Tag: Street art

3992. M32 Cycle path (145)

I think that this is the last piece to be posted from a recent and most welcome spate of excellent work by Flava136 in Bristol. Having said that, maybe his trips will continue to be more frequent, and he seems to clicked with quite a few members of the LRS crew in the city.

Flava136, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, August 2021
Flava136, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, August 2021

As with the last piece I posted, Flava136 has produced some cryptic writing into this monster piece. I guess it says FLAVA or part of it, where the F is obvious, but thereafter I am clutching at straws a little – perhaps there is an L just above the tongue. Anyhow, this is yet another outstanding, sharp piece from Flava136.

3991. Upfest 2021 75×75 (69)

Although access to this wall can be a little limited, it is possible to photograph it reasonably well – I haven’t yet been to the spot when the gate was open into the yard, so my pictures are offset, taken over/through the fence. It is a new wall for Upfest, and they really must be congratulated on sourcing so many new walls for this year’s extended event.

Farrah, Greville Road, Bristol, September 2021, Upfest 21
Farrah, Greville Road, Bristol, September 2021, Upfest 21

The mural, entitled, ‘World on Fire’ is by Farrah and my first impressions are very much that the work resembles the style and colours that Vincent van Gogh might have used, although this is purely an abstract piece. It is beautiful, and the eye is pulled around the piece, drawn into the battling and swirling patterns and colours.

Farrah, Greville Road, Bristol, September 2021, Upfest 21
Farrah, Greville Road, Bristol, September 2021, Upfest 21

This is the largest piece I have seen by Farrah, and the first to have made it on to Natural Adventures, but definitely not the last. I don’t know too much about the artist, but her informative Facebook page is worth a quick look, and her Instagram profile offers this insight:

Paintings inspired by the natural world and delicate ecosystems of our beautiful planet, from fragile coral reefs 💦 to the lush green rainforests 🍃.

Watch this space for more

3990. M32 roundabout J3 (350)

I haven’t seen a new Elvs piece for quite a while, so I was doubly pleased to not only find this graffiti writing, but also to find Elvs working on it. Of course, I chatted for a little while, conscious that these guys sometimes like to have a bit of peace and quiet. I asked why he hasn’t been painting much recently, and one of the reasons is that he is now the proud owner of a dog, a very big dog. Well you don’t need me to tell you just how much time a dog can occupy.

Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2021
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2021

There is something about this piece that elevates it above many of his others (a high bar indeed) and I think it might be the exquisite colour selection and blending as you move up and down and along the letters. The piece is flawless and beautifully finished, and with a piece like this, the buffed background makes a big difference. Let’s hope the dog lets him get out more!

3989. Greenbank (16)

Well, would you believe it? Yet another superb and crazy piece from Sled One. I have to say, I just don’t know where he gets his energetic creativity from, but it doesn’t really matter, just so long as he keeps turning out magnificent story pieces like this one.

Sled One, Greenbank, Bristol, September 2021
Sled One, Greenbank, Bristol, September 2021

Slapped up somewhere along the very long Greenbank hoarding is this monkey/orangutan/banana mash up that oozes class. There are several things that give this away as a Sled One piece, such as; the zigzag hatched eyebrows; elements of the piece that just hang, like the cigarette and the shading under the eyes; and the amazing use of colour and textures throughout the piece. This is outstanding work from an enormously talented artist.

3988. M32 Cycle path (144)

It was a case of third time lucky with these pictures… my previous efforts were taken in bright sunlight and a shadow was cast across the middle of the piece, so while the colours were perhaps a little more vibrant the photographs were shit (pardon me). (my spell checker has just highlighted a profanity, ha ha).

Taboo, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, September 2021
Taboo, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, September 2021

Taboo is a real favourite of mine and his wacky of-beat pieces are a fantastic challenge to all that is conventional in street art. Taboo’s writing is eratic and unpredictable and usually in a monotone, somewhat akin to the writing of Alos and other similar writers, but then, alongside this unconventional writing, Boom! Taboo gives us a perfect rendition of Mini Mouse.

Taboo, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, September 2021
Taboo, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, September 2021

This juxtaposition is what gives his work its unique and memorable identity, something we can all identify with while at the same time be puzzled by. I have made it no secret that I am a big fan of his work and get a buzz whenever I see his stuff.

3987. L Dub (31)

I am very fond of 2Keen’s work. His old school cartoon characters are rather special, and there are few artists in Bristol who can create them as well as this artist. Even as a single monochrome sketch, the quality and class shine through.

2Keen, L Dub, Bristol, September 2021
2Keen, L Dub, Bristol, September 2021

This piece was painted as part of DJ Perks’ 50th birthday celebrations, and I tell you what, that is an honour indeed. The toothy (of course) character is smoking (a very common theme in graffiti art) and listening to music. This is a fine tribute to fellow artist DJ Perks, and something to cherish.

Flava136

A gallery of outstanding work from this Gloucester graffiti artist

All photographs by Scooj

Flava136, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, August 2021
Flava136, M32 Cycle path, Bristol, August 2021

Flava136, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2021
Flava136, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2021

Flava136, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2021
Flava136, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2021

Flava136, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2021
Flava136, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2021

Flava136, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2021
Flava136, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2021

Flava136, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2021
Flava136, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2021

Flava136, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2021
Flava136, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2021

Flava136, Paint Festival 2020, Cheltenham, September 2020
Flava136, Paint Festival 2020, Cheltenham, September 2020

Flava136, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2020
Flava136, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2020

Flava136, L Dub, Bristol, January 2020
Flava136, L Dub, Bristol, January 2020

Flava136, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2019
Flava136, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2019

Flava136, Paint Festival 2019, Cheltenham, September 2019
Flava136, Paint Festival 2019, Cheltenham, September 2019

Kash and Flava136, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2019
Kash and Flava136, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2019

Flava136, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2019
Flava136, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2019

3986. Purdown HAA Battery (35)

In the background of this photograph, you can see the iconic telecoms tower that anyone who leaves Bristol along the M32 will be familiar with. And, in this hallowed spot, Smut has given us another beautifully crafted piece of graffiti writing in his very distinctive style.

Smut, Purdown Battery, Bristol, September 2021
Smut, Purdown Battery, Bristol, September 2021

These pieces by Smut are so easy to look at and enjoy. The simple curves are superbly clean, and he has really treated us with a beautiful wavy line intersecting the word horizontally and some great colour fades along the way. The little pink dots round the piece off nicely. I have to say I am loving Smut’s work and hope to see a whole load more.

3985. Victoria Street, Burnham-on-Sea

A couple of weeks ago, I took a day off and decided to take a trip up to Weston-super-Mare to photograph some epic new pieces by Irony and Dan Kitchener. On the way home I decided to call in at Burnham-on-Sea, because I had seen a few pieces on Instagram and anyhow, I had never been there before. I am so glad that I did, not least because I got to see this magnificent piece from Andrew Burns Colwill.

Andrew Burns Colwill, Victoria Street, Burnham-on-sea, September 2021
Andrew Burns Colwill, Victoria Street, Burnham-on-sea, September 2021

ABC is without doubt one of the best fine artists in Bristol, and he carries his canvass work seamlessly across to large walls without appearing to break step, and the end result is pieces like this one.

Andrew Burns Colwill, Victoria Street, Burnham-on-sea, September 2021
Andrew Burns Colwill, Victoria Street, Burnham-on-sea, September 2021

Now, I haven’t done any research, and perhaps I should have done, because I have no idea what this is all about. I mean I get the donkey bit, with the association with a holiday beach, but the toilet completely baffles me, and could have a plethora of meanings. Perhaps in this instance it would be better not to swell on the meaning and instead to focus on the quality and skill of an artist at his absolute best. It is worth a trip to this sleepy seaside town for this piece alone.

3984. Brunel Way (124)

This is happening with a comforting regularity and in my view it is definitely great news… SkyHigh has been visiting Bristol again and left us with this utterly amazing piece that on a near epic scale. The wall on this concrete support is pretty high and this is piece is larger than it looks.

SkyHigh, Brunel Way, Bristol, September 2021
SkyHigh, Brunel Way, Bristol, September 2021

Using his block letters that he seems to run off with consummate ease, including a smiley sticker and ‘Hello my name is’ badge, Sky High has written ‘Smile More Often’ which is the name of a London crew and this piece is not dissimilar to one painted by SkyHigh in Leake Street in 2020.

SkyHigh, Brunel Way, Bristol, September 2021
SkyHigh, Brunel Way, Bristol, September 2021

There is so much to like in the detail of this piece, but it is also SkyHigh’s finishing that is admirable, he really is a perfectionist, and his work always stands out from the crowd. Keep coming back, Bristol needs you.