BRISTOL STREET ART TOUR
I did the "Where The Wall" street art tour with John Nation today in Central Bristol. Thanks to John for a very interesting and informative tour, something I’ve been looking to do for ages. John is a mine of information on the Bristol Street Art scene, a subject he speaks very passionately about. I’ve known John since the 80’s, drinking in local pubs, Barton Hill Youth Club and I know of his support of the red side of Bristol football.
Street art is a controversial subject; art to some people, and vandalism and graffiti to others. I love the street art, Banksy pieces and tributes to famous local people, like DJ Derek, with the huge new mural at Eastville. What I don’t like is the tagging. I use street art and graffiti for the back drops for my own Urban Headshots here:-
https://www.bristolheadshots.co.uk/blog/2020/9/23/bristol-urban-headshots
We met up on College Green by the Council House (will always call it that, not the posh new name). After a name check, being issued with regulation headphones and listening devices, we set off for the tour starting with the famous Banksy’s Well Hung Lover at the bottom of Park Street. John explained it’s history in detail, I heard every word clearly through the head phones, and he kept the group’s attention with his enthusiasm on all things Banksy. Then on through the centre to Nelson Street, up to Stokes Croft, Wilder street in St.Pauls, finishing at the Canteen. Everyone enjoyed the tour, and I would highly recommend it, even if your a Bristolian like myself. There is so much still to see and learn.
A few words from Where the Wall website:-
“Discovering the street art home of Banksy and exploring over 30 years of street art & graffiti art history in the UK’s capital of street art, Bristol”.
“The Bristol Street Art Tour has been running for over 8 years and through it’s constant positive feedback on Trip Advisor, it has developed into one of the most talked about street art tours in the world.
The tour now runs with COVID-19 safe-guarding, including listening devices to enable social distancing (please bring your own headphones), and smaller groups sizes.
The Bristol Street Art Tour is an experience and journey not to be missed!
Come and enjoy the Bristol Street Art Tour – discovering the street art home of Banksy.”
Here are a few of my images from the tour:-
The tour started outside the Council House, with John giving a brief history of Bristol Street Art
Banksy’s famous WELL HUNG LOVER on Frogmore Street.
John explaining the history of this Banksy piece. Also he mentioned about the attack on it with a paint ball gun fired from a car window, and that the same night the other Banksy piece, Mild Mild West at the Canteen in Stokes Croft, was also attacked, but the attacker did not aim straight, and little damage was done to that one.
Showing the group the plinth where Edward Colston’s statue once stood, the now infamous Bristol slave trader, which was pulled down during last year’s Kill The Bill protests by so called protesters.
‘The Vandal’ by Nick Walker is a banker-like figure dropping some paint on the city at his feet (but the feet of the subject are missing).
This huge mural by El Mac is of a Mother & Child, titled “Clothed with the Sun”
More Street Art on Nelson Street. Below Nick Walker’s Vandal piece, Tats Cru from New York’s Bronx created a huge group self-portrait mimicking the famous picture of New York construction workers. Made in 2011.
The Polish artist M-City created this piece with stencils, inspired by Bristol’s industrial past
These pieces in the walk through tunnels which emerge beside the Church of St.John, were commissioned by the Church and depicting local views, and coated in anti vandal paint.
John talking to the group about the medieval piece by Connor Harrington on Broad Street, titled, “The Duel of Bristol”
Another tunnel leading back to Nelson Street.
Giant Dog by Aryz and Stik
This piece is by Stik, who is known for painting large, black-and-white stick figures
Molotow spray paint store, Their flagship store in the UK
PixelPancho created this mechanical bird in 2012
Chinese Restaurant in Nelson Street
Former Law Courts in Bridewell Street, now an event venue
Bristol’s infamous Bear Pit, better known by locals for beggars, drunks and muggings. Now tidied up my the Lord Mayor, complete with a colourful flower mural.
Cheba “decorated” the Full Moon pub in Stokes Croft
Some Street Art behind the Full Moon pub on Moon Street
Street Art on Moon Street, Backfields area
A mixture of Street Art and tagging in the Moon Street & Wilder Street area
I love this commissioned mural on the Malthouse. The detail is amazing.
Commissioned work, with John interviewing the artist, Hazard One, on Wilder Street. Hazard a.k.a Harriet Wood was recognised in The Guardian's Top 5 female graffiti artists in the UK, followed by the Top 25 female street artists by The Huffington Post.
”I’ve spent the last week painting BS2 Lofts in St.Pauls, Bristol. This project was self directed as a result of @aceagrams DYCP fund - I’ve painted many surfaces and walls but never tall ones - this beast is 20m+ in height. This project allowed me to test out my skills at height. 😰Cherry pickers are fun aren’t they?! Huge thanks to everyone involved and the wonderful @c_warlow for being the best boom lift operator you could ask for! Film coming soon by the mighty @droproductions 🎥”
Few more images from Wilder Street & Little Bishop Street
More Street Art in the Backfields area, and the Lakota nightclub
Street drinking zone, or not
Street Art on Bristol Design Forge
Few more of the Lakota nightclub, and showing Moon street. Had a lucky escape here a few years ago when using this location for an Urban Headshots location.
One of my Urban Headshots taken in this location
More Street Art on the corner of City Road with Stokes Croft. The Yellow Face Lady was painted in 2012 by Stinkfish, the Colombian street artist, on the site where vegan restaurant Om burger now trades. It is due for a revamp when Stinkfish flies back to Bristol from Bogota, his home city.
Noticed this, as a graduation tog, a sign of things to come?
John explaining the history of these various pieces on this building
The Tour finished at the Canteen in Stokes Croft, home to Banksy’s famous Mild Mild West, and Paul the Pidgeon by HazardOne. It also features a mural inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement in Bristol.
Turbo Island, Stokes Croft
Tagging
Tagging has become a big problem in Bristol, and other major cities around the country, and the world. I noticed a lot of tagging on the Street Art Tour, and it’s sad that some of the lovely Street Art pieces have been defaced with tagging, spoiling the the artistic side of the work. John did not shy away from the subject, and explained some reasons why the taggers do it, and the kind of sentences and fines they can receive through the courts.
Here are some images I took of the tagging on the streets of Bristol:-
John explaining to the Tour group about tagging. A new type of tagging, which looks very much like a giant sticker than paint work, will get you a much reduced fine, as considered more like vandalism, than from a sentence given for tagging. Probably easier to clean up for the anti graffiti squads
Artwork spoilt by tagging
My thanks to Blocal Travel & Street Art Blog, for some of the information on Bristol’s Street Art.
https://www.blocal-travel.com/world/uk/bristol/bristol-street-art-guide/
If you’re looking for things to do in Bristol, and in particular a contemporary culture experience, this tour is for you. Without doubt the number 1 way to discover Banksy, street art and graffiti art in Bristol.