6081. Greenbank (120)

Zeks, Greenbank, Bristol, May 2024
Zeks, Greenbank, Bristol, May 2024

Although I have found quite a few of his pieces, Zeks, as with so many Bristol artists, is a little underrepresented on Natural Adventures. One day I will try to right these wrongs, but not until I can recover a bit more time in my rather busy life. A word that I would use to describe Zeks work is a word I very rarely use, but it somehow fits his style, ‘cute’ – but I don’t mean in the cuddly puppy sense, more in the clean and joyful and sweet way.

Zeks, Greenbank, Bristol, May 2024
Zeks, Greenbank, Bristol, May 2024

Here Zeks has painted his letters in shades of pink and white, with nice interlocking patterns, and accompanied the letters with a rather cool teddy bear. What really helps this piece, and it can be said for so much graffiti writing, is the buffed background, which helps the piece stand alone from the surrounding visual noise. A very nice piece by Zeks.

5748. M32 roundabout J3 (542)

Zeks, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023
Zeks, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023

I was lucky enough to meet Zeks late last year while he was painting with Hypo and Dun Sum on a different part of the roundabout, and learned that they all live in Lawrence Weston (L Dub). Fortunately they make the trip into the centre from time to time and decorate our walls. Although I have photographed a handful of pieces by Zeks, this is the first I have published on Natural Adventures.

Zeks, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023
Zeks, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2023

I have to say that this is one of my favourite pieces of 2023. It has an originality and lightness of touch that really makes it stand out. The letters spell ZEKS, although I might have struggled to work it out without knowing the artist (and seeing the signature, of course). The pastel colours on a grey background work incredibly well, but it is the two stylised faces, with their mysterious expressions, accompanying the writing that set it off perfectly. A very nice piece indeed from Zeks – I must dig out others of his, if I can find them in my archive.