Well, this doesn’t happen very often. I completely forgot to write my blog posts this morning, and am now in a bit of a panic. I think it must be the disruption to my normal routine, and that feeling that I have an awful lot to do before Christmas. Perhaps the character piece by Zake adequately describes my state of mind today.
Zake, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, December 2023
This piece was part of a PWA paint jam, but alas, by the time I got there this was the only bit of it left. The laughing face full of depth and texture, has a fractured skull through which his brain appears to have turned to jelly. I suspect that there is some Face 1st influencing going on with this fun piece.
One of the most pleasurable things about going on my rounds to photograph street/graffiti art in Bristol is that I am frequently surprised by pieces that I didn’t know about and that stand out from the crowd. Frankly, pretty much anything that Cheo paints stands out, and due to a significant drop-off in his street activity in recent years, their rarity makes them even more exciting.
Cheo, North Street, Bristol, December 2023
Painted on 1 December, this piece almost feels like the opening window of an advent calendar (which has just given me a brilliant idea to pitch with Upfest). The rather likeable mischievous character is peering through a wall, and an arrow points off to the right. This might have been some kind of promotional commission, but I prefer to think of it as a joyful artwork. Only three more sleeps until Christmas.
Although Sako has only painted a handful of pieces in Bristol, they have not gone unnoticed. His colour selection alone gives his work away, often opting for a magenta character, with blues and greens augmenting his work.
Sako, Brunel Way, Bristol, November 2023
Originally from the Basque Country, it would seem that Sako has settled in Bristol for the last year or so. His mystical work seems to be centred around storytelling and mythology. In this piece, his female character appears to be bridging the space between the land and the sky. The urban landscape is represented with the blue circle, with a green mountain backdrop completing the scene. Although he painted this piece alone, Sako often paints alongside Zake and other PWA crew members. Great stuff, rather understated and modest. Time to hit a more prominent wall, I think.
I am not sure that I have come across Prefab77 before, but as a massive fan of the North East band Prefab Sprout, I can’t help liking this artist simply because of his name. In addition to this large piece in Elton Street, Prefab77 also left a smaller one in Leonard Lane, perhaps during a single visit to Bristol.
Prefab77, Elton Street, Bristol, October 2023
The black and white piece is really clever, looking like a collage of words and images stuck to the wall. It is actually a composite of stencils to create this ‘scrapbook’ appearance. A busy piece with lots to look at, Prerfab77 has brought us something rather special.
Alex Arnell, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2023
It is a funny thing, but when you have been observing and documenting street art as long as I have, you get to notice things that many others simply wouldn’t, and you can pretty much always spot talent and promise from the vast spectrum of artwork and graffiti appearing on our walls daily.
Alex Arnell, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2023
To Many, this piece by Alex Arnell wouldn’t elicit a second glance, but the child-like scribble is a deliberate style that challenges the status quo. One of the indications that this piece is by a capable artist is the shading on the character’s nose, giving it depth, something a child would not do. The grotesque and alarming face is surrounded with slogans and words, and there is even another head that mimics the central character. I couldn’t end this post without mentioning the butterflies that are associated with some of Alex Arnell’s work, and the little Banksy rat that has been given the Arnell treatment.
This is another piece that was painted during the RBF paint jam to celebrate Bnie’s birthday and Vozie’s new baby with a Rugrats theme. It is of course by Desi, who more often writes Veil these days.
Desi, Frome Side, Bristol, November 2023
This must be one of Desi’s best pieces to date, with every element of the work coming together nicely. I believe that the character was painted by her and if it was, it is the first time I have seen her include a character, and it is brilliant. Her lines are sharp and her fills varied and interesting and one is left with an overall great piece of writing, that sits comfortably with all her RBF friends. Fabulous stuff.
Bnie and Unity, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2023
So far this year I have only found one Christmas piece and this collaboration from Bnie and Unity is it. The fabulous duo were painting alongside several other members of the RBF crew during a paint jam in support of the people of Palestine. This piece is absolutely draped in Christmas good cheer.
Bnie, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2023
To the left, Bnie has painted her letters in a festive silver colour with a string of Christmas lights weaving in and out of them. The Palestinian flag features prominently and Father Christmas does what Father Christmas does to the right. I think that Bnie painted him, but equally it might have been Unity.
Unity, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, November 2023
Unity has been visiting Bristol a little more frequently recently and that can only be a good thing as it means we get to see more of her brilliant work. Unity continues the themes and colours that Bnie has adopted, with the only real difference being a splash of gold in the ‘I’ of Unity. Another Palestinian flag indicates firmly that the public mood in Bristol, which this art reflects, is with the innocent people of Palestine, who played no part in the Hamas attack but are paying an unimaginably high price by the Israeli response to it. Let us hope for and demand peace in the region.
Irony, Unity Street, Bristol, June 2025Irony, Unity Street, Bristol, June 2025Irony, Harmood Street, Camden Town, London, April 2025Irony, Harmood Street, Camden Town, London, April 2025Irony, Harmood Street, Camden Town, London, April 2025Irony, Harmood Street, Camden Town, London, April 2025Irony, North Street, Bristol, June 2022Irony, North Street, Bristol, June 2022Irony, West Street, Bristol, October 2021, Upfest 21Irony, West Street, Bristol, October 2021, Upfest 21Irony, Camden Town, London, November 2017Irony, Camden Town, London, November 2017Irony, Alexandra Parade, Weston-super-Mare, September 2021Irony, Alexandra Parade, Weston-super-Mare, September 2021Irony, Greville Street, Bristol, June 2021, Upfest 21Irony, Greville Street, Bristol, June 2021, Upfest 21Irony, Greville Street, Bristol, June 2021, Upfest 21Irony, Shoreditch, London, November 2018Irony, Nomadic Community Garden, London, November 2018Irony, Nomadic Community Garden, London, November 2018Irony, Paint Festival 2019, Cheltenham, September 2019Irony, Paint Festival 2019, Cheltenham, September 2019Irony, Paint Festival 2019, Cheltenham, September 2019Irony, Paint Festival 2019, Cheltenham, September 2019Irony, Paint Festival 2019, Cheltenham, September 2019Irony, Paint Festival 2019, Cheltenham, September 2019Irony, Greville Road, Bristol, July 2019Irony, Greville Road, Bristol, July 2019Irony, Greville Road, Bristol, July 2019Irony, Greville Road, Bristol, July 2019Irony, Greville Road, Bristol, July 2019Boe and Irony, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017Boe and Irony, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017Boe and Irony, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017Boe and Irony, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017Irony, Camden Town, London, November 2017Irony, Camden Town, London, November 2017Boe and Irony, Upfest, Bristol, January 2017Boe and Irony, Upfest, Bristol, January 2017Boe and Irony, Upfest, Bristol, January 2017Boe and Irony, Upfest, Bristol, January 2017Boe and Irony, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Klashwhensober, M32 roundabout, Bristol, November 2023
When you see the word ‘various’ for the location in the title of this blog post, you can be pretty certain that it will be a post of Klashwhensober’s work. I feel that the only way I can do him justice is to do a round up of his left-overs each month, such is his high productivity rate. Here are some pieces from November.
Klashwhensober, M32 roundabout, Bristol, November 2023
All the pieces spell out SOBER, but you can see simply from first inspection that some are more thought out than others and that the execution can be a little variable, probably reflecting Klashwhensober’s attitude and approach with each piece. Klashwhensober’s general development is steady, but it is not linear… meandering improvement might be a better description.
Klashwhensober, Hepburn Road, Bristol, November 2023
This blue piece is nice enough to look at, and it is clear that it was painted quickly. The paint is thinly spread, which might indicate that it is a bit of a ‘dregs’ piece.
Klashwhensober, Leonard Lane, Bristol, November 2023
Rounding off the quartet of pieces from November is this chrome piece, which is arguably the best of the bunch, painted down in Leonard Lane. There is more of a sharp feel to this one, with some nice little details and ‘dents’ in the lettering. Have no fear, there is still plenty more to come from Klashwhensober.
Paul Monsters and Mister Samo, Old Park Road, Exeter, October 2023
One of the last things I would have expected to see in my two-hour wander around Exeter back in October was a collaboration between Mister Samo and Paul Monsters, and yet here it was… a glorious piece of colour, design and creativity.
Paul Monsters and Mister Samo, Old Park Road, Exeter, October 2023
I have a feeling that the piece might be called ‘you are loved’, and there is a great deal of warmth and positivity about the piece, and the styles of the two artists although quite different complement each other perfectly.
Paul Monsters and Mister Samo, Old Park Road, Exeter, October 2023
I suspect that the two artists know each other through the Upfest festival in Bristol, at which both have painted in previous years, and Paul Monsters works in the Upfest shop and is heavily involved in the logistics of the paint festival. As ever, Paul Monsters’ geometric designs create depth and hard edges, against which the character forms by Mister Samo stand out.
Paul Monsters and Mister Samo, Old Park Road, Exeter, October 2023
I love Mister Samo’s work, which is highly designed but at the same time simple and clean. The characters in Mister Samo’s work look like sophisticated doodles, and even though simple, convey a lot of emotion and charm. A real treat and fabulous collaboration from these two excellent artists.
