Written by Patrick Balfe
Street Artists of Bristol presents original works and prints from prolific street artists Inkie, Cheo, Andy Council, Farrah Fortnam, Cheba, and Sepr.
What to expect
Over three weekends, Street Artists of Bristol will exhibit a cross-section of Bristol’s street art movement. The event brings together works from pioneers of Bristol’s legendary 1980s street art scene as well as later generations who brought new ideas and diverse styles to the streets.
Highlighting the artistic and cultural evolution of the art form, the exhibition demonstrates how street art in Bristol and globally has grown from its gritty, underground roots to gain international prominence and artistic regard. Drawing on Bristol’s cultural intersections, the works presented showcase the diverse styles and influences of each artist, from Western comic book traditions to Japanese manga influences.
All pieces at the exhibition will be for sale, ranging in price from ¥4,000 to ¥120,000. Sticker sets and original T-shirts will also be available.
Artists
Inkie was there when Bristol’s graf scene was born in the mid-80s, then a teenager, and developed his diverse but distinctive style as the culture took off. The scale and boldness of his pieces, the technical skill they display, as well as his work as an organizer of events and festivals, have made him as much a legend as Banksy in his hometown, and recognised by the UK’s top publications as one of the country’s most influential artists in his own right. Under the Tracks curator Natsume has known Inkie since the late 90s and, through their friendship, was able to interview Banksy in a pub in London in the early 00s for the Japan-UK culture magazine Exposure
Cheba
Cheba emerged in the early 2000s, painting rapid, street-ready designs with raw energy, evolving over time into a distinctive style that fuses bold colours, cosmic imagery, and an exploratory approach into abstraction. Still active as a muralist, his striking canvases and prints have become sought after internationally.
Andy Council
Known for his distinctive fantastical creatures and scenes created by combining architectural elements, natural forms, and recognizable landmarks, Andy’s playful works blend intricate detail with a sense of storytelling and social commentary concerning the relationship between humans and their surroundings.
Farrah Fortnam
With flowing, vivid brushstrokes and bold palettes, each of Farrah’s abstract paintings is an invitation to share her awe and wonder at the beauty, energy, and interconnectedness of Earth’s forest and ocean ecologies, and perhaps act to protect them. Already an accomplished canvas artist, Farrah painted her first mural during Covid-19 lockdown; she has since been commissioned to paint hundreds across Bristol and the UK.
Cheo
A legend of the Bristol graffiti scene, Cheo’s much-loved characters are inspired by both western comics and Japanese computer game, manga, and anime culture. His trademark bee and other recurring motifs make him one of the most recognisable street artists working today, while his colour marker illustrations, pastiche contemporary Japanese culture, are collected internationally.
Born and bred in Bristol, UK, Sepr is a prolific character-based artist whose work can be seen on walls across Bristol and the UK, on album covers and gig posters for bands like the Foo Fighters, Melvins, and Queens of the Stone Age, and now as an increasingly sought-after tattoo artist. With his work included in exhibitions across five continents, Sepr’s characters and witty compositions clearly resonate across genre and cultures.
The space
Under the Tracks is a contemporary art and ceramics gallery nestled under the Toyoko train line, a 5-minute walk from Naka-meguro Station that pops up every weekend in the design studio of consulting firm, Fabric.
Divided into two spaces, the larger hosts temporary exhibitions, typically two to four weekends long, ranging from prolific Japanese ceramic artists to some of the UK’s most celebrated contemporary artists.
The smaller space is a permanent “select shop” open every weekend and some holidays featuring an evolving exhibition of works by innovative Japanese ceramic artists, from ¥2,500 coffee mugs to ¥250,000 objét. It also sells prints and pieces from previous exhibitions.
Curated by Natsume and James Hollow, exhibitions express their interests in creating spaces between genre and cultures for innovation, and identifying fresh talent to break through and established artists to break boundaries.
Entry
Entry is free.
How to get there
This event takes place at Under the Tracks Gallery, studio J3-J4 in Nakame Gallery Street in Nakameguro. Under the Tracks gallery is a 5-minute walk from Naka-meguro Station.
Find out more about Street Artists of Bristol and Under the Tracks via their Instagram.
Organizers may cancel events, alter schedules, or change admission requirements without notice. Always check official sites before heading to an event.
