Tag: Street art

4486. Dean Lane skate park (498)

One of the highlights of the last few weeks has been the appearance of a couple of Cheo pieces, something there has been a distinct lack of over the last two years. Here he has combined with Kopsky, an artist I am not familiar with.

Cheo, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2022
Cheo, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2022

The central character is classic Cheo. A caricature in a cartoon style with all the trappings of hip-hop culture. Beautifully painted and finished. It really has been way too long without his quality on the streets. I hope that this pieces is something of a renaissance.

Cheo and Kopsky, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2022
Cheo and Kopsky, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2022

The letters Arne by Kopsky and are obviously the work of a very accomplished writer. I’m not too sure what the letters spell out, but the greyscale tones are a perfect foil for Cheo’s colours. I love the tape and plasters ‘attaching’ the piece to the wall. Fine work indeed in this collaboration.

4485.M32 roundabout J3 (411)

This is the first Petro piece I have seen for a little while, but like all his pieces it is most welcome. Spelling out the word PETRO, the letters have a rather organic feel to them not really conforming to any specific convention, but immediately identifiable as a Petro piece. I love the “age 49 3/4” which made me laugh. A fine piece.

Petro, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2022
Petro, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2022

Having returned from Porto in the small hours of this morning, I have had time to reflect on the comparative street art scenes in Porto and in Bristol. My conclusion is that the two cities have very different styles, Porto’s seemingly in its infancy and Bristol’s, a mature and extraordinarily diverse and accomplished scene. Both are exciting and vibrant but in different ways.

4484. Upfest 2022 (10)

Shortly after painting this vibrant piece for Upfest, Rtiiika had a leaving paint jam on Cattle Market Road with her Bristol Womxn Mural Collective friends. I am not too sure where she is leaving to or how long for, but I am certain she will be back.

Rtiiika, Upfest22, Bristol, May 2022
Rtiiika, Upfest22, Bristol, May 2022

This is a beautifully designed piece with Rtiiika’s classic stylised figures all jumbled up together. A mash up of shoes, hats, legs, boobs and willies, some in outline and some in solid fill make this a dynamic and fun piece. Even though Rtiiika has left Bristol, I have several more of her pieces in my archive which I hope to find time to post. One of my favourite Rtiiika pieces.

4483. Upfest 2022 (9)

One of the most pleasurable parts of the new format for Upfest, was the opportunity to meet artists in the weeks before the festival weekend while they were completing their allocated walls, and none more so than Ant Carver who I also met last year. The technique and painting methods he uses means that he paints over several days, and I think I caught up with him on three separate occasions while he painted this extraordinary portrait piece.

Ant Carver, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022
Ant Carver, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022

The first stage to his work is creating a matrix on the wall which he photographs and then superimposes his draft onto on his mobile phone. The lines act as a grid which he uses to map out a sketch on the wall, and he can create his outlines with pin-point accuracy. I believe that the piece is one he had painted on canvass for an exhibition.

Ant Carver, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022
Ant Carver, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022

Ant Carver, I think, uses spray cans for some of the work, but much of it is painted with brushes. The fine detail in the piece is achieved with the brushes, something that would be difficult to achieve using spray paint alone.

Ant Carver, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022
Ant Carver, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022

I have a feeling that This piece, and indeed last year’s 75 x 75 piece are about aspects of mental health. I am not too certain that Ant Carver completed the piece, because the candle doesn’t look finished to me. I’ll need to check up on that.

Ant Carver, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022
Ant Carver, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022

All in all another very pleasing and special piece from Ant Carver, on a new wall for Upfest, which is in a really great spot for maximum exposure. Great work from this modest and really likeable artist.

4482. Upfest 2022 (8)

It is difficult to know where to begin with this outstanding street scene by Dan Kitchener, whose work just seems to get better and better. Painted on one of the larger Upfest walls, the typical street scene features tons of smaller screens displaying Japanese advertising and anime figures cheek by jowl.

Dan Kitchener, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022
Dan Kitchener, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022

The wall is not easy to photograph, so I have broken the piece down into sections or chunks to give a taste of the intricacy of each section. At the base of the piece, a wet street scene with a car and pedestrians holding umbrellas, is reminiscent (as I have said many times before) of the dystopian scenes from Blade Runner, a theme present in so much of Dan Kitchener’s work.

Dan Kitchener, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022
Dan Kitchener, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022

Above the street level, a bank of advertising screens and hoardings illuminate the dark street. It would be interesting to have a translations of all the writing, to understand better what is happening here.

Dan Kitchener, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022
Dan Kitchener, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022

It is amazing to see this all as one piece by one artist, because it comes across as if each section is by a different artist, if you see what I mean. I don’t know how long it took Dan Kitchener to paint the piece, but I know he works fast, and I imagine this represents 2-3 days of painting. An utterly outstanding piece that transports you halfway across the world, if even for a short while.

Dan Kitchener, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022
Dan Kitchener, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022

4480. Upfest 2022 (6)

These gates opposite the Hen and Chicken have played host to so many outstanding pieces for Upfest, and this time it is the turn of GretL, for at least the second time at the festival.

GretL, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022
GretL, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022

It seems that hummingbirds are a very popular theme with street artists, and there is definitely something about creating a moment in time in their frenetic and rapid wing beat. These stylised birds are truly beautiful and set against a sumptuous arrangement of leaves. A gorgeous piece.

Gretl, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
Gretl, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

4479. Sparke Evans Park (45)

Consistency is the name of the game from Todoaciem, whose ‘CIEM’ calligraffiti writing rarely misses the mark. The colours of this piece are in line with the colours selected by his fellow artists at a paint jam in Sparke Evans Park earlier in May.

Todoaciem, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, May 2022
Todoaciem, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, May 2022

It is remarkable to think that all of this intricate and beautifully executed work is painted using a spray can. I just don’t know how these guys do it. They are magicians. I am having to rush my posts a little this morning as my daughter and I are jumping on a Porto tram shortly to get to the coast.

4478. Dean Lane skate park (497)

It is always most gratifying to watch an artist get into their stride and a rhythm. Ceus first announced his arrival in Bristol in October 2021 and since then has been getting into a reasonably regular rhythm, and his original writing style has been a breath of fresh air. Ceus doesn’t shy away from colour, and his pieces are full of vibrance and life.

Ceus, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2022
Ceus, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2022

Although a little awkward to photograph, the piece itself is well painted, and there is little doubt about who painted it.

That’s it for now, we have Porto to explore. Judging from our brief stroll last night it looks like a city steeped in culture, with plenty of street art and doors to keep me very happy for a long time.

4477. Dean Lane skate park (496)

I went in search of a Mudra piece and instead found this cat painted over the top of it, and my disappointment and pleasure were present in equal measure. It would have been nice to see the Mudra piece in all its glory, but it is a jungle out there. It would also be nice to have some clue about the artist who painted the cat… answers on a postcard.

Unknown, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2022
Unknown, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2022

I rarely post pieces from unknown artists, but I couldn’t resist this one. The artist has captured the cat’s expression really well, and the use of colours and overlapping lines works really well. This looks like a practice piece by an artist who knows what they are doing. A great find.

4476. M32 Spot (141)

Anyone expecting to see Upfest pictures from last weekend are going to have to be a little patient. It will take me a while to select the right pictures to share and I have about a 10-day pipeline of images already uploaded. Perhaps there will be something in a fortnight or so. Later this week I will have some more Upfest walls for you so at least I am not being entirely negligent.

I am a little distracted today as I leave for Portugal this afternoon on a mini-break with my daughter, who really deserves it. She has had a very tough couple of years and I hope this trip will raise her spirits. Speaking of the Iberian peninsula, here are a couple of pieces by Spanish artist Zake (see what I did there?).

Zake, M32 Spot, Bristol, May 2022
Zake, M32 Spot, Bristol, May 2022

Zake has been smashing it all year and is paining as frequently as I can remember, and these pieces are from his ‘safe space’ M32 Spot, where I first encountered his work a few years back. The pillar piece is where he had a presence for a long time, and a quick glance at his gallery will give you a sense of how much he likes this spot.

Zake, M32 Spot, Bristol, May 2022
Zake, M32 Spot, Bristol, May 2022

Both pieces display Zake’s mastery of light and shade in bringing out features in his cartoon faces. He has a gift for using colour and shadings to create depth to his pieces. Zake painted a fun piece for Upfest which I will post soon, all being well.

Right, that’s your lot today, I have some packing to do. I understand there is quite a lot of street art in Porto… what a coincidence!