Tag: Surreal

1238. M32 roundabout J3 (59)

3Dom is really such a classy artist, and has been creating surreal pieces in Bristol for many years. He carries some themes from piece to piece and I have seen this psychedelic hut in several of his recent works.

3Dom, M32 roundabout, Bristol, November 2017
3Dom, M32 roundabout, Bristol, November 2017

His characters are often compiled from objects to create the whole, so here we have the hut for a head and a candle for a cigarette. There maybe a lot of symbolism involved, but what is certain is that his work is unique and special.

3Dom, M32 roundabout, Bristol, November 2017
3Dom, M32 roundabout, Bristol, November 2017

I love coming across his work, and this beautiful piece was part of the larger ASK paint jam back in November 2017. This whole wall was a real treat and a highlight from last year.

986. Upfest 2017 (39)

Tucked away in the garden of The Rising Sun was this rather provocative and surreal piece by EdF*ck. I can’t find out much about the artist, so I include his Upfest programme biography:

‘Hi my name is Edf*ck, my work mainly consists of spray paint and de-collage but extends to illustration and character design, often encapsulating dark imagery captioned with playful slogans and vicious characters.’

EdF*ck, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
EdF*ck, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
So my first impression of this artist and the style is that I rather like it. It reminds me of the kind of magazine cut-out collages I used to make as a kid, creating disturbing distortions of reality from pictures. One major difference…this is considered, cleverly worked and artistic. I’m glad I ventured into this corner of the pub garden, because I missed it on the Saturday of the festival.

935. Stokes Croft, the Carriageworks (26)

Anyone that reads my posts regularly will know that over the last couple of years or so I have been closely following the progress of Tom Miller. A young art student who I believe has recently graduated from UWE in Bristol. He recently held a successful exhibition entitled ‘Paracosm’ at the It’s All 2 Much gallery in Stokes Croft.

Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, July 2017
Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, July 2017

I was driving home not long ago and spotted Tom at work on one of the arches, so I pulled over, and chatted with him while he was taking a break and eating his lunch. He is genuinely such a nice guy and utterly modest about his work. It is great in Bristol that we have quite a few fine artists who cross over into street art, widening the spectrum of what we are fortunate enough to see.

Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, July 2017
Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, July 2017

I am not sure if this piece has a name, but it is characteristically effervescent with ideas and thoughts merging with the human body…where physical meets metaphysical in art form.

Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, July 2017
Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, July 2017

Nothing demonstrates this meeting of worlds better than a close up of the character’s ‘head’. Needless to say I am a huge admirer of his work, and look forward to his next piece. It is to his credit and the respect in which he is held, that this piece has remained untagged and in pristine condition for at least a fortnight…a rarity in these parts.

835. Dean Lane skate park (58)

This is an unusual and surreal piece by an unusual artist. I don’t really know too much about him, but I know he has been spraying down at Dean Lane for a considerable number of years.

Haka, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2017
Haka, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2017

This piece is peculiar in many ways, but there is a big story going on somewhere here. Built around a tank there are mountains, aliens, buildings and a robot character…make something of that.

Haka, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2017
Haka, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2017

There is also a tribute to CK One, who passed away in December 2011, but is still remembered fondly in the Bristol graffiti art fraternity.

703. Upfest 2016 (107)

We were treated to some wonderfully colourful pieces at Upfest last year, but right up there with the best of them was this lovely piece by KOB, aka Kobtropikal. Kob, originally from Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, started painting in 1999.

Kobtropical, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Kobtropical, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

KOB has a rather organic approach to his work and favours painting surreal imaginary animals or plants or combinations of the two. He has a Facebook page, and interestingly has selected this piece as his avatar, so he must have been pleased with it. This piece has stuck in my mind, when many others have drifted in and out. It must have some strong elements that make it so memorable. A fine piece.

696. The Bearpit (52)

It is always great to see a new Tom Miller piece, and this is a wall he has favoured in the past. I can’t keep up with this particular wall, and have some pieces that have never made it to the blog. Maybe if I was retired…

Tom Miller, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2017
Tom Miller, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2017

This work has all the hallmarks of a Miller piece; body parts bursting with a suffusion of colour and ‘imaginite’ – the way thoughts might look if they could be painted. There is a little story going on here, chasing after love perhaps. I would like to think it is a happy picture and not a morose or sad one. I really am a big fan of Tom Miller’s work.

Tom Miller, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2017
Tom Miller, The Bearpit, Bristol, March 2017

621. Upfest 2016 (91)

A vibrant and attractive addition to North Street is this magnificent piece is by the Toronto-based Canadian muralist Bird0 (Jerry Rugg). This kind of mural is just one of the many brilliant things about Upfest and how the artworks created breathe new life into urban areas.

Bird0, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Bird0, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

This is the first work I have consciously registered by Bird0 and it has grown on me since I first saw it. I didn’t really ‘get it’ at first, but having researched his work a little since last July, I am definitely fast becoming a fan, and would love to see more of his work.

Bird0, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Bird0, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

The scaffolding was up for the entirety of the festival, and so most visitors to Upfest wouldn’t have seen the final ‘reveal’ when the scaffolding came down, which is a pity.

Bird0, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Bird0, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

The surreal nature of his art and the geometric approach he adopts both appeal to me and it was interesting to see the piece develop. There is a nice short bio of Bird0 on Streetartbio.com.

Bird0, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Bird0, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

620. Stokes Croft, the Carriageworks (22)

A recent piece by Tom Miller in one of his favourite locations, the arches at the Carriageworks in Stokes Croft. This is a much calmer piece that we are used to from this artist whose surreal style challenges and provokes us. Not so much of the frenetic stuff flying about the place, but we do see a merging of body parts, in this case a hand and the head.

Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, January 2017
Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, January 2017

It is no secret that I am an admirer of Miller’s work, and have been from the first piece I saw at the same location back in December 2015. This piece plays on ideas, dreams and imaginings…light shining down from an umbrella. All very odd, but interesting to look at. The figure is set against a black background which gives the whole piece a clean appearance.

Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, January 2017
Tom Miller, Stokes Croft, Bristol, January 2017

I am very glad that I photographed it when I did, even with the van parked right up against it (illegally I might add) because a day or two later it had been tagged and defaced. Pity.

597. James Street (1)

Once in a while, you feel that you might be witnessing something rather special, and so it is with the art of Tom Miller. I would be the first to concede that his surrealist style isn’t to everyone’s taste, but what he has to offer, both on canvass and on walls, is very different, refreshing, challenging, intelligent, busy and bright. I think and hope he will go a long way.

Tom Miller, James Street, Bristol, January 2017
Tom Miller, James Street, Bristol, January 2017

He was busy painting this new wall on New Year’s Eve and into New Year. Dedication to his craft.

Tom Miller, James Street, Bristol, January 2017
Tom Miller, James Street, Bristol, January 2017

I am not entirely sure what the piece is depicting, but it looks a little like Buddha with a whole load of things going on around him and a rather nice little hut ion his head for a hat. Miller’s pieces are always bursting with energy and weirdness. Lots of body parts and face parts adorn his subjects. There is meaning to all of this I’m sure, but it is probably deeply rooted in the artist’s sub-conscious.

Tom Miller, James Street, Bristol, January 2017
Tom Miller, James Street, Bristol, January 2017

A wonderful new landmark on the Bristol street art trail, slightly off the beaten track, but worth the walk.

490. Upfest 2016 (64)

This is one of the slightly more bonkers pieces from Upfest this year. Surreal and vivid, it absolutely makes me smile every time I look at it. Unfortunately I never got to see the finished work, but I was pleased to get some pictures of the artist at work.

Jimmy Duggan, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Jimmy Duggan, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Jimmy Duggan is from the Isle of Man, and is the only Manx artist I have come across so far. He has an interesting Facebook page for his art work, which gives you a real feel for his expressive and creative work. I would dearly like to see more of his stuff in Bristol, but I think it unlikely. Maybe next Upfest?

Jimmy Duggan, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Jimmy Duggan, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016