Tag: Superman

4888. Upfest 2022 (63)

Rich Simmons, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022
Rich Simmons, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022

I love challenging and controversial pieces, especially ones featuring cultural icons, although it has to be said that two same sex superheroes kissing is far less shocking these days than it would have been when I was growing up, which I would suggest is massive progress on our pathway towards tolerance, equity, respect and understanding,

Rich Simmons, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022
Rich Simmons, Upfest 22, Bristol, May 2022

Rich Simmons has produced this superb pop art piece featuring Batman and Superman in an intimate moment, with black and white repetitions of the embrace in the background. An accomplished piece from an accomplished artist that fits the spot in the Tobacco Factory car park perfectly.

950. Upfest 2017 (20)

This is a wonderful and photogenic piece by Karl Read, a stencil artist from the south coast who produced another lovely piece at Upfest 2016. A boy dressed as superman wearing converses and flying on a swing is a winning idea, and this piece has movement, tenderness and nostalgia combined in equal measure.

Karl Read, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Karl Read, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

I don’t know how he put up with the tiny space he had to work in and the crowds stepping over his kit to get photographs of his work and the adjacent work of Lemak.

Karl Read, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Karl Read, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

This was another really striking piece from the festival and has been shared a lot on Instagram over the last week or two. I really rather like it and feel that perhaps it deserved a permanent wall rather than a board, but then I could say that about pretty much everything at the festival. Note for next year…more permanent walls please.

Karl Read, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Karl Read, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017