Urban – Page 85 – Natural adventures

6631. Hornsey Road, North London

Northbanksy, Hornsey Road, North London, December 2024

The road tunnel under the railway on Hornsey Road has become a gallery for the work of Northbanksy and his tribute portraits to a plethora of Arsenal players past and present, and here are a couple more of his stencil-style pieces.

Thounsands of Arsenal fans shuffle along the pavement on match days and stop to admire and enjoy these, if I am perfectly honest, quite crude pieces. The portrait of Ian Wright is a particular favourite, as he embodies the spirit of Arsenal, and his love for the club is so infectious. This piece is also the only one in the tunnel that includes any colour, so it stands out.

The portrait of Mohamed Elneny, until recently a loyal and long-serving Arsenal player, reminds us of the good natured and team player, who although not the best footballer in the world, did a magnificent job for the club over many years. I absolutely love this gallery by Northbanksy… more to come.

6630. Dean Lane skate park (793)

This looks like it might be my last street art post of 2024, a year in which I have published 897 street/graffiti posts and 22 artist galleries, not a bad haul really, and there have been some corkers in amongst that lot. I tend not to do annual reviews or ‘top tens’, but I am sorely tempted to do so this year. Time, of course, is my enemy (and my friend).

It somehow feels good to round off the year with a piece by Haka, a true Bristol combination graffiti writer/character illustrator, who has been presenting children’s picture book and cartoon characters for a long while. In this piece he has painted one of my favourite walls with his characteristic writing and included a faithfully recreated BFG – Big Friendly Giant by Roald Dahl, illustrated by Quentin Blake. Be safe seeing the old year out and New Year in.

6629. M32 roundabout J3 (646)

Face 1st, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2024

Although Face 1st has moved away from Bristol, he is still making trips to the city and leaving behind some lovely pieces, including this Christmas piece which he painted alongside Zake and Soap.

This is a sumptuous piece of graffiti writing, in the block style that Face 1st likes to paint from time to time. The ‘gold’ colour is created using two tones, which provide shading and depth. The writing is wrapped up in a festive red ribbon – the perfect Christmas present. Face 1st is, and always be welcome in Bristol.

6628. Sparke Evans Park (114)

Jevoissoul, Sparke Evans Park, Bristol, December 2024

Jevoissoul, who prefers to be called @slowlane100 on Instagram has had a very good year, and built up his repertoire from basic character pieces to tidy combination pieces, with writing that has seen a steady improvement. This wonderful piece, in Sparke Evans Park, shows how constant practice pays dividends.

The letters SLOW are bookended with two characters, one with a cap and one without, and both with the characteristic mouth design that epitomises Jevoissoul’s work. There is a lot to like in this combination piece, but overall it is the neatness that comes across most. I am looking forward to a further year of improvement.

6627. Cumberland Basin

Pura Decadencia, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, December 2024

It is that rather curious work week after Christmas, where not a lot really happens, especially with the New Year’s Day bank holiday stuck in the middle of it. Time to prepare for the year ahead and get the brain into gear. One thing that remains constant is the conveyor belt of street and graffiti art that appears on the streets of Bristol, come rain or shine, and subsequently, my recording of it. Tghis is a recent beauty by Pura Decadencia.

For once, Pura Decadencia hasn’t included the lips and vampire teeth that have become synonymous with her work, allowing us to concentrate on her letters. Pura Decadencia pretty much always writes with large curvy bubble letters, and they are cleverly brought to life with great white accent lines that create a 3D effect. Her colours work nicely together and are lifted by the unusual pink and white striped background. Another wonderful piece from the artist.

Lokey

A gallery of extraordinary anamorphic graffiti writing from Bristol artist Lokey

Instagram: @lokey_bristol

All photographs by Scooj

Mr Riks and Lokey, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2024

Lokey, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2024

Lokey (Lokea) and Ember, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, August 2024

Lokey, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2024

Lokey, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, October 2023

Lokey, Paint Festival 2019, Cheltenham, September 2019

Lokey, Lower Approach Road, Bristol, July 2017

6626. Dean Lane skate park (792)

Although this wonderful collaboration from Mr Riks and Lokey doesn’t look particularly festive, I believe it to be a Christmas piece. It is certainly lovely to see these talented graffiti writers out painting together, although I think this paint jam was meant to be considerably better attended.

Mr Riks has such a distinctive style, and he has brought his letters to life with a distinctive blue-green and yellow combination, and for good measure added a little wasp with a spray can in hand. Lokey, meanwhile, remains one of the only anamorphic writers in Bristol, and this wonderful piece rounds off a productive year for the artist. A superb Christmas collaboration.

6625. M32 roundabout J3 (645)

Soap, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2024

I haven’t seen quite as much from Soap this year as I would have liked, perhaps he has been working hard, but he has made plenty of regular appearances alongside his PWA friends. This wonderful Christmas piece was painted alongside Zake and Face 1st.

This year was a very quiet year for Christmas themed pieces, so it was nice to see this PWA paint jam. soap has spelled out his name in this combination piece, with a rather creepy skull-face Father Christmas making up the ‘O’ of SOAP. The gold lettering with red accents and a ‘ho, ho, ho’ add to the festive appeal of the piece. Some nice work from Soap.

6624. River Avon (72)

Endz, River Avon, Bristol, December 2024

It is funny how once you register a new artist, you start to see their work about the place, when before you might have missed their pieces altogether. This throw up by Endz is a great example of this phenomenon.

I happened to glance up at this piece alongside the River Avon, and did a double-take having realised that I hadn’t long since met the artist. The style is quite different to the first piece which I posted a little while ago, but nonetheless the work of a talented artist. Looking forward to finding more Endz work in 2025.

6623. St Werburghs tunnel (468)

Xavier Ren and Hypo, St Werburghs, Bristol, December 2024

A little while before Christmas, this excellent collaboration appeared in the tunnel. In fact these pieces, by Xavier Ren and Hypo were two-thirds of the collaboration which included some graffiti writing by Minto, to the left, which I have already posted.

Hypo, St Werburghs, Bristol, December 2024

Hypo has had an extraordinary year, and indeed has been one of Bristol’s most prolific and consistent artists since Covid. This piece underlines his fantastic eye for colourful combinations that create some stunningly vibrant work. The bright letters spell out HYPO, and he has used a clever device to ‘stitch’ the letters together. Really nice graffiti writing.

Xavier Ren, St Werburghs, Bristol, December 2024

I know little or nothing about Xavier Ren and so assume he must be a visitor to Bristol, but I really like this character piece. The blue head-and-shoulders portrait piece is full of attitude and moodiness, and presented nicely. It is always great to see something a little different in the city that visitors bring with them.

	hitandrun1964 on 7422. Stapleton Road
	scooj on Thursday doors – 22 Janu…
	scooj on Thursday doors – 22 Janu…
	Cethru Cellophane on 7422. Stapleton Road
	Tanja on Thursday doors – 22 Janu…

	hitandrun1964 on 7422. Stapleton Road
	scooj on Thursday doors – 22 Janu…
	scooj on Thursday doors – 22 Janu…
	Cethru Cellophane on 7422. Stapleton Road
	Tanja on Thursday doors – 22 Janu…

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