This is one of the most incredible stencils I saw at Upfest this year. It is by p0g0, a French artist now living in Southampton. I watched him putting the final touches to this work, but would have loved to seen the early layering of the stencil.
P0g0, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
The skill of the artist has turned the relatively mundane subject matter into something really special. The piece is called ‘Dirty Converse’.
P0g0, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
It is no surprise to learn from his short bio in the Upfest programme that P0g0 was a finalist in the Stencil Art Prize 2015, and winner of the 2015 Stencil Art Awards in Bristol.
On the Saturday of Upfest 2016 I was not sure who the artist was on this wall. He was high up on a scaffold tower, and seemed only to have started his piece.
Cosmo Sarson, Greville Road, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
The wall in Greville Road is one of the least photogenic ‘art walls’ in Bristol. It is high up and surrounded by bright skies with the sun during the day behind the wall and so the face is usually in shade. The previous occupant was a hand by Jody.
Cosmo Sarson, Greville Road, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Even on the Sunday and the Monday the wall was only half done, so I was still in the dark about the artist. I returned a few days after the Festival and the full picture was revealed…a most fantastic work by Cosmo Sarson.
Cosmo Sarson, Greville Road, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
His ‘Breakdancing Jesus’ remains one of the most celebrated pieces in Bristol, and this is equal to it. The colours of this work are wonderful as the figure floats under the multicoloured surface and his half-naked body is reflected in swirls. This really is one of the highlights of the festival and so worth waiting for.
Cosmo Sarson, Greville Road, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
After seeing all of his wonderful wheatpastes in Stokes Croft whilst ‘on tour’ in the UK, it was a real treat to find this fabulous Tian work at Upfest this year. This time his work was not a paste up, but nevertheless unmistakably a Tian piece.
Tian, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
I love his work, and in this piece there is a continuation of his use of sepia tones for the main subject. The whole work shows how accomplished Tian is using different techniques and materials. I am not too sure who is in the picture, but I guess she is famous.
Tian, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
I was rather hoping that while Tian was in Bristol, he might do another series of wheatpastes, but so far I haven’t found anything. I very much look forward to his next visit.
I am a huge fan of China Girl Tile, and was so excited to hear that she would be at Upfest 2016. I had seen lots of her work on social media, but nothing in the flesh, so it was a real treat not only to see her at work, but to be able to say hello and stop for a quick chat.
China Girl Tile, Greville Road, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
I caught up with China Girl Tile while she was finishing off her work in the drizzle on the second day of the festival. The wall she was working on is in the back yard of the Hen and Chicken and in really great company (Fake, Cosmo Sarson…and others).
China Girl Tile, Greville Road, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
I am glad she chose foxes for this installation, because as many of you may know Bristol is famous for its urban foxes. In fact some research a few years ago showed that the most densely populated group of foxes on record were in and around my allotment. Their numbers fell due to mange and the introduction of wheelie bins with strong lids. I digress. I love foxes.
China Girl Tile, Greville Road, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Her reference to the Campbells soup tin is not only witty but is incorporated so very well into the unfolding story.
China Girl Tile, Greville Road, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Her work is unusual and refreshing and executed with such skill and dedication. The tiles are really beautiful and enchanting. Please can we get more China Girl Tile work in Bristol.
China Girl Tile, Greville Road, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Having recently posted a piece by Mr Sle7en, I thought it would be good to share his contribution to Upfest 2016. Again, Mr Sle7en incorporates the third eye into this piece and uses the strong colours associated with his work.
Mr Sle7en, Upfest 2016, Bristol, July 2016
The writing says ‘Free Sesk’ which is a reference to the recent custodial sentence dished out to Jack Keeling, a well known tagger and graffiti writer in Bristol. I featured one of his throw ups on New Year’s Day this year. It seems a little unfair that he has been jailed, when there are so many other taggers in town, but I guess this happens from time to time and they all know the risks they are taking.
A witty homage to Pokemon Go by John D’oh on the tarmac of Dean Lane skate park. It looks like Pikachu may have seen better days.
John D’oh, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2016
This is not the only Pikachu in town…I’ll need to dig the other one that I know of out. Fun contemporary stuff from one of the most prolific street artists in Bristol.
The fencing in Armada Place is a hotspot that is slightly off the beaten track, and can easily be missed. I make a point of taking the short diversion away from Stokes Croft on my way to work, to be able to capture gems like this one by Fois (Kleiner Shames).
Kleiner Shames, Armada Place, Bristol, August 2016
It feels like Fois has become a little more active recently, or maybe I am just finding more of his wildstyle pieces. I don’t know, but I always feel good when I come across one for the first time. I like the way that he disguises the name Fois just enough to make it hard for the ‘untrained’ eye to read. This is really a wonderful piece that he calls ‘a quick one’.
Kleiner Shames, Armada Place, Bristol, August 2016
Only recently I found out that Fois is actually Kleiner Shames – a rather respectable looking designer. It irks me that by calling him Fois all this time I look like a bit of an idiot. I suppose it is all part of being on the outside looking in.
One of the great things about Upfest is all the ‘extras’ that get left behind by artists who come over to Bristol for a few days. Hunting these down is all part of the fun for street rats. This is a wonderful set of three wheatpastes left by Din Din, whose ‘official’ stencil was utterly fantastic.
Din Din, Moon Street, Bristol, August 2016
Here on the North side of town it is great to see some of Din Din’s work. Although it is already looking a bit scruffy, it is still a pleasure to see it. I am not too sure who the pictures are of other than they are heavily tattooed men, but I like them regardless. More of these ‘naughties’ to come.
I do love the Carriageworks. The pieces here tend to be quite large because of the framing of the arches, and so we are often treated to ‘special’ work. The turnover for any work here is about a month or so, so this piece is approaching its ‘sell by’ date. It has been a while since I posted about Mr Sle7en, which is a pity, because I love his work. It would seem that he is not as prolific as some of our other artists, but he is no less talented.
Mr Sle7en, Stokes Croft, Bristol, August 2016
In this mysterious piece, we have the ‘signature’ single eye that is common to Mr Sle7en’s work.There is always something about his work that I like. I can’t put my finger on it, but it is unusual, sometimes unsettling but always beautifully executed.
Having only recently posted about JPS in Weston-super-Mare, I was lucky enough to find this wonderful JPS cat while staying with my mother in West Wittering recently.
JPS, West Pallant, Chichester, August 2016
I knew the cat was somewhere in Chichester, but wasn’t sure where. I don’t know if you have ever been to Chichester, but its compass layout should be a simple enough plan to map out in your brain. I, however, and I know I am not alone in this, really struggle to know where on earth I am when in one of the four main streets. This cat I hope will help me to navigate better in future, along with the wonderful Stik not too far away.
JPS, West Pallant, Chichester, August 2016
This cat by JPS has been stencilled in other places too…another post maybe. It is quite beautiful. The stencil itself is exceptional and the colouring really makes it stand out. If you look carefully you will see the the letters J P S disguised in the cat’s fur. One of my favourite stencils.
Natural adventures 