Tag: Upfest

2043. Upfest 2016 (161)

The big news for 2019 is that there will be no Upfest this year, the organisers have decided to have a fallow year to regroup and hit 2020 with renewed vigour. What this means is that I might be able to catch up a little on Upfest pieces passim that still need writing up. I am starting this batch of 2016 pieces with work from, I think, Douglas Trodge.

Douglas Trodge, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Douglas Trodge, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

I have looked all over the Interweb, but I cannot find a Douglas Trodge, so am unable to write anything further of any use here. The two cartoon portraits are rather unusual and certainly memorable… way too good to sit in my archive forever.

Douglas Trodge, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Douglas Trodge, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

I might have to do a little more research on this piece.

 

1994. Upfest 2018 (130)

You can always be sure that you’re going to get something pretty fun from Angus, and at Upfest 2018 he was playing around with a fusion of mosaics incorporating film/TV characters in a Banksy setting. Clever and engaging stuff.

Angus, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
Angus, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

In this piece, which must have taken days of preparation, Angus presents us with robots (in the place of chimps) from Star Wars, Futurama, Wall-E and one other that I can’t identify and the immortal words ‘laugh now but one day we’ll be in charge’. I rather hope that Banksy approves of this updated variant on his idea…another one made in Bristol.

Angus, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
Angus, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

In terms of scale, Bender, the Futurama robot on the right was about human size – this mosaic was no small undertaking, and this was just one of three (or more?) that Angus worked on at Upfest. Hats off to his lateral thinking and endeavour…a great piece.

1993. Upfest 2018 (129)

Well this is an absolutely extraordinary and highly unusual portrait piece by Bristol-based artist Lee Ellis. I have not seen any of his work before, but that is because I think he is primarily a studio artist and not a street artist.

Lee Ellis, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
Lee Ellis, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

I took a look at his work on the Interweb and he has this incredible style that has a touch of menace and darkness about it, but also manages to convey emotions and passion in the subjects. It would be interesting to see what he could do with a proper outdoors wall. Striking work.

1992. Upfest 2018 (128)

On yet another completely new wall for Upfest 2018 was this slightly unusual abstract piece from Rob Wass. You had to keep your eyes peeled for this one due to its location down a side street on the main drag between North Street and Ashton Gate.

Rob Wass, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
Rob Wass, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

As yet my mind isn’t fully made up on this one and I really can’t put my finger on my reservation. I think it might have more to do with the aspect of the wall and the pebble dash finish (which must be a nightmare for painters), than it does to do with the piece itself.

Rob Wass, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
Rob Wass, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

Over the years, Rob Wass has produced some lovely pieces for Upfest and he has become a firm favourite. I imagine that this one will remain in place for a while because of its accessibility.

Rob Wass, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Rob Wass, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

1991. Upfest 2018 (127)

Always, always a firm favourite with me are the pop culture stencils by Stephen Quick, a brilliant Bristol artist and Upfest regular. This piece ‘Can stand up, will stand up’ is one of a series of similar pieces that he has created with this character.

Stephen Quick, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
Stephen Quick, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

There are several cultural references in the piece, which include the obvious homage to Star Wars, but also there is the sword of He Man and the bracelet (not in this picture) of Wonder Woman. His style is unique and vibrant, and I always look  forward to a quick annual catch up at Upfest.

1990. Upfest 2018 (126)

One of the more obviously striking and describable pieces of Upfest 2018 was this interesting hand speaker by Agent Provocateur. It is weird but whenever I look at it I find it very hard not to see the Northern Ireland flag, which is rather distracting.

Agent Provocateur, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
Agent Provocateur, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

This is a simple and quite challenging piece with an element of edge or threat combined with humour and general oddness. I’m not sure why there is so much damage to the right hand side board, but I think the artist could have tidied it up a little bit. Maybe I photographed it before completion. A memorable piece.

1989. Upfest 2018 (125)

Nevla was late to the party at Upfest 2018 and as a result I didn’t manage to get a final picture of his rather cookie panda. On the upside though I did at last get to meet the elusive cartoon king of Bristol street art, and what a nice fellow he is too.

Nevla, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
Nevla, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

I made a few notes on my iPhone about our conversation, but unfortunately I lost them when the motherboard gave up a few weeks ago. A quiet class act who seems to enjoy painting alone, Nevla adds something to the Bristol scene that is unerringly optimistic, which is a tonic when so much around us is in utter chaos.

1988. Upfest 2018 (124)

Just opposite the Tobacco Factory in Raleigh Road Justinks painted this captivating tiger with an interesting twist. He describes his art as surrealism and biorealism, and although I think the latter might be a made up word, it certainly works when explaining this piece.

Justinks, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
Justinks, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

Justinks is based in Malta and works as a tattoo artist (the crossover between the two disciplines is remarkable), but since 2011 he made the decision to go big and create some large street art pieces – a great decision in my mind. It is difficult to know what to make of the subject of this piece due to its distortion of the familiar, there is no doubting the talent of the artist though. Great work.

1987. Upfest 2018 (123)

This stunning shutter piece is by Sake One, a West Coast (USA) artist who has been spraying since the early eighties and was greatly involved with the hip hop culture in San Diego during his youth. There is a thorough biography of the artist on the Upfest website, which is worth a read.

Sake One, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
Sake One, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

The piece itself is a highly accomplished work, as you’d expect from an artist of this calibre. The profile of the girl is sensitively painted and blends perfectly with the subtle writing to its right. The tragedy of shutter pieces is that they are rarely seen during daylight hours, even at weekends when so many shops seem to be open…not like in the old days!

1986. Upfest 2018 (122)

One of the first pieces that I recall from Upfest 2018 is this magnificent hummingbird by L7M, a very well-known artist originally from São Paolo who first picked up a can at the tender age of 13. Obviously practice makes perfect.

L7M, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
L7M, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

The vibrancy and movement in ther piece is remarkable, and the hummingbird itself is absolutely stunning. L7M was one of the featured artists last year and we certainly got our money’s worth as he did another excellent piece a little further down North Street (to follow).