Tag: Turbo Island

6027. Turbo Island

Sepr and 3Dom, Turbo Island, Bristol, May 2024
Sepr and 3Dom, Turbo Island, Bristol, May 2024

Turbo takes an awful lot of punishment. This little corner of Stokes Croft represents the heart of Bristol rebellion. Occupied at various points by the homeless, addicts, drunks, revellers, artists, tourists, the curious even. It is a spot impacted by footfall, fires and tagging. For many years, a beautiful Sepr scarecrow mural loomed large on the end wall but over time it has degraded, so up steps the hero of the day, Sepr, ably accompanied by 3Dom to refresh the wall.

Sepr and 3Dom, Turbo Island, Bristol, May 2024
Sepr and 3Dom, Turbo Island, Bristol, May 2024

Sepr has stuck quite close to his original piece, sticking with the literal scare crow idea painted in a clever contrasting black and yellow two-tone colour scheme. A troupe of performing mice accompany the crow, who is drinking out of a ‘Bob’ mug.

Sepr and 3Dom, Turbo Island, Bristol, May 2024
Sepr and 3Dom, Turbo Island, Bristol, May 2024

3Dom has done all of us a great service in painting the utility box with one of his magnificent symmetrical radiating, organic pattern pieces. This utility box is usually festooned with hundreds of peeling fly-posters that add to the general untidiness of the spot. I’m sure it won’t be long before we can no longer see this beautiful splash of colour. Beautiful, witty, charming and just what the spot needs.

Sepr, Stokes Croft, Bristol, August 2015
Sepr, Stokes Croft, Bristol, August 2015

 

 

5460. Weston-super-Mare

Willl Cross, Westonwallz, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023
Willl Cross, Westonwallz, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023

You wait for a Willl Cross piece to come along and then two come in quick succession, although actually, this one was painted some time ago, August 2022 to be precise, for Westonwallz, in Old Post Office Lane, Weston-super-Mare. Will Cross has an incredible knack for making contemporary scenes look like they have come from the romantic period in the 1800s.

Willl Cross, Westonwallz, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023
Willl Cross, Westonwallz, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023

The reality of this scene is that it is a pallet bonfire on Turbo Island, a small triangle of land in Stokes Croft in Bristol, claimed by the people for the people, which often plays host to a variety of revellers, alcoholics, drug users and casual passers-by. Bonfires are a common occurrence, even since it was concreted over this year.

Willl Cross, Westonwallz, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023
Willl Cross, Westonwallz, Weston-super-Mare, May 2023

This piece is painted in a narrow street, but I photographed it when the sun was playing tricks and causing a fair amount of reflection, which is a pity. I love Willl Cross’ style and would very much like to own one of his stunning paintings, but I imagine they are way beyond my budget. There is something very beautiful about the quality of light in the piece, and mystery about the figures sitting round the fire, chewing the fat. A couple of people in the background have stopped to look at the goings-on, which is beautifully observed and an accurate representation of what would happen.

Willl Cross has created a scene, which on first inspection could be a rural scene, but in actual fact is about as urban as it gets. Brilliant work and an outstanding touch from the artist.

4318. Turbo Island

There is no question that this a fabulous piece, and Ryder clearly demonstrates that he is not only a ‘letters’ man, but is equally adept at creating characters.

I have a reservation about this piece though, not of its quality, but because I always struggle with street art being used to advertise commercial products, unless as a commission on a commissioned space. Somehow, it just doesn’t sit right with me and I know I am being super-picky, but the street art and Graffiti art community is one that is usually at the front of the queue to complain about consumerism and advertising. I expect this piece was painted for friends, and is at the acceptable end of the advertising spectrum, so I will get over myself and stop here.

Ryder, Turbo Island, Bristol, March 2022
Ryder, Turbo Island, Bristol, March 2022

This is an eye-catching piece at a spot that seems to lurch from high quality pieces to absolute dross and this certainly sits in the former category. The Cheshire cat with its huge grin is outstanding, and the blue and red colours work so well on the black and white of the piece. Love the roller painter Ryder above the piece. Nice work from one of the best.

3780. Turbo Island

This was a rather nice little quick collaboration from Face 1st, Soap and Zake that rather predictably didn’t last very long. Turbo Island is a funny spot. Sometimes a piece can last for weeks there, but more often anything that is painted gets tagged within 24 hours and then it is up to someone else to pick up the batton.

Face 1st, Soap and Zake, Turbo Island, Bristol, June 2021
Face 1st, Soap and Zake, Turbo Island, Bristol, June 2021

Of course, we know that PWA boys Face 1st and Soap are regular painting buddies, but it is great to see Zake join them in this collaboration. Face 1st and Soap have merged their pieces in red with their trademark face and mouth/skull respectively. To the right, the Zake face reminds me very much of a ‘man in the moon’ type character, and has so much expression, looking over at the other two.

A great fun collaboration.

3250. Turbo Island

Well I’m not sure how I missed this one first time round, but I just had a little potter around in my archives and once I found it I couldn’t really ignore it. It is a tidy collaboration from Mr Klue and DNT, who quite often get together to paint, from those heady days before coronavirus was a thing in the UK… remember that?

Mr Klue and DNT, Turbo Island, Bristol, February 2020
Mr Klue and DNT, Turbo Island, Bristol, February 2020

I can’t decide whether the shopping trolley is really annoying or actually adds a little bit of character to the photograph. No matter, it is there. The very ‘DNT’ monster embedded within the Mr Klue writing is a window into the artist’s mind and like so many of his characters is part organic, part mechanical. It looks likes the puffs of yellow smoke are puffing out of one of the legs of the character. A nice collaboration.

3201. Turbo Island

With so much amazing work being produced in Cheltenham and around Bristol at the moment, it can be easy to overlook the constant churn of what I would call typical Bristol pieces being added to our walls day in, day out. One of the most prolific of these Bristol artists is Face 1st and this is a superb piece from him down at Turbo Island.

Face 1st, Turbo Island, Bristol, September 2020
Face 1st, Turbo Island, Bristol, September 2020

This piece has been on the ‘Island’ for quite a while now and is a cheery delight for anyone driving along the Cheltenham Road into the centre of Bristol. Unfortunately my photography skills are not quite so cheery and this shot is a bit blurred. I am having a few problems with my camera at the moment which I really need to sort out. Anyhow, don’t let the poor quality of photograph detract from the uplifting piece from Face 1st.

3120. Turbo Island

In the last twelve months or so the board at Turbo Island has attracted some fabulous pieces by greatly talented artists and now it is the turn of Tom Miller with his debut piece on this wall. And what an amazing start.

Tom Miller, Turbo Island, Bristol, August 2020
Tom Miller, Turbo Island, Bristol, August 2020

Tom Miller has been turning out so many pieces since lock down and I have struggled to keep up with them. Some are for fun like this one, but he has also worked on a couple of commissions which is really good, because an artist’s life is a tough one and paid work can be hard to come by.

Tom Miller, Turbo Island, Bristol, August 2020
Tom Miller, Turbo Island, Bristol, August 2020

There is an abundance of colour and form in this abstract piece and typical of the artist there is a great deal of energy and activity. So much to look at and so much detail, it can be hard for the brain to decipher exactly what is going on, but this is a great strength that Tom Miller has. It is not to everyone’s taste, but I love it.

2984. Turbo Island

Clearly, this piece is more about the subject than it is about the artist, however as a chronicler of street art in Bristol I reserve the right to acknowledge and praise the artist Hazard for painting such a poignant and striking piece for #blacklivesmatter.

Hazard, Turbo Island, Bristol, June 2020
Hazard, Turbo Island, Bristol, June 2020

This is yet another wonderful and uniquely Bristolian piece from this brilliant artist. How lucky to have had two new pieces from her in recent weeks.

Hazard, Turbo Island, Bristol, June 2020
Hazard, Turbo Island, Bristol, June 2020

Of course, the Bristol BLM demonstration has hit the headlines at the weekend for the pulling down and throwing into the floating harbour of a statue commemorating Edward Colston, a Bristol slave trader. This lawless act has caused consternation at the highest levels of government, but I have to say it was completely understandable and rather predictable. The Bristol constabulary were amazing in the way they dealt with the demonstration and prevented anything flaring up by keeping a light touch approach to policing. One really has to ask what a statue commemorating Colston was doing in the centre of town in this day and age in the first place.

Without denying our history (a dangerous avenue) perhaps it is time to have a review of our commemorative monuments in today’s context and to mothball or place into historical museums statues that are inappropriate today.

2834. Turbo Island

This one is not for the easily offended, and if graffiti cock ‘n’ balls are not your thing, I think you might need to move on pretty swiftly. This is a rather mischievous collaboration between The Cat Came Back and DNT on the Turbo Island wall.

The Cat Came Back, Turbo Island, Bristol, January 2020
The Cat Came Back, Turbo Island, Bristol, January 2020

On the left is the cock – one of graffiti’s most enduring images – that is part cock, part cat. I can’t quite make out the writing, but I think it says ‘I’m Cat’. You can make up your own minds about this one.

DNT, Turbo Island, Bristol, January 2020
DNT, Turbo Island, Bristol, January 2020

On the right is another kind of robot sort of creation from DNT. The whole collaboration looks like it was painted in a bit of a hurry or under the influence of alcohol/other. A bit of fun for some.

2742. Turbo Island

Oh my goodness, Sled One is literally (almost, figuratively too sort of) on fire at the moment, or at least painting fire, with this bright character toasting a cartoon marshmallow over a hot flame.

Sled One, Turbo Island, Bristol, February 2020
Sled One, Turbo Island, Bristol, February 2020

This piece is more contrived than might at first be apparent. The subject is a direct nod to the bonfires that are regularly started on the little ‘green’ on Turbo Island usually by revellers, homeless people or addicts of one sort or another. I think that this is a remarkable piece by Sled One in so many ways. Technically it is brilliant, but equally brilliant is the little story that is unfolding in front of us.

Sled One, Turbo Island, Bristol, February 2020
Sled One, Turbo Island, Bristol, February 2020

I don’t really know how it is even possible, but I think this young artist is just getting better and better and I’m not sure he is even close to peaking yet. I hope this purple patch we are seeing from Sled One continues well into the year.