Tag: Upfest

1294. Upfest 2017 (128)

There is no way that these photographs do this extraordinary multi-layer stencil justice. The subtle layering and shading in the piece are so skilfully prepared and executed. This is a technical marvel by a lovely artist called P0G0 who produced one of the most memorable pieces of Upfest 2017.

P0G0, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
P0G0, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

The greyscale piece is offset by the scarlet fingernails of the subject and to finish the piece off P0G0 has added some hexagons in pastel shades…again in contrast with the rest of the piece.

P0G0, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
P0G0, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

P0G0 is one of the true gentlemen of the street art world, a warm and humble fellow who was happy to chat for a long while and who agreed to do an interview with me. Because his written English is not too good, he said he would be happier to do a face-to-face interview, but the logistics of doing so are tricky. So maybe a telephone interview would be best or perhaps I can grab him for half an hour if he makes it to Upfest 2018. A memorable piece and artist.

1293. Upfest 2017 (127)

This is a gorgeous piece by Majilina that if I am honest I don’t recall very well from the festival itself, but have had time to scrutinise from the luxury of my PC. The two killer whales or orcas are beautifully framed in a decorative circle and black background, with the purples lifting them off the surface. There is something here that reminds me of 23Magpie’s work.

Majilina, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Majilina, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

Rather than interpret her biography I offer her profile from the Upfest website:

The artist majilina was born in South Tyrol, Italy. Her art circles around lively and colorful portraits of different types of animals. During her training as a visual designer her skills in craftwork and painting began to blossom and she got introduced to urban art. Currently, she focuses on painting big scale murals, always refining her techniques and gaining new levels of expressiveness. As one of the only known female deaf artists in mural art her paintings are a true inspiration for all of us and especially for other deaf people to have the courage for big life time goals.

 

1292. Upfest 2017 (126)

This was an Upfest piece that seemed to divide opinion…a bit of a ‘marmite’ work, you either love it or hate it. It is an installation piece by Id-Iom which contains several 3D elements protruding from the work.

id-iom, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
id-iom, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

While photographing the piece during its creation I noticed that the trees in the background created brilliant hairstyles for the faces…an unintended addition which I think added to the overall piece. When I pointed it out to the artists, they didn’t seem to see the funny side, and just got on with the work.

id-iom, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
id-iom, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

Looking at the equipment that they brought along, there would seem to have been an immense amount of thought and preparation that went into this piece. I can’t say that it was my favourite at Upfest, but it was one of the more stimulating works that attracted more thought than most. These two are unconventional and like to push the boundaries.

1261. Upfest 2017 (125)

Funnily enough, this is another piece that I don’t recall very well from the festival itself – there were so many works at Ashton Gate that it has been impossible to recollect them all. However, looking at the images on my computer, this one really stands out as a beautiful  and colourful piece.

Onga, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Onga, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

To my shame, Onga hasn’t really crossed my radar before, despite having lived in Bristol for a few years, and contributing regularly to Upfest in the past. Maybe it is because he doesn’t spray on the walls I visit, I don’t know. I know from a biography I read that he enjoys festivals, and since I have only been to Upfest for the last two years and no other festivals at all, it might explain why our paths haven’t crossed before.

This is a fine piece that probably needs a little bit of scrutiny and unpicking as there is a story there somewhere.

1260. Upfest 2017 (124)

I don’t know an awful lot about Gee street art and the Interweb and his Instagram profile are not particularly enlightening, although I do believe he has been about for some time. One thing is clear from his social media presence is that Gee street art is available for commissions and willing to travel.

Gee street art, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Gee street art, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

This upfest piece itself is probably an expression that many of us can identify with. The character is nicely conveyed in a moment of fed-upness or maybe discombobulation or something not quite reaching despair. Interestingly I don’t really remember this piece very well from my walks around the festival, and only really picked it out from the thumbnails on my computer.

1259. Upfest 2017 (123)

I first came across these two artists, Caro Pepe and Age Age at Upfest 2016 when they had adjacent pieces on North Street. Since then (and possibly before, I don’t know) they have collaborated quite a lot at festivals around Europe.

Caro Pepe and Age Age, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Caro Pepe and Age Age, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

It was so good to see them at Upfest 2017 collaborating not only on their ‘official’ wall, but also on this shutter and another wall (yet to be posted). This particular shutter has been home to some amazing artwork previously, and Caro Pepe and Age Age have continued that tradition.

Caro Pepe and Age Age, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Caro Pepe and Age Age, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

The pair have once again used muted shades for their Upfest experience which gives this piece a subtle feel. It is amazing that their work blends so well because their styles and subject matter are quite different – maybe their success comes from blending these. Anyhow, this was a real treat and many visitors would have missed it, as I think it was sprayed in the days following the main festival. Thank you both.

1258. Upfest 2017 (122)

I think that this was probably the most photographed wall at Upfest 2017. It is certainly one of the best, if not the best, spot at the festival and this time it was given a magnificent makeover by Kobra.

Kobra, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Kobra, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

It is a fascinating rendition of John Lennon in the style so typical of Kobra, using geometric shapes and contrasting colours as an overlay to the portrait. As a strong statement in street art, this piece is exceptional, and pretty much stole the show amongst the visiting public. I have only one slight uncertainty about the piece and that is the relevance of John Lennon to Bristol – but perhaps I am being a little parochial about this.

Kobra, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Kobra, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

Many of the visitors who came to the festival would not have seen this piece without the cherry-picker parked in front of it, which wasn’t removed until the Monday  or Tuesday after the event, which is a real pity.

Kobra, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Kobra, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

Since seeing this piece, tmy first by Kobra, I was lucky enough to come across a couple more in Williamsburg, New York, which I hope to post here if I ever get through my growing backlogs.

Kobra, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Kobra, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

Make no mistake though the scale and nature of this piece make it a real winner, a stunner and a must-see wall if you happen to visit Bristol, before it goes this July.

 

 

1257. Upfest 2017 (121)

It has been a little while since I last posted anything from Upfest 2017. I would guess I am about half way through my archive of photographs but am unlikely to write up every piece from the festival before this year’s festival begins. C’est la vie.

Boe and Irony, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Boe and Irony, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

This piece is a hugely entertaining and bold work from Boe and Irony, who worked so well together at Upfest 2016 with their cat and mouse work on the side of a residential building just off North Street.

Boe and Irony, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Boe and Irony, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

Gulls are a very common sight in Bristol, and this huge portrait of a gull peering around the corner so perfectly captures the cheeky nature of these birds, and is in keeping with the City.

Boe and Irony, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Boe and Irony, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

The artists took a while to complete the piece and it wasn’t actually until a few days after the festival that it was completed. It was so utterly worth the waiting though, this was one of the highlights of Upfest 2017, a real triumph. I hope the artists will be back this year to give us yet another mouth watering morsel.

1236. Upfest 2017 (120)

I love seeing the work of Alex Lucas wherever it crops up, but it is especially nice to see her work at Upfest, when it isn’t tied to a commission. Alex Lucas has made a huge impression on the city of Bristol and her work is dotted all around the city – I have featured much of it on this blog.

Alex Lucas, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Alex Lucas, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

This piece was a bit tucked away, and incredibly difficult to photograph with the crowds and the lighting. Even so, it is possible to see that this is a classy illustration of a cat who is thinking about a mouse. Yum.

1235. Upfest 2017 (119)

At the Ashton Gate Upfest site, which was opened up for the first time in 2017, there was a very long wall running down the entire side of the stadium. Certain sections of this wall were allocated to crews, who sprayed together to create their pieces. This one is by Kid Crayon who was joining up with the Lost Souls crew and Eat.

Kid Crayon, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Kid Crayon, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

I am a big fan of Kid Crayon’s work, and it was his wheatpastes that originally stoked my interest in Bristol street art in the first place, so I have a lot to thank him for. This is a wonderful and colourful piece of a big fish in a sardine can. I don’t know the meaning of the piece, but I know I like it a lot.

Kid Crayon, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Kid Crayon, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

Anything to do with fish tends to tick my box, so street art with a fish is a bit of a bonanza.