Secret Society of Super Villain Artists 3/3

 SSOVA, Upfest 2016

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has

Margaret Mead

 Deeds, Upfest 2016

Angus, SSOVA, Upfest 2016

 Diff, Upfest 2016

Georgie, Upfest 2016 

 SSOVA, Upfest 2016

RIP, SSOVA, Upfest 2016

Secret Society of Super Villain Artists 1/3

Big Issue, John D'Oh, SSOVA, Upfest 2016

All of the pictures on this page were taken at Bristol's Upfest 2016.  I had a whinge about Upfest a while ago, my problem being that so much of the art was "art students painting out doors".  There was very little political art, very little with any kind of message.  I have always associated graffiti with rebellion, the underground, a voice for the dispossessed. 

 Artist Wanted, New Fish, SSOVA, Upfest 2016

The art on this page is from the Secret Society of Supaer Villain Artists at Upfest.  Some of it addresses contemporary political issues - homelessness and Trump - some of it doesn't.  None of it looks like the CV of someone looking to get a job with the Disney Corporation or Sega.  But, Artist Wanted (above) illustrates a dilemma.  Should the graffiti artist exist underneath the radar, anonymously, working for free, getting his or her message across, all for the love of art?  

 Boris Chump, SSOVA, Upfest 2016

What does it matter? 

No-one listens to artists anyway.

Make America Hate Again, Futz, SSOVA, Upfest 2016

It's a gas, RIP, SSOVA, Upfest 2016 

 Wake me up, RIP, SSOVA, Upfest 2016

Dirty Little Man, Silent Bill, SSOVA, Upfest 2016

 Get your Christmas presents here at the

 Upfest Shop

Better late than never - Upfest 2016

I'm the solid sender

don't you want to dance with me?

starting the hurting all over again

be my water boy

here's 40 cents

I'm a believer

E zee az Ay Be See

 

Come see about me

Do I love you? (indeed I do)

kinda looks like me

Danielle Clough 

I see a rainbow on the sky

Now I'm going to take your picture

What have I done now?

Evolution, Otto Schade (Osch), Southampton

A beautiful thoughtful piece by Otto Schade in Southampton, showing Mankind at the brink, where next? Have we gone too far? Did we screw it up? Can we turn back? What have we done? What have I done now?

Alice No Wonderland, Robin Doyle (WhatHaveIDoneNow), Bristol

Indeed, what have I done now?  Another lovely piece by Robin (Whathaveidonenow) at Upfest, 2016; lovely, with dark, dark undertones

What have I done now? I took a photo of someone's tattoo.  I thought it was something wonderful but probably should have asked first.  Who's tattoo? I don't know but she painted this:

Evolution, The Agent, Skate park Bristol

Another take on evolution, this time from SSOVA's The Agent.  

 Angus & The Agent Collaboration (well, The Agent held the ladder)

upfest faces

Some or my favourite faces from Upfest, Bristol 2016.  

The Thomas Brothers, Forever,  Upfest 2016

Pronk-Stukken, Upfest 2016

Mister Feeney, Upfest 2016

Ron4RT, Upfest 2016

Pocka, Upfest 2016

  Caro Pepe, Upfest 2016

Odeith, Upfest 2016 

 RIP, Upfest

Title, Upfest 2016

Upfest 2016

 

 Rocket 01, Upfest 2016

 Karl Read, Upfest, 2016

Upfest Bristol July 2016 - the first of a few

 Fin DAC painting The Nursery, Bristol

Upfest 2016 this weekend: Europe's largest Street Art & Graffiti festival, with over 300 of "the most ground breaking, talented urban artists in the world".  There's some great art, some great graffiti.  Not everything here is graffiti, for sure.  I would argue that there's a proportion that isn't even street art.  But I'll save that for another day.

Let's start with a couple of easy ones. In a minute Pichi and Avo's big rock n roll extravaganza piece.  But first . . . Wonderful use of colour in a rather more playful than usual, cartoon like offering from Fin DAC.

 Fin DAC

Looking back down the hill, you can just make out the Upfest shop and if you look across the way there, you can see the Clifton suspension bridge.  Here's another shot of the Upfest shop:

Thanks, everyone at Upfest for organising a pretty amazing festival.  

 Pichi and Avo

Awe and wonder from Pichi and Avo