Although an infrequent visitor, The Mole is in Bristol often enough to usually make it into the pages of Natural Adventures, and into the galley pipeline. The Mole has used some sumptuous colours for this piece and presented them on a black background, which I think works, although I have been trying to imagine if any other colours might have been better and have drawn a blank.
The Mole, M32 Cycle path, Brisol, October 2023
The writing/mole character combination is a winner, but the star of the show is surely the fills. The three horizontal colour tones progress really nicely, and thin lines and designs bleed from one horizontal band into the one above. Very nicely thought out and beautifully finished, this is a great piece from The Mole.
There are absolutely no signs of Bean slowing down at all. The young artist has been smashing out his character/writing pieces with incredible regularity throughout the summer, and I already have easily enough for a gallery of his work, although I have a pipeline in preparation, and his gallery might need to find a slot in the queue.
Bean, Brunel Way, Bristol, September 2023
This piece combines Bean’s central character with writing that spells out BEAN. The blue-faced cartoon character fits the Bean style perfectly, with each colour block containing a light and dark tone to bring out a bit of depth. The writing is really accomplished and has excellent fills in three horizontal sections. I feel like Bean is a man in a hurry, and perhaps he should draw breath and develop some elements of his work. I think that his pieces would definitely benefit from a buffed background, to remove competing distractions, for example. If he keeps developing and learning, Bean will go far.
A gallery of graffiti writing from Ugar, a Hungarian artist who painted in Bristol between 2017 and 2019.
All photographs by Scooj
Ugar, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2019Ugar, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2019Ugar, New Stadium Road, Bristol, June 2019Ugar, M32 cycle path, Bristol, May 2019Ugar, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2019Ugar, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2018Ugar, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2018Nevergiveup and Ugar, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2018Ugar, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2018Ugar, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2018Ugar, Dean Lane, Bristol, January 2018Ugar, The Bearpit, Bristol, November 2017Ugar, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2017Ugar, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2017Ugar, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2017Kid Crayon and Ugar, The Bearpit, Bristol, November 2017
I was fortunate enough to be driving by when Stivs and Vane were pretty much finishing off this piece, but couldn’t take any pictures at that time, because Vane had parked his van in front of it while they were clearing away all their gear. I didn’t go back immediately, knowing that it was a commission piece that would be respected by taggers.
Stivs and Vane, Mina Road, Bristol, August 2023
The fantasy woodland piece is a true collaboration, where it is not possible to disentangle which artist painted which bits of the extraordinary work. The piece is quite unusual in Bristol, as we don’t get to see many of this kind of collaborative mural. Each of the artists has included some letters, with Stivs writing DSC on the left and Vane writing TAF on the right.
Stivs and Vane, Mina Road, Bristol, August 2023
The almost Disneyesque style of the piece, it reminds me a little of Sleeping Beauty, is compelling to look at and beautifully executed. So absorbing is the piece that it is difficult to see that there is a garage door right in the middle. A garage door that once played host to an outstanding piece by Silent Hobo. This is something you might usually associate with Upfest and a premium wall in Bedminster, but here it is in Mina Road, thanks to an enlightened resident. Bravo gentlemen!
Kid Krishna, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, September 2023
Earlier on this year, perhaps the most productive and creative street artist in Bristol for a while was arguably Kid Krishna. He was smashing it all over the place with his writing/character mash-ups and then, all of a sudden, nothing until about three weeks ago. I know that he had some other projects on the go and perhaps he was working on those.
Kid Krishna, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, September 2023
This piece, on his return, is much softer and rounded than what I am used to seeing, but still characteristically a Kid Krishna piece. The letters spell CRIE, not that you’d be able to guess just by looking at it. I would describe this piece as more ‘mainstream’ than some of his work, but he has since painted something a little bit more ‘scratchy’ in St Werburghs. I hope that we will be seeing more of his street work over the remainder of the year.
This lovely script writing piece by Logoe was one of nine painted during a frenzied 24 hour period of activity when he visited Bristol a few weeks back. I think I only managed to find five of them, and often these blitz pieces get painted over quite quickly, depending on where they are.
Logoe, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2023
It would be inconsistent of me to say I like the colours used in this piece, because I have said repeatedly on Natural Adventures that brown colour palettes are probably my least favourite. What he has done here is great to see… just a shame it is brown.
This is not the easiest canvass on which to paint, but Mudra has more than coped, in fact he has excelled, with this piece, painted during a bit of a paint jam alongside Kosc, Nugmoose, Momma Nature and Peggy. I get the feeling that Mudra drew the short straw regarding wall space. What you can’t really tell from the pictures is that Mudra has painted on a low slope of about 20 degrees – back breaking stuff… even the dog thinks so.
Mudra, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2023
The writing itself is another masterclass from Mudra, devoting a different design to each of the letters but somehow combining them seamlessly. In the middle is a little vehicle that looks a little bit like a Sinclair C5, but might be something else entirely. I like this piece a lot and have great admiration for the end result on a very tricky bit of concrete.
An important element of photographing and writing about street/graffiti art is keeping your eyes open at all times and noticing little differences or flashes of colour that might not have been there before. Having a keen eye and observing everything, which spills over into an appreciation for the built environment and architecture. This piece by The Last One, is a little tucked away and above the normal field of view, sitting on the roof of the swimming pool next to the skate park. It is also very difficult to photograph, unless you are strong and brave enough to climb up on to the flat roof.
The Last One, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2023
This is the third piece I have posted by The Last One, and each of them has been an absolute beauty. His writing/character combinations are perfectly balanced and show off his skills with both. The chrome letters spell LAST, in his distinctive style and the cat character, which at first I thought was the Looney Tunes Sylvester Cat but actually isn’t, is well presented. A little research tells me the cat is actually Penelope Pussycat. Looking forward to more visits from the incredibly talented The Last One.
As a rule, Mudra usually paints alongside other artists and it has been a long time since I found a piece that he painted alone… until I came across this one last month. The piece is carefully placed around the southern tunnel entrance on the M32 roundabout, where the River Frome emerges from its culvert.
Mudra, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2023
In painting around this corner, Mudra has had to remove the posters that blight this area, doing us all a favour in the process (although a quick trip to the bin might have been in order). Mudra has painted his letters in a subtle blend of colours from bronze to rose to grey/white, an unusual combination that looks quite spectacular. The centrepiece is the skull, taking the place of the letter ‘D’, which has been really well observed and recreated. Sometimes skulls just don’t look like skulls, but this one looks pretty anatomically correct from what I can see. A smoking cigar has been added for additional effect. This is an unusual and unexpected piece from the brilliantly creative Mudra.
Silent Hobo and Inkie, Tobacco Factory, Bristol, September 2023
The huge wall on the side of the Tobacco Factory, opposite Aldi, is arguably the premium wall in Bristol, curated by Upfest for some of the best artists to decorate. The last piece painted here was from Upfest 2022, and was probably reaching the end of its sell-by date. It is one of so many Upfest pieces I haven’t got round to sharing on Natural Adventures… yet.
Silent Hobo and Inkie, Tobacco Factory, Bristol, September 2023
Two of Bristol’s finest and most established artists have combined to paint this incredible tribute to the city and more specifically Bedminster, Silent Hobo and Inkie. The mural is in two distinct sections, the top half writing and frame by Inkie, and the busy scene by Silent Hobo.
Silent Hobo and Inkie, Tobacco Factory, Bristol, September 2023
Inkie painted a few pieces while he was in Bristol, which tends to happen, because he is a very busy artist, taking commissions all over the globe, and seemingly forever on the move. The words ‘Planet Local’ are beautifully painted in his characteristic style, and nicely decorated with stars, creating a perfect backdrop for Silent Hobo’s storytelling below.
Silent Hobo and Inkie, Tobacco Factory, Bristol, September 2023
There is always so much going on in Silent Hobo’s work and the way he presents the ordinary Bristol scenes is quite unique. There is an authenticity and warmth in this piece that captures relatable goings on; a boy playing with his toys, a sleeping cat, a young couple, a chef making a delivery and a young singer all occupy the left hand side of the piece.
Silent Hobo and Inkie, Tobacco Factory, Bristol, September 2023
To the right, there is more bustle and deliveries and a rather strange walking house. A hen and bee get in on the action too, and everything is overlaid on a background of classic Bristolian architecture. There is an honesty and lightness in this piece which is a perfect antidote to our everyday preoccupations and concerns, reminding us that life is beautiful and good.
