Many will instantly recognise this pair of rabbits as the work of NEVERGIVEUP. I’m not quite sure why I always put his name in full caps, I think it might be because he uses them on his Instagram account. He tends to sign his work NGU Familia or in this case #GGUFam. I tend to get locked into conventions, so it is difficult for me to change what I have been calling him from the start.
NEVERGIVEUP, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2018
I recently found out a little bit more about the artist, and he told me he works as a restaurant manager in the Harbourside – the flexible hours probably suit his insatiable appetite for street art. He hopes to ‘go pro’ on the art side of things, and I think with his determination he’ll make it.
NEVERGIVEUP, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2018
These crazy goofy rabbits are brilliant as always, and seem to be getting better and better.
This is the second piece I have posted by Daz Cat and interestingly this time it is a dog. I’m not sure what the slogan ‘Without a pack the dog days are back’ is all about, but it has a nice ring to it.
Daz Cat, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2018
My initial reaction to this piece is that it looks a bit rough and ready, but actually I think that might just be an artifact of the style Daz Cat uses. If you look closely, the shading and shapes used in crafting the dog’s head are sophisticated and cleverly done, giving an appearance in places almost of a stencil (for example around the nose). I like his work, and I am pleased to see a proliferation of it at the moment. It is always nice to see new work about the place. This piece was created for the Spring paint jam.
In some parts of British society there has been considerable discomfort and anger directed towards the Government for joining the USA and France in bombing Syria without consutling with Parliament first. Mistakes have been made in the past, particularly over WMD which has suggested a more considered aproach might be necessary. As a result of the bombing, protests have become prominent in all walks of life. This is a graffiti art protest.
Decay, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2018
Of course the two pieces (I admire his ability to recreate the same image freehand almost exactly) are by Decay, who has been making a deliberate effort to diversify his customary abstract radiating pieces, and this is a good example of something different.
Decay, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2018
This little character, tinged with rage, conveys the message clearly and inoffensively. These were both sprayed for the Spring paint jam in The Bearpit.
I bee W is an artist I admire very much. I first met him at Upfest 2016, and knew of his work before that, but this is the first time I have written about him, which surely can’t be right. His intricate stencils are often set on reasonably plain backgrounds, which brings out the central subject.
I bee W, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2018
This ‘pigs might fly’ piece was created during the Spring paint jam in The Bearpit and I think carries a message, but I am not entirely sure whether it is connected to the clampdown on graffiti in The Bearpit or not.
I bee W, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2018
It is a nice composition and contrasts well with the surrounding graffiti, helping it to stand out. It is like a gallery piece, and I like that.
I have featured a lot of new artists on this blog recently, and this is the latest of them. Daz Cat is a Bristol-based illustrator and graffiti artist who I think is reasonably recent of the street art scene, although I would happily be corrected as there is not an awful lot of information in the Internet to go by.
Daz Cat, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2018
His works tend to feature the heads of cats or dogs and often a little message – the one here ‘in fine style’ is used in other pieces too. He has had a recent burst of activity with some pieces, of which this is one, that were painted during the Spring Paint Jam in The Bearpit. More of his work, and perhaps more insight to follow soon.
Painted in The Bearpit for the Spring Paint Jam, this unusual piece is the work of the versatile Bristol artist Georgie. Georgie is a leading light in bringing street art to the people of Bristol through paint jams and her determination to preserve the notion of legal walls for the many street/graffiti artists in the city.
Georgie, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2018
This piece itself is a stunning and intricate stencil work, which has been skilfully layered to create rich visual textures as you run your eye across it. Furthermore it is the kind of work that you don’t see enough of in The Bearpit.
Georgie, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2018
When you take a close look, you can really see all the detailed work that has gone into creating this piece. Hats off to Georgie.
The Bearpit street/graffiti art walls are under threat. Bristol City Council appears to be taking a tougher position on the walls and boards and has recently started to paint over some fine pieces that have been there for ages. My guess is that this is a task that will bring no joy to anybody, as artists and officials play tit-for-tat paint wars. Street art and graffiti are part of what makes Bristol special, part of its USP, and by over-regulating it you will destroy it and the culture around it – all you will end up with is sterile corporate pieces that don’t really represent the local scene.
It feels odd to me going to cities, for example Chichester, that have no graffiti or ‘legal walls’ but held a festival a few years back and has some very nice pieces dotted about the place on carefully selected walls. The problem I have with that is that it is all sanitised and signed-off by the ruling classes of the city. Where is the budding street art culture in Chichester? there is none to speak of, just some imported art to create a sense of ‘edge’ but actually totally safe and permitted to the nth degree.
I say all this because at the recent paint jam in The Bearpit, several artists, including Skor85 made their feelings clear. How strange it might seem in a few months time that there won’t be any walls left where they can make their feelings known, without the permission of the officials of Bristol. This will inevitably lead to more and widespread illegal art.
Skor85, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2018
Skor85’s meaasge is loud and clear “Could you live without freedom of expression?” The piece itself is delightful, a vibrant plant emitting sparks of colour set on a background of purples, reds and oranges. I like it a lot.
This is another piece from the recent Spring paint jam in The Bearpit. It is something of a change from the norm for Mr Draws, who usually sprays his name or mountains. Here he has sprayed one of his favoured boards with a training shoe. It is rough, and vibrant, and my guess is that Mr Draws probably freestyled it.
Mr Draws, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2018
It is a fun piece, and very much in the spirit of the paint jam, which was to ensure that The Bearpit continues as a street art gallery and spray paint area. Of course, Mr Draws has managed to incorporate some mountains just for good measure. I believe the piece was dogged after a few days, which is a pity as it is a rather uplifting work.
I believe this to be the best piece I have seen this year, and one of the best that the artist, Tom Miller, has produced to date. This classy work was painted for a Spring paint jam on 14 April 2018 and dominates all around it.
Tom Miller, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2018
This most most eye-catching and vibrant of pieces, illuminates the tunnel and brings a touch of fine art to the people who pass through it. So typical of Miller’s work, there is a face, disfigured and distorted by colour stretching out of it. A scene of serenity and torture compressed into one space. His surreal and dream-like pieces never cease to amaze me, but this one really trumps the rest.
Tom Miller, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2018
Tom Miller has been busy this Spring, a trend which I hope spans into the summer and beyond. This piece is so good.
Observant citizens of Bristol might have noticed this little character making a few appearances about the place recently. This little toucan, in the middle of The Bearpit, is by relative newcomer (I think) Touc (Sven Stears).
Touc, The Bearpit, Bristol, April 2018
I always like to see new street artists joining the throng and it is particularly nice to see something rather different. On his Instagram profile, Touc descrbes himself as a performance poet, artist, actor, B-movie hero and probably a lizardman. Im not sure about the last bit, but I look forward to seeing more from Touc in all his guises in the near future.
Natural adventures 