I’ve been going through some old pictures from my iPhone today, and found a few street art images from a long while before I started this blog. This particular picture struck me, because I recently posted a 3Dom piece from this exact location.
This work, also by 3Dom, was photographed in July 2014…it seems that this wall is his.
There is also a subtle tribute to Mibsy. This is a nice work, but long since gone.
A fabulous protest piece by one of my favourite artists – Sepr.
Bristol is a city with a history of rioting…perhaps it is something to do with our independent spirit (I say this as a Londoner who now calls Bristol home).
In 2011 there were riots in Stokes Croft that were focused on the unpopular new Tesco Local store. Arrests were made in the squat opposite, as some of the squatters were suspected of planning to petrol bomb the store. This caused outrage among some locals and some imported trouble makers. This link is a report from the time and this one from a year later.
Sepr’s piece is a reminder of those times and characteristic of the independent spirit of the People’s Republic of Stokes Croft. I love the artwork and its political overtones.
8/10
Before I started looking at graffiti and street art, and by that I mean really started looking at it, I had been aware of this colourful shop front in Park Row. The artwork is so appropriate for the shop, which is not always how commissions turn out.
This is a commissioned piece for a shop, called Shark Bite, that sells surf, snow and skate boards. Once again Silent Hobo is responsible in this collaboration with Mr. Riks who often works with SH. Both artists are Bristol-based.
7/10
I took this picture on a sunny day back in September 2015. This wall is a collaboration between Soker and Cheo, each with their own distinct style. Soker and his wildstyle burner and Cheo spraying a cartoon and the signature bee.
I would guess that Cheo’s work is a selfie of the two of them, but this is only a guess.
7/10
I was given a wonderful ‘Banksy’ wall calendar by my mother this Christmas. I noticed that this fabulous image of the Queen has been selected for the month of July. The manufacturers of the calendar are not the only people to have falsely attributed this stencil to Banksy. In July 2012, during the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, all the newspapers heralded this artwork as a new ‘Banksy’.
The stencil was actually sprayed by IncWel, is called ‘Still Sane’ and is a direct reference to Bowie’s ‘Alladin Sane’ album cover of 1974. I have not been able to find anything else by IncWel, and there is little information on the Interweb about him.
For so many reasons I love this stencil.
9/10
I took a short walk this morning after breakfast and discovered a whole ton of street art and graffiti in Moon Street near Stokes Croft. The problem with most of the works here is that they are unsigned, or by artists/sprayers unknown to me (so far).
This crocodile is by Sesk, but I am unclear about whether Sesk is an individual or a crew. In the course of my research however, I did find this article in the Bristol Post from November 2015, which indicates that the authorities are clamping down a bit on some taggers, of which Sesk appears to be the ‘ace of spades’.
Some copy from the article reads as follows:
“A police crackdown on graffiti tagging across Bristol will see a man appear at court.
The man has been reported to court for 89 separate offences of Criminal damage across central Bristol.
The damage relates to illegal graffiti that has been sprayed, drawn and painted onto public and private property across the city.
It is alleged the man is responsible for the “SESK” tag, which police say is one of the most prolific in the city.”
None of this though has helped me find out more about Sesk.
Since I’m on a bit of a Silent Hobo run at the moment, I thought I’d post one of his works which can be found in the heart of St Pauls, and celebrates the St Pauls Carnival.
Even in a contemporary setting his pieces have an element of mysticism about them.
8/10
There is a small enclave of street art in Cotham, centered around the Highbury Vaults pub. I have already featured two works in the area, one by Nick Walker, and the other by Unify. This is the third piece to be found here, and one that somehow passed me by until recently. Perhaps this is because it is so seamlessly blends in with the shop that it adorns.
This mural is a trademark Inkie. It reminds me very much of the styling used for Biba – maybe it is the black and gold thing going on.
7/10
Still flowering, a
Serbian bellflower coats
the front garden wall.
by Scooj
As I have said before, the turnover of work on this ‘practice wall’ in Stokes Croft is quite phenomenal. This new piece by Silent Hobo has appeared during the Christmas break. It will be gone soon.
You can find out more about Silent Hobo on his website, but what I really like is that he still sprays on the streets of Bristol, not always legally, even though he has a successful commercial outfit.
7/10
Natural adventures 