Tag: Urban

843. M32 Roundabout, J3 (41)

A rather nice quick one from Whysayit. I particularly like the work of this graffiti artist because of the range of colour selections and fill patterns he uses to what is essentially the same tag. Sticking to his format, he can play with the decoration.

Whysayit, M32, Bristol, June 2017
Whysayit, M32, Bristol, June 2017

Another thing I rather like is that his work remains edgy, and as well as these ‘full-blown’ YSAE pieces, he also has shorter versions and still tags his letters. He hasn’t yet abandoned his beginnings, and I rather admire that…even though I don’t much care for tagging.

842. Upfest 2016 (135)

OK…I will say that this, for me, is one of the most fantastic small pieces, not only at Upfest but anywhere, that I have seen. The portrait of Einstein by Yassen Nenov (Yasko) is kind of crazy, but beautifully sprayed. There is something about it that just ticks all my boxes.

Yassen Nenov, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Yassen Nenov, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

I’m not sure if it is the use of the space, the colours, the subject or the execution, but it just works for me.

Yassen Nenov, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Yassen Nenov, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

Yassen Nenov, originally from Bulgaria (I think), is now based in Portsmouth. He specialises in bespoke pieces for cars and bonnets, helmets and walls and murals, and is making a name for himself for his custom work.

Yassen Nenov, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Yassen Nenov, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

I am less interested in his commissions (these things are always so ridiculously outside my price bracket) than I am in his public art, such as this piece. Great, great, great.

841. Upfest 2016 (134)

Let’s hear it for the local RAW (Read and Weep) artists…Ryder and T Rex. I think one of my favourite things about Upfest is that it combines high-end street art with local graffiti art, and bridges all the divides that may be out there in the world of street/graffiti art – at the very least for a few days.

Ryder and T Rex, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Ryder and T Rex, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

Ryder and T Rex often paint together, and their collaborations can be seen plastered all over Bristol. They have a particular penchant for spraying vans and caravans. I fear they are rather too under represented on this blog, something I will have to rectify.

Ryder and T Rex, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Ryder and T Rex, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

For now though , take time to appreciate the magnificent ‘fairground influenced’ writing of Ryder and the cheeky, possibly clumsy, dinosaur from T Rex. A popular combo from the Bristol

839. Upfest 2016 (132)

An interesting abstractish sort of piece in one of the prime window slots on North Street, currently occupied by a Copyright and Paul Monsters collaboration. This piece is by Age Age, an artist I am struggling to find out much about.

Age Age, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Age Age, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

His piece here is next to the Upfest work of Caro Pepe, which is interesting, because in my trawl of the Interweb, I have found several collaborations between these two artists. A quick look on his Facebook page confirms this.

Age Age, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Age Age, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

Age Age, Hannes Höhlig, is an illustrator and graphic designer from Berlin who, it would appear, likes to get out and spray the streets from time to time. His work is a little surreal and attractive – there are stories going on here. This was a nice festival piece which sadly was defaced not too long after the festival, along with several other pieces in the area. My understanding is that some of the Bedminster locals spray the pieces they don’t like or don’t respect. Oh dear.

Age Age, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Age Age, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

838. Upfest 2016 (131)

This is a stunning piece by Naskool that was situated on hoardings just off North Street, next to the Green. Naskool is an Austrian artist who started spraying in 2004 and now specialises in photorealistic street art.

Naskool, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Naskool, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

I managed to take pictures while he was still creating this piece, and it is interesting to see how he built the layers. It seems different artists adopt different techniques.

Naskool, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Naskool, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

This is one of the great works of the 2016 festival in my view – the expression and character that oozes from this piece is quite captivating. Alas, it didn’t last very long, as these hoardings were fairly swiftly ‘corporatised’ by the construction firm who are developing the site.

837. M32 Spot (5)

Another column under the M32, and another brilliant piece which is impossible to do justice to with my limited photographic skills. This distinctive and crisp piece is by Zase and Dekor with an imaginative and creative underwater scene.

Zase and Dekor, M32 Spot, Bristol, June 2017
Zase and Dekor, M32 Spot, Bristol, June 2017

I love the artistic style of this duo and the combination of the wildstyle 3D ZASE lettering combined with a fantastical scene.

Zase and Dekor, M32 Spot, Bristol, June 2017
Zase and Dekor, M32 Spot, Bristol, June 2017

The interesting thing about painting a column is that the story that unfolds is caught up in a loop, never-ending. There is no beginning and no end, simply a scene. This must present a bit of a challenge to the artists who choose to spray all four sides.

Zase and Dekor, M32 Spot, Bristol, June 2017
Zase and Dekor, M32 Spot, Bristol, June 2017

There is a wit and charm about this particular work – the diver is holding a roller and seems unaware of the looming shark. Perhaps he will beat it off using his artistic weapon of choice. I am a fan of this project, but columns really are a nightmare.

836. Dean Lane skate park

This is a wonderful small piece – stylised and anarchic by Lumagro at the far side of one of the Dean Lane walls. I love his line drawings and the humour he brings to this piece. The colours too are fantastic.

Lumagro, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2017
Lumagro, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2017

This is only the second piece I have seen by this magnificent artist, and it was sprayed on the same occasion as his first. These are so different and really add something to the Bristol scene. More please Lumagro.

835. Dean Lane skate park (58)

This is an unusual and surreal piece by an unusual artist. I don’t really know too much about him, but I know he has been spraying down at Dean Lane for a considerable number of years.

Haka, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2017
Haka, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2017

This piece is peculiar in many ways, but there is a big story going on somewhere here. Built around a tank there are mountains, aliens, buildings and a robot character…make something of that.

Haka, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2017
Haka, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2017

There is also a tribute to CK One, who passed away in December 2011, but is still remembered fondly in the Bristol graffiti art fraternity.

834. Raleigh Road, Tobacco Factory (9)

I love the stencil work of Stephen Quick, and I love Star Wars, so this was a nice treat for me to find. The piece is attached next to the front gate of the car park to the Tobacco Factory and looks out onto the street with a quiet modesty.

Stephen Quick, Raleigh Road Tobacco Factory, Bristol, May 2017
Stephen Quick, Raleigh Road Tobacco Factory, Bristol, May 2017

I guess it is a tribute piece to the amazing Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia. Stephen Quick is becoming a bit of a specialist at tributes to the stars…which is a little unfortunate, but they are also a wonderful way of recognising how important these people are in our lives.

Stephen Quick, Raleigh Road Tobacco Factory, Bristol, May 2017
Stephen Quick, Raleigh Road Tobacco Factory, Bristol, May 2017

A New Hope is simply shortened to HOPE – there is a story here somewhere. Simple, moving and some great drips. Nice work from Stephen.

831. M32 roundabout J3 (40)

It has been a little while since I have seen a Sled One piece, but this one has been worth waiting for. A crocodile, or is it an alligator? with SLED written into the main part of the body.

Sled One, M32 roundabout Bristol, June 2017
Sled One, M32 roundabout Bristol, June 2017

There is a lot to like about this piece; the colours, the backdrop design, the writing and of course the reptile with its stylish purple glasses. This was my second attempt at photographing the work. The first time was on a very bright day, and there was a shadow cast across half of the wall…sometimes overcast days can be a blessing.

Sled One, M32 roundabout Bristol, June 2017
Sled One, M32 roundabout Bristol, June 2017