Trafficity is one of those artists who likes to recreate the same letter form and design, with the only changes from piece to piece being the colour arrangements and occasionally some of the finishing touches. There is something comforting about this, you know what you are going to get, and it is always great quality and consistency.
Trafficity, River Avon, Bristol, November 2025
This one, on the path between Sparke Evans Park and Temple Meads station, is really nicely presented, crisp and clean. The letters spell ZIOM, although I do find it hard to fathom out from time to time. The colours, yellow, green and brown are not my favourite combination, but one that the artist seems to favour. All round, a nice piece with some fun blue drip accessories to finish.
The name of the game in Trafficity’s work is consistency. His basic design of the letters ZIOS, with its near symmetry, hardly changes from piece to piece, with only the colours and peripheral decorations that vary. He must be able to paint this piece with his eyes shut.
Trafficity, River Avon, Bristol, July 2025
There is a sharp contrast between the upper yellow section and light-blue lower section of the letters, perhaps amplified by the dark background. Not my favourite colour combination, but it seems to work well. I do sometimes wonder what Trafficity’s work would look like if he went for some different letters or new designs, but maybe it would disrupt the ‘brand’. Who knows?
I don’t go out drinking very often, but last night I joined some colleagues to bid farewell to one of my longest-standing work friends, who has decided to take early retirement. It was a fabulous evening reconnecting with people I haven’t seen for many years, and I will treasure the occasion. On the downside, I drank a little more than I am used to and have a sore head this morning. My posts today will be necessarily brief as a result.
Trafficity, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, April 2025
This is an outstanding piece by Trafficity with a simpler fill style than many of his pieces, but sticking to the overall design with determination. Looking good on the blue background. The letters spell ZIOS in case you were wondering.
I think I am going to have to refer to Trafficity as something like ‘old faithful’, such is his consistency and form. This is one of at least three relatively recent pieces by the Polish artist on the swimming pool wall. I wonder if he paints here, because it is a little bit out of the way and less busy than other parts of the Deaner.
Trafficity, Dean Lane, Bristol, February 2025
His letters ZIOS, which for years I mistakenly thought were ZIOM, are split horizontally into three colour stripes, which is customary for his work. The writing is set on a yellow background, which looks as if it has been attached to the wall with rivets or nails, a simple but clever detail. As ever, lovely work from Traffiticy.
Because of the frequency of my ’rounds’ around street art spots in Bristol, I try to get in three to four walks a week, I am more likely than not to bump into artists while they are painting, which usually ends up with a quick five-minute chat – enough time to build a rapport, but not too much to distract them from their painting. I was blessed to bump into Trafficity while he was painting this piece in Dean Lane, and had a good chat, with his broken English
Trafficity, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2025
I learned a thing or two during our conversation. I had often wondered whether there was a hidden word on the upper level of his letters, but he confirmed that there wasn’t, and said he’d never seen it that way before. Also, he informed me that the letters spell out ZIOS – I had always thought they said ZIOM. These things are always good to know. The form of his letters remains largely unchanged from piece to piece, only his colour schemes and decorations seem to change. This is a lovely piece, especially the shout-out, which says Stephen. Even if it isn’t me, I am going to claim it. Thank you Trafficity.
This is the last archive round up for the time being, and a few wonderful pieces of graffiti writing that missed the boat back in March 2020, just around the time of the first Covid lockdown in England – what strange times those were. First up is this fabulous STICK piece by Corupt, complete with ‘panels’ and ‘rivets’.
Corupt, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2020
Another piece by the same artist, this time using his KORUPT letters. In this chrome lettering, there is more than immediately meets the eye, with some patterning in the fills, with two very subtle colour variants. Nicely done.
Trafficity, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2020
It is always great to find Trafficity pieces, but to find an unpublished picture in my archive is extra rewarding. The letters ZIOM are filled with chrome, but unlike Corupt’s piece above, the patterning in this one is created by the piece beneath coming through (I think). Unusually, Trafficity has gone with a single tone, when I am more accustomed to seeing two or three horizontal colours through the piece.
Rusk, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2020
It is very unlike me not to post Rusk pieces as and when I find them, so this one from the archive is a rare gem. Great graded fill, nice orange border and green drop shadow… what’s not to like?
Phour, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2020
Rounding off this selection of ‘lost’ pieces from March 2020 is this bright and cheerful piece by Phour, whose writing is consistently neat and tidy. He has gone with some interesting colour choices in the fill, which work really well and feel quite joyful.
That’s it from the archive for a while. Back to normal with my next post.
Trafficity has become the complete master of his own creation. His form of letters, spelling ZIOM barely deviates from one piece to the next, only the colours getting a refresh, and even those are becoming more similar from one piece to the next.
Trafficity, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2024
This one was slightly hidden behind the hedge along the swimming pool wall at Dean Lane and contains some of his favoured colours. The likeness to all of his work can be seen by taking a look at a gallery of his pieces, although one significant difference is that this one has four horizontal colour bands, where most of his other pieces have three. Another fine addition to his portfolio.
Trafficity is an artist who paints just often enough to keep him in mind. His winning formula of letters with variations in horizontal colour bands is consistent and unwavering. I wonder if he could produce a chrome version of his writing, and if so, would it work?
Trafficity, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2024
The colours selected for this one on the roundabout, are broadly speaking his favoured colours, he likes greens purples and light blues, only occasionally turning to the ‘warmer’ colours of the spectrum. The letters spell ZIOM, and I can still see the word MUMM in the top lime green section. Tick tock.
Sure and steady, Trafficity is probably the most dependable and consistent graffiti writer in Bristol, and although he doesn’t paint all that often, he has a rhythm, and you can be pretty sure to find two or three of his pieces every year. His consistency is evident in the gallery of his work that I have compiled.
Trafficity, Peel Street Green, Bristol, June 2024
The letters ZIOM are fairly heavily disguised, and as I have observed many times before, there appears to be another word sitting along the top, in lime green in this piece, that looks like it spells MUMM, but I might be imagining things. The colour palette is easy on the eye and the piece nicely presented. I rather like the little shout-out to Haka, whose long-standing piece here was overpainted.
As the leaves die and fall on the hedge that skirts the railings between the skate park and the swimming pool wall in Dean Lane, it becomes easier to see what has been painted on the wall behind, although once revealed, it is difficult to know how long the pieces have been there. I like to think I am reasonably on the ball with this kind of thing, but I really don’t know how old this piece by Trafficity is.
Trafficity, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2023
Trafficity is a rolling constant in the Bristol street art scene. Painting the same ZIOM letters in the same way, with only the colour palette and some small details to distinguish between pieces. I particularly like the colours he has used in this piece, especially as they blend well with the few dangly leaves from the hedge. Always consistent, always classy.
Natural adventures 