Tag: Urban

Mimic

 

Incorporation

of natural forms, calms the

fraught urban landscape.

 

by Scooj

574. The Bearpit (33)

Very close to the Mr Klue/Decay collaboration, John D’oh has been busy with his 2016 stencil. A great many of John D’oh’s pieces are edgy or political, but this one I think captures the feelings of a majority of Bristolians, that for many reasons 2016 was not a good year, and the Grim Reaper is welcome to it.

John D'oh, The Bearpit, Bristol, January 2017
John D’oh, The Bearpit, Bristol, January 2017

I love John D’oh’s stencils as they are usually contemporary with uncomplicated messages and often replicated in several sites. Both of these were in the same area of the Bearpit, and there was at least another one too.

John D'oh, The Bearpit, Bristol, January 2017
John D’oh, The Bearpit, Bristol, January 2017

I very much hope that 2017 brings more hope and joy to the city, but I suspect it won’t. I sense a rebellious undercurrent will oppose injustice in all it forms and be expressed in a typically Bristolian way. Graffiti art will play its part, and John D’oh will most likely be at the heart of it.

573. The Bearpit (32)

At the end of the south tunnel of The Bearpit is this fabulous festive collaboration between Mr Klue on the left and Decay on the right. This is a colourful coming together of two of Bristol’s best abstract graffiti artists, whose styles are markedly different  but which somehow works really well.

Mr Klue and Decay, The Bearpit, Bristol, January 2017
Mr Klue and Decay, The Bearpit, Bristol, January 2017

The colour schemes aren’t matching, and the angular shapes of Mr Klue  seem to be at odds with the curvy concentric rings typical of Decay, but as a whole it works, probably because the very fact that it is a collaboration offers a relationship between the pieces and even more so the artists.

Mr Klue and Decay, The Bearpit, Bristol, January 2017
Mr Klue and Decay, The Bearpit, Bristol, January 2017

An outpouring of Christmas cheer from two of my favourites. Perfect.

572. North Street Green (4)

This is a special wall just off North Street, opposite the Upfest shop. The wall is a bit like the PRSC outdoor gallery, in that it is a place where street artists can show off their great works in the near certainty that it will not get tagged. The wall is respected.

Jody, North Street Green, Bristol, January 2017
Jody, North Street Green, Bristol, January 2017
Jody created this free hand piece of the Virgin Mary just before Christmas and had to battle with the elements whilst doing it, according to his Instagram feed. I think it was well worth the effort

The colours used are reminiscent of those he used to paint the hands and moth, further along North Street last year. There is something about this colour combination that is difficult to photograph, there is quite a lot of reflection, which you don’t get with the naked eye. The point being that the photographs don’t do it justice. It is a beautiful and spiritual piece, like much of his work. All good. 

 

571. Moon Street (18)

It would appear the Mr Klue has been really busy this winter. I have started to find a whole load of wonderful pieces by him recently, and this one is a real peach. His abstract style is unmistakable, and this one works well with vanishing points and perspective.

Mr Klue, Moon Street, Bristol, January 2017
Mr Klue, Moon Street, Bristol, January 2017
This is one of my favourite walls in Bristol, something about the proportions and the isolation. I am hoping to get together with Mr Klue some time soon and get more insight into his work and that of other local artists. Meanwhile I will simply enjoy this piece. Lots to look at, and rather mesmerising.

Mr Klue, Moon Street, Bristol, January 2017
Mr Klue, Moon Street, Bristol, January 2017

570. Moon Street (18)

What an unexpected pleasure, not only to find a P0G0 piece in Bristol, not only to find a paste up by P0G0 in Bristol but to find TWO paste ups by P0G0 on the same day in different parts of town. I am indeed a lucky seeker.

P0G0, Moon Street, Bristol, January 2017
P0G0, Moon Street, Bristol, January 2017
The paste up is the same one in each location and both are in street art ‘hotspots’. You will remember the amazing piece by P0G0 from Upfest, which really was one of the highlights of the festival. THe first one I found was in Moon Street.

P0G0, North Street, Bristol, January 2017
P0G0, North Street, Bristol, January 2017
The second one is in amongst the hoardings on North Street in Bedminster, surrounded by stencil work from John D’oh amongst others. I read on P0G0’s Instagram feed that he had been in town to visit Upfest…I am guessing it migh have had something to do with the launch of the Upfest book. I love it that these artists see every visit, every wall as an opportunity.

P0G0, North Street, Bristol, January 2017
P0G0, North Street, Bristol, January 2017

A red letter day.

569. Upfest 2016 (80)

I guess I am about half way through my posts from Upfest 2016, and I don’t think I will have finished posting them until Upfest 2017! I am becoming overwhelmed by the number of pictures I have in my archive and am not sure how best to share them with you. Less of the rambling writing might be a blessing for you and more shorter posts each day…but that could risk graffiti fatigue, and I wouldn’t want you to be bored with increased posts. I have to say though that this is quite a pleasant conundrum, which would be all the better if I didn’t have to work!

Voyder, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Voyder, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
This is a great piece by the magnificent Voyder, who was given two prominent walls for Upfest 2017, Writing his name on this one, and writing ‘Bristol’ on the other. Both were sprayed in the same style. Voyder is certainly one of the most brilliant artists in Bristol, if not the country. His work never ever disappoints, and he is constantly exploring different genres and designs to write his name. So much good stuff coming from him.

568. Upfest 2016 (79)

It is always really nice when artists who come to Upfest leave additional works dotted around Bristol. These ‘extras’ range from commissions to ‘naughty’ pieces, but as far as I am concerned they are always welcome.

Angerami, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Angerami, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

This amazing owl by Angerami will have been missed by most visitors to Upfest, and indeed to North Street, because it is in an alleyway with a huge iron gate in front of it. I didn’t notice it at first, but of course, I am always on the look out for such things.

Angerami, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Angerami, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

The owl is beautiful, but I can’t help thinking it was done as a special request, because it really isn’t very accessible for anyone other than the owner of the alleyway. You might recall from an earlier post his incredible fish. I love street artists who paint wildlife and Angerami is right up there with the best.

567. Upfest 2016 (78)

This was one of the larger pieces from Upfest, and I have just spent 20 minutes looking for some other pictures that I took of it once it was completed, but can I find them…? It is quite an unusual piece by Fin DAC, and I have to say I think it is brilliant.

Fin DAC, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Fin DAC, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

I particularly like the way the chimney stack has been incorporated into the work (which of course, you can’t see from these crappy pics) – I love it when street artists use the environment they are painting in to enhance the work. Fin DAC is an artist from Ireland but who now resides in London. I don’t think I have ever seen anything like this before, but it has some real overtones of Japanese culture in it, which I don’t think is common to his other work. Maybe that is just me. Really nice piece.

Fin DAC, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Fin DAC, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

Childish

 

Anticipation

of snow, too much to bear; still

the child is in me.

 

by Scooj