkyHigh.
Smak, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2019
Often when photographing street art, I am confounded by parked cars or wheely bins that wind me up a treat. It is funny how I am somehow much more forgiving of a tree obscuring the art, although being a naturalist at heart it shouldn’t be a surprise. Wonderful piece by Smak on a great wall.
I love it when it happens, when an unannounced collaboration appears as if by magic. This sensational work from Smak and Hazard is one of those special pieces, and I think they have absolutely smashed it.
Smak, Upper York Street, Bristol, April 2019
Smak has again gone for one of his double burners, where he has cleverly crafted two versions of his name into one piece. If you look carefully, there is one in blue and one in mostly orange. Such an accomplished thing to do from an artist who seems to be at the top of his game at the moment.
Hazard, Upper York Street, Bristol, April 2019
Then to Hazard’s fabulous frog, which I have to say has come as a huge surprise because I am more used to seeing her portrait pieces. I am a naturalist by training, and I have always had a bit of a soft spot for amphibians, especially frogs, so this piece really chimes with me.
Hazard, Upper York Street, Bristol, April 2019
Everything about this frog is good, the colours and the shading and the light reflecting off the body and the eye. Such an unusual piece to find on the streets of Bristol, but a wholly welcome one. More of this kind of thing please! A great collaboration on Upper York Street, so utterly well worth a look.
There was a recent paint jam down at the M32 with fur artists participating. The only one that I recognised was Smak, so I guess the others were visitors to Bristol, or don’t paint all that often. This piece by Smak was the pick of the bunch, although the others were pretty good too, and I’ll post them in due course.
Smak, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2019
The colours of this piece stand out so brilliantly against the white background and I consider this to be a truly masterful piece of writing. I am pretty hacked off that I cut off the ends of the piece in both photographs but the pavement here is pretty narrow and it is difficult to get the full span of a piece in shot. I am even more annoyed that I went back there last night and forgot to retake the pictures. Sensational work though.
There is no getting away from the fact that Smak is a brilliant graffiti artist and character street artist. He is also going through what I would call a productive and creative phase. This lovely piece of graff writing is on one of the walls at the M32 roundabout which seems to have quite a high turnover at the moment.
Smak, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2019
The colour selection set on a black background is superb, and the little yellow flashes make the piece stand out just that little bit more. It’s amazing what these guys can do with a spray can.
My oh my! A couple of weeks ago this utterly remarkable collaboration by Smak and Sled One appeared on the hoardings in Nelson Street which have in recent times been a bit of an ASK playground. It is quite one of the best collaborations I have seen for a long while, and I don’t think that Bristolians, in the main, realise just how privileged we are to have art this good decorating our streets.
Smak, Nelson Street, Bristol, March 2019
On the left of the wall is a magnifcent oriental style leopard in rampant attitude rather menacingly advancing towards a poor unsuspecting child.
Smak, Nelson Street, Bristol, March 2019
This is one of the finest character pieces I have seen by Smak, and it seems that he is planing on doing more, which is great news.
Smak and Sled One, Nelson Street, Bristol, March 2019
The whole collaboration is set on a grey background and shares a general colour palette of greys, reds and yellows.
Sled One, Nelson Street, Bristol, March 2019
To the right of the wall we are spoiled by a magnificent story from Sled One, where a crane is delivering a little baby suspended in a cloth from its beak. It looks like the baby is prepared to take on the leopard as it is armed with a samurai sword and is wearing a mask. Even the red decorations on the grey patches of the piece ooze class.
Sled One, Nelson Street, Bristol, March 2019
This is not the first time that Sled One has incorporated a samurai into his work and is would appear to be a theme he enjoys. This is a world-class collaboration that we in Bristol are lucky to have and I thoroughly recommend that anyone living in Bristol makes a detour to Nelson Street to see it if planning a shopping trip to the centre.
When these two get together, it is always a recipe for something interesting, rarely missing the mark. Sled One and Smak have collaborated on this wall before at least once and possibly many times, but this is an absolute peach.
Sled One, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2019
The two have used a McDonald’s theme for this collaboration, using the corporate colours of the food giant. I confess that I find it a slightly curious brand to celebrate, but that is my snobby bias coming into play, which I am not particularly proud of. Sled One has incorporated some fries and bubbling cheese into his writing which is utterly sharp and brilliant.
Smak, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2019
Smak takes the fun a little further with a little slogan ‘the big Smak and cheese’… very droll. Again, this is a supreme piece of writing, so sharp and clean. A great coming together of ASK and RAW. I rather like the bicycle, which I had to keep moving out of the way, but it kind of goes well with the yellow of the piece. So good.
Now here is something of a rarity, a piece of street art by Smak, rather than the graffiti writing we normally associate him with. Smak is an accomplished artist as well as writer as this piece from Upfest 2016 amply demonstrates.
Smak, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
I think this piece is depicting the Gorgon Medusa with her snake locks and stare that turns all who gaze upon her to stone. I think that if the piece had not been signed I would have really struggled to recognise it as a Smak piece. Really great to see something different from this Bristol-based artist.
Natural adventures 