I have a feeling that this is the first piece from Turoe One post-lock down easing or at least if it isn’t then I have missed something. Situated in one of his favourite spots, at the left hand end of the first wall in Dean Lane, this is a striking and well executed piece.
Turoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020
Such is the turnover at Dean Lane at the moment that this didn’t last too long, and even some of the bigger pieces there are being over painted. This is what happens when you restrain artistic talent for months, there is a surge of activity. It is difficult for folk like me to keep up. This Turoe One burner is a high quality piece from an experienced hand.
This pair of rabbits from Nevergiveup in Dean Lane appeared alongside at least two other bunny pieces by the artist at the end of May just as lock down restrictions were easing.
Nevergiveup, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020
With every new rabbit, Nevergiveup is improving and fine-tuning his technique and adding subtle decorative motifs. If you take a look back at some of his work from two years ago, it is possible to see the dramatic improvement. These are a lovely pair.
Looking back at the Poland v Spain paint jam at the end of May, this piece was of particular interest to me. It is by Varo, who I met and had a good chat with even though his English is a little patchy and my Spanish rather more so.
Varo, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2020
While we are talking the penny dropped about who he was, and that although I have seen some of his work before (typically a kind of abstract bull) I never really knew who he was. Well that has all been put right now. This is a fine block writing piece spelling out VARO set on a black background to give it full contrast. The letter style is unusual and rather nicely done.
Varo, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2020
This is not the last piece by Varo that I will be posting, I’m sure and I will have to dig out some others from the archive.
The easing of lock down (and I know I have flogged this particular horse to death) has seen the arrival of an ultra busy, ultra inspired period of street art in Bristol. It seems that all the artists that have been hitting the walls hard have been doing some creative thinking while they have been at home.
Rapt, St Werburghs, Bristol, June 2020
This lovely piece in St Werburghs tunnel from Rapt is neat and tidy and has the addition of a little character to the left, looking a lot like Snoopy. The dog is smoking a cigarette and wearing a hat with the words ‘Doggy Style’ written across it. This piece was part of a collaborative effort, with Elvs making up the other half (coming soon). Giants awaking from their slumbers.
In the previous post I was talking about a large piece by Taboo that I never got to see. Well, a tiny little bit of that piece, the ‘B’ I think, lies behind this delightful three-way collaboration from Laic217, Soge and Nevergiveup (Followmyrabbits).
Laic217, Brunel Way, Bristol, June 2020
On the left of the three pieces is a rather dark and menacing face-masked face from Laic217, wearing a hat with the letters ACAB emblazoned on it. You might notice that many pieces in Bristol carry those letters at the moment, which resonate with the Black Lives Matters movement and the acronym stands for ‘All Cops are Bastards’. Bristol has lately become famous across the world for its rather revolutionary support for BLF.
Soge, Brunel Way, Bristol, June 2020
In the middle is a bright and vibrant pink piece by soge, who like his two Polish buddies here has been extremely busy since the end of May. Clean and tight writing spelling out the letters of his name SOGE. The yellow stars and weave in the centre of the piece add nice touches.
Nevergiveup, Brunel Way, Bristol, June 2020
On the right is a very long-eared rabbit by Nevergiveup, beautifully filled and perfectly executed. This artist is tireless it would seem and I have utterly lostcount of how many of these bunnies I have photographed, and that probably only accounts for about half of the total. Gallery soon? A very tidy collaboration from three top artists.
This is the second of three large recent pieces by Taboo that appeared at the back end of May. Unfortunately, the third and largest had been overpainted by the time I got to it, such is the high turnover of work at the moment.
Taboo, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2020
I’m not sure if it is just me or what, but the piece seems to say ABOO without the T… maybe he just ran out of space or the T and A are conflated. Big letters, a snake and a skull give me all I would need from a large burner like this. Great work.
A gallery of wheatpastes from the brilliant and quirky London-based? artist qWeRT
All photographs by Scooj
qWeRT, North Street, Bristol, December 2021qWeRT, North Street, Bristol, December 2021qWeRT, Jamaica Street, Bristol, June 2020qWeRT, Jamaica Street, Bristol, June 2020qWeRT, Moon Street, Bristol, December 2019qWeRT, Stokes Croft, Bristol, December 2019qWeRT, Stokes Croft, Bristol, December 2019qWeRT, Hepburn Road, Bristol, November 2019qWeRT, Stokes Croft, Bristol, December 2019qWeRT, Ashley Road, Bristol, November 2019qWeRT, Shoreditch, London, November 2018qWeRT, Shoreditch, London, November 2018qWeRT, Shoreditch, London, November 2018qWeRT, Hebron Road, Bristol, June 2018qWeRT, City Road, Bristol, September 2018qWeRT, Upper York Street, Bristol, August 2018qWeRT, Stokes Croft, Bristol, July 2018qWeRT and RIP, Hillgrove Street, Bristol, August 2018qWeRT, North Street, Bristol, July 2018qWeRT, Dean Street, Bristol, June 2018qWeRT, Dean Street, Bristol, June 2018qWeRT, Melville Terrace, Bristol, June 2018qWeRT, Stokes Croft, Bristol, June 2018qWeRT, City Road, Bristol, April 2017qWeRT, Jamaica Street, Bristol, May 2017qWeRT, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2017qWeRT, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2017Qwert, St Augustine’s Parade, Bristol, April 2017
What an utterly outstanding piece this is from Spanish artist Wiflywin. This was his contribution to the poland – Spain paint jam on the M32 roundabout at the back end of May. Meeting Wiflywin and speaking with him during this paint jam was the highlight of my little trip to the spot, and I am without doubt a big fan of his work, which I am seeing more and more of dotted around North Bristol.
Wiflywin, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2020
The work in progress (pictured above), which in itself is outstanding gives an indication of just how good this piece of graffiti writing was going to end up, and so it was. The design is outstanding and really compelling with lots of nice curves to draw the eye in and a great central vanishing point for the letter shadows. The finishing touches to the background perfectly set the piece off. This is outstanding art for sure.
Something good pretty much always results when these two PWA artists collaborate, which fortunately for us is often, this time under the M32. Soap and Face 1st seem to have a telepathic connection like Pires and Henry (I had to choose Arsenal players, but think of any deadly football partnership and you’ll know what I mean), and their collaborations feel so comfortable and easy if you know what I mean.
Soap, M32 Spot, Bristol, June 2020
I don’t quite get what the story is but there is consistency across the whole collaboration. On the left Soap is the writing of Soap which is filled with a sophisticated array of colours and techniques and is truly a thing of beauty. Soap’s fills just seem to get better and better.
Face 1st, M32 Spot, Bristol, June 2020
On the right we have a rather unusual Face 1st piece of a girl riding on the back of a cigarette-smoking frog waving a bee on the end of a stick in front. What?!? I must ask him what on earth is going on in this piece next time I see him. Wild, imaginative and wonderful.
Another artist who has been really busy lately is John D’oh whose running commentary on all aspects of the coronavirus epidemic has given us a record of events through the medium of street art. This way of capturing contemporary events has been a major aspect of art through the ages, and although much of the art is ephemeral some remains and helps to tell future generations what happened in the past and where they came from. John D’oh’s stories are important ones to tell.
John D’oh, St George, Bristol, June 2020
This lovely stencil on the side of a ramp at St George skate park, celebrates the fabulous and unrelenting hard work of NHS workers through the pandemic with more than a little nod to Wolverine of X-Men fame. Slightly sinister, slightly edgy but with a great heart. A nice piece from John D’oh.
Natural adventures 