A golden tide sweeps
in and children kick about
having fun; then rest.
by Scooj
Tag: Urban
55. Gloucester Road, Co-operative
I had originally thought that this was an advertising piece, because it is so well proportioned and executed. Of course I was wrong, and have grown fond of the ‘So far so good’ mural by Akarat and Hoax.
Akarat is another Bristol street artist who has emerged from the hip hop and reggae scene. His works usually have some kind of social commentary to them. His favoured techniques would appear to be similar to those used by Nick Walker; stencils and sprays, freehand and rollers. He often collaborates with Hoax another Bristol artist who also enjoys making political statements. I’m not sure why, but Hoax’s signature has been painted over since this was completed.
7/10
54. Midland Street (1)
While shopping today in an old Bristol department store, Gardiner Haskins, in an area I don’t often visit, I discovered a whole area of street art that I haven’t seen before. So many murals.
I love this Sepr mural ‘no petting’ it is quirky and humorous. He is incredibly prolific in Bristol, and I am pleased to have found this work. More from this area to follow.
8/10
Long day
Pancakes, cinema,
weekly shopping, watch the match,
tacos and haiku
by Scooj
53. Nelson Street hoarding (1)
There is a lot of building work going on in the old centre of town, mostly the construction of accommodation blocks for students. Of course this means that there is a fair amount of permitted street art space on the hoardings around the sites.
Andy Council is an artist who lives in Bristol. His works usually incorporate dinosaurs or other animals and architecture, and much of it is about Bristol. You can see his work all over the place, frequently in community spaces that need brightening up. He is also the ‘go to’ designer for all sorts of leaflets and other communications material.
This work painted in 2014 is a typical piece. It is temporary and likely to be gone soon.
52. Broad Street
During the ‘See no Evil’ event in Bristol in 2012, Conor Harrington dropped over from his native Ireland and painted this mural in his distinctive style. It is called ‘the Duel of Bristol’.
Harrington now lives in and has a studio in East London. Like so many before him, he started off as a graffiti artist, but is now a celebrated muralist gaining worldwide acclaim. There is more about him in this excellent Frankie Beane post.
This mural happens to be located in one of my favourite parts of Bristol, tucked away behind the church of St John the Baptist and through the old city gate – I love the way it is framed by an ancient/modern setting.
8/10
Missing since September 29
A wife and three girls
desperate for any news;
Daddy please come home
by Scooj
prompted by small notices strapped to lamp posts around Bristol centre this morning.
51. Frogmore Street (3)
Standing on the bridge at the bottom of Park Street looking North East, you are treated to the most wonderful stencil by Banksy.
‘Man hanging’ which probably goes by several different names was sprayed in 2006, and led to something of a watershed in a permissive stance from the Bristol City Council regarding what was then called graffiti. There is a lovely article written at the time from the BBC website. How things have come on in relatively few years.
I am fortunate enough to walk past this iconic Banksy twice a day at least, and I am never bored by it. In 2009 the work was attacked with blue paint, calling into question all sorts of difficult conversations about street art and graffiti and vandalism and ‘he had it coming to him for selling out’ etc etc. For me it is just a pity. It seems that with his art, if you are not there in the first day or two, it will get damaged or removed.
9.5/10
War memorial
So many left to
fight and gave their lives in haste;
now the grass grows green
by Scooj
Making waves
Autumn waves crash on
tiled floors, a terrarium
for urban living
by Scooj
Natural adventures 