6582. Dean Lane skate park (787)

Zake, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2024
Zake, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2024

Zake bases his work around a cartoon face. A few years ago, the face would usually be just the face, but these days, the face has become the central element to something bigger, perhaps more of a narrative around the face, with things going on.  A glance at this updated gallery of his work gives you some idea of his development and growth as a street artist.

Zake, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2024
Zake, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2024

This is a curious piece, and all I can think of when I look at it is ‘sperm cell’, a thought very difficult to unthink. I suppose it could be a tadpole, or at a stretch some kind of eel. Whatever it is, it is mildly unsettling and weird. The piece was painted as part of a three-way collaborative wall by Hire, Zake and Ceus, where each piece was utterly distinct from the others in style, colour and content. So the only real element of collaboration was the background and the friendship of painting together.

Algorithm (thoughts are not facts)

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Content provision

prompts confirmation bias

no need for the facts

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by Scooj

  • Reflecting on why we have such divided opinions and polarised societies like never before. My verdict… it is the digital channel algorithms and our unconscious attachment to them.
  • Before the general election I followed a few conservative MPs to see what they were saying in my desire to be well informed. Now my ‘X’ feed is bombarded with right-wing narratives (some quite extreme) all day every day, at the expense of the Labour streams and MPs I have been following for years.
  • Solution… regulate the algorithms – allow us to choose what we see, and not what AI thinks we want to see.
  • A conspiracy theorist might say that these platforms (‘X’ in particular) favour right wing narratives, although I don’t subscribe to that view. I think that there is more right wing disruptive/divisive content out there, much of it being produced by Russia and other nations looking to divide and conquer. They and the algorithms are having a profound impact in the UK, Europe and globally.

6581. Greenbank (143)

Daz Cat, Greenbank, Bristol, November 2024
Daz Cat, Greenbank, Bristol, November 2024

When the Greenbank hoarding is eventually dismantled, I wonder what will happen in the other spots. Will turnover increase, or will some new hoardings become an oasis for graffiti/street artists? I, for one, will miss this place and its colourful gallery. Daz Cat has painted a few memorable pieces here, but this one is a little bit special.

Daz Cat, Greenbank, Bristol, November 2024
Daz Cat, Greenbank, Bristol, November 2024

As with many of Daz Cat’s larger pieces, there is a story unfolding here. A girl, wearing a bird costume, is sitting on a log in a wood, and beside her is a cat spirit. I don’t know what the conversation they are having is about, but it feels earnest and important. There is a lot of spirituality in this colourful and beautifully illustrated piece.

6580. Sparke Evans Park (110)

Werm, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, November 2024
Werm, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, November 2024

The Sparke Evans Park wall tends to look rather nice in the autumn and winter, with the browns and golds of the leaf litter beneath it. These colours provide a nice backdrop, and consciously or otherwise, this piece by Werm has picked up on those seasonal surroundings. The other good thing about this wall in the duller months is that it is possible to photograph it without shadows from trees being cast, resulting in horrible dappling.

Werm, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, November 2024
Werm, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, November 2024

The writing, spelling out WERM, is one of the best examples of bilateral symmetry in writing you are likely to see. The symmetry becomes even easier to make out because of the colour regimes Werm has selected, breaking it down into sections, thus making it easier for the eye to make comparisons. The dark green background is just right too. Nice work.

6579. Backfields

Man-X, Backfields, Bristol, November 2024
Man-X, Backfields, Bristol, November 2024

The last stencil piece I saw by Man-X was a rather cute west highland terrier painted at the entrance to Leonard Lane, so it was somewhat surprising to see this irreverent portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II sitting on a different kind of throne.

Man-X, Backfields, Bristol, November 2024
Man-X, Backfields, Bristol, November 2024

The portrait piece is a nicely worked five or six colour stencil, set within an oval frame, and is really rather unusual in many ways. The colours incorporate gold, which I guess is in part to represent the royal setting (golden throne). There is some extra fun in the detail, with the Queen reading a magazine entitled ‘Corgi’. Edgy and offensive to some, this piece is nicely executed, on a tricky stone surface.

6578. Frome Side (45)

Mr Klue, Frome Side, Bristol, November 2024
Mr Klue, Frome Side, Bristol, November 2024

This large piece by Mr Klue is unusual in that it isn’t in St Werburghs tunnel, his favoured spot. It was painted as part of a paint jam themed along the lines of a cartoon film ‘Ninja Scroll’ as determined by World Wall Stylers.

Mr Klue, Frome Side, Bristol, November 2024
Mr Klue, Frome Side, Bristol, November 2024

Although there is little to link this piece to the film, except perhaps the letters, which I can’t read, it was very much in keeping in terms of palette selection with the other artists in the paint jam. I do like it when Mr Klue ventures beyond his safe space of the tunnel, as it gives his truly unique abstract writing more of a chance of being seen by more people, although that isn’t necessarily the case under the M32.

6577. Dean Lane skate park (786)

Jevoissoul, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2024
Jevoissoul, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2024

Super-quick posts this morning, as Christmas shopping beckons and a very busy day ahead. I am quite looking forward to going to some actual ‘physical’ shops, as I am getting a little sick of on-line shopping. Today’s post is a piece by Jevoissoul, who is living up to his promise of having a busy year painting the streets of Bristol.

Jevoissoul, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2024
Jevoissoul, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2024

Jevoissoul’s characters have a very distinctive look, crossing over between a sketch and cartoon style. This cheeky chappy, with his baseball cap coming adrift (a nice touch) is nicely painted and finished, and marks the continuous improvement shown by the artist. The placement was at the edge of a production piece, but respectfully managed to avoid overwriting any part of it.

6576. Greenbank (142)

Subtle, Greenbank, Bristol, November 2024
Subtle, Greenbank, Bristol, November 2024

With this magnificent piece, we welcome back Subtle, who has been away from our streets for far too long, indeed the last piece I posted by the artist was way back in March 2022. He has marked his comeback with a really strong statement piece… no need for fancy embellishment or fiddly bits. This burner is far from subtle.

Subtle, Greenbank, Bristol, November 2024
Subtle, Greenbank, Bristol, November 2024

The chrome letters SUBTLE sit boldly on a dark background, and although there is a drop shadow, it is almost as dark as the background and difficult to see (more so in the photographs). I sincerely hope that this isn’t a one-off and that we get to see more of his work, and just to remind you what his work looks like, here is an updated gallery for you to enjoy.

6575. Cumberland Basin

Noise and Zake, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2024
Noise and Zake, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2024

One of the reasons that I am able to dwell a little on going back through my archives is that the winter weather is finally getting the better of ‘fair-weather’ artists, and turnover has slowed considerably since the back end of November. Although it is never good to see a slow-down, the upside is that it does give me a bit of a breather and the chance to share some ‘forgotten’ pieces, including this fine collaboration from Noise and Zake.

Noise and Zake, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2024
Noise and Zake, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, July 2024

I have said it before, that Zake loves to team up with anyone who is willing to paint with him, and in this piece he has combined really well with Noise, incorporating his cartoon character as the ‘O’ of NOISE. The deep stripy drop shadow lifts the collaboration and unintentionally mirrors the teeth of Zake’s character. This is a really satisfying collaboration to see, from two of Bristol’s best artists.

Alert

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Red weather warning

shrieking mobile devices

one helluva shock

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by Scooj

  • At some point I must have signed up to weather alerts (although it looks like this might have been a central government pushed alert), and while I was just finishing up my work, all my mobile devices went nuts with a very loud alarm – I didn’t know that level of volume was even possible. It seems we might be in for a very windy night.