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Your Ultimate Guide to Banksy Art in Bristol

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Hey there Banksy fans! Ready to dive into the brilliant world of Banksy street art in Bristol? Get ready for an artsy adventure as you discover some of Banksy’s earliest work hidden around the city streets that will absolutely leave you in awe. So, grab your walking shoes, your sense of adventure, and get ready to discover the incredible world of Banksy art in Bristol!

Who is Banksy?

From just another kid on the streets of Bristol with a can of spray paint to a world famous street artist. Who the heck is Bansky?

Banksy is a pseudonymous England-based street artist, political activist, and film director known for his distinctive stencil-based graffiti art. Born in Bristol in 1974, he was involved in the wave of street art that took Bristol by storm in the 1980s. Banksy’s work gained significant attention in the early 2000s and he has become one of the most famous and influential contemporary artists in the world with his art found on streets, walls, and bridges in cities around the globe. His art often contains social and political messages and he is known for his satirical and thought-provoking pieces.

The identity of Banksy is not publicly known and his mysterious persona and ability to address important issues through his art have contributed to his widespread popularity and intrigue. Despite his anonymity, Banksy’s art has been exhibited in various galleries and museums, and his pieces have been sold for substantial amounts of money at auctions.

So get ready to get inspired by the man, the myth, the legend that is Banksy as you embark on an expedition to discover Bansky in Bristol.

Must-See Banksy Street Art in Bristol:

Check out our Banksy street art map below and get ready to go on a visual treasure hunt. With so many Banksy murals and masterpieces waiting to be discovered, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got your walking shoes on and your camera fully charged.

1. The Mild Mild West:

Head to the heart of Bristol’s cultural quarter, Stokes Croft to discover where Banksy painted one of his earliest and most popular murals, The Mild Mild West. The artwork, showing a teddy bear throwing a Molotov cocktail at the Police, was created over three days in broad daylight in 1999, in response to various raves held in abandoned warehouses around Bristol in the 1990s. The artwork is popular with the local community who consider it a symbol of the heritage around Stokes Croft. For the best view of this piece, head to Jamaica Street Junction.

2. Well-Hung Lover:

Towards College Green and Park Street, you’ll find one of Bristol’s most famous streets – Frogmore Street, which houses one of Banksy’s most famous pieces. Among the trendy clothing stores and quirky gift shops, look up to find a scandalous scene of a man hanging from a window, escaping his mistress’s husband.

3. The Girl with the Pierced Eardrum:

One of the freshest Banksy pieces to arrive in Bristol, The Girl With The Pierced Eardrum originally appeared on the side of a building in Bristol’s Harbourside but has since relocated to Bristol Marina. Look for a clock tower and burger van and you’ll spot this beauty.

4. Grim Reaper:

One of the most infamous Banksy’s in Bristol, Grim Reaper was originally painted on the side of the Thekla Social boat moored in Bristol Harbour. To protect it from damage and wear it was removed from this location and is now on display in Bristol’s M Shed Museum (scroll down for more M Shed info).

5. You Don’t Need Planning Permission To Build Castles In The Sky

In the city centre, near Bristol cathedral you’ll find one of Banksy’s most simple pieces, You don’t need Planning Permission To Build Castles In The Sky. Painted in 2011, this sweet stencilled street art is tucked down a small road behind the Central Library called Lower Lamb Street. Originally positioned to create a smiley face, the words are in a smiling arc under two small windows, the building has since seen a door added and one window removed, but this only adds to the piece’s quirky charm.

6. Take The Money And Run

One of Banksy’s earliest and longest surviving works in Bristol, Take The Money And Run depicts the silhouettes of three thieves against a colourful backdrop. Painted collaboratively with street artists Inky and Mobz, Banksy painted this piece freehand rather than with his signature stencils. Check it out on the wall opposite the Old England Pub on Bath Buildings Road.

7. Valentines Bansky

Banksy confirmed this mural on Marsh Lane in Barton Hill was his on Valentine’s Day 2020. Close to the youth club he frequented as a young man, Banksy painted a girl firing a catapult full of red flowers onto the side of a house. The piece has experienced vandalism on a number of occasions but serves to spread love in the backdrop of anger.

Other Ways to Experience Bansky in Bristol:

1. Go on a Bristol street art tour:

Want to dive deeper into the Banksy street art scene? Join a Bristol street art tour and go on a journey through the city’s creative heart, discovering the street art home of Banksy and exploring over 30 years of street art and graffiti art history. Discover hidden gems, learn about the stories behind the art, and immerse yourself in the vibrant culture that makes Bristol a Banksy a street art haven.

2. Attend a paint and sip session:

Looking to unleash your own creativity? Join one of our paint and sip sessions and let your inner artist shine. No experience required – just a willingness to have a great time, create some art, and sip on your favourite drinks. It’s a casual and fun way to connect with friends and embrace your artistic side.

3. Keep an eye out for Banksy Festivals and Events :

Street Art Bristol Outdoor Escape Game:

Questo City Exploration Games hosts interactive outdoor city games across the globe so keep your eye out for their street art inspired quests! An interactive activity where you are guided by a mobile app through the city packed with fun clues, challenges and interesting facts about the incredible street art.

Upfest:

Europe’s largest street art festival, Upfest is a biannual event and one of the city’s largest free-to-attend festivals. A highly anticipated event on Bristol’s cultural calendar, you do not want to miss Upfest 2024 with a stellar line-up of events planned featuring more than 300 artists painting live, music, stalls and activities.

4. Visit a Museum and Art gallery

Upfest Gallery:

While you are counting down the days on your calendar for Upfest, checkout The Upfest Gallery situated on North Street, Bedminster. Open Tuesday through Sunday, it’s Bristol’s longest running urban art gallery, with regular exhibitions from some of the top Bristol, UK and International graffiti and street artists. The Gallery offers Bristol’s widest selection of Urban, Illustration and Contemporary artwork alongside a bespoke framing service, limited run artist t-shirts and books.

Bristol Museum and Art Gallery:

Open Tuesday through Sunday and with FREE entry, you can explore collections of art, nature and history on display in a stunning piece of architecture in the city centre. Open the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery doors to an exploration about the last billion years of Earth’s history, exploring the region’s natural wonders. At the entrance you will be able to see Banksy’s Paint-Pot Angel, which is a reminder of the hugely successful ‘Banksy versus Bristol’ Museum exhibition from 2009.

M Shed Museum:

Take a 20 minute stroll over Prince Street bridge to Wapping Wharf and discover the M Shed, a museum all about Bristol. Experience amazing film and photographs, listen to moving personal stories, encounter rare and quirky objects and add your own memories of Bristol through the interactive displays. From prehistoric times to the present day, M Shed tells the story of the city and its unique place in the world.

Explore the Different Functions Offered by Pinot & Picasso’s Here!

Ready to explore more ways to experience creativity and art? Check out the variety of functions offered by Pinot & Picasso. Whether you’re planning a team-building event, celebrating a special occasion, or just looking for a unique way to spend your day, we’ve got you covered.

Learn How To Hang A Canvas On A Wall With Ease

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Pinot & Picasso UK

Your canvas is complete, your masterpiece is perfection, so naturally you are ready to show it off! But how do you hang your wall art in an easy, no fuss way?

Follow our step by step guide to display your Picasso worthy creations with ease.

What to Consider Before Hanging Your Canvas Art:

Lighting:

You want to show off the beautiful textures, details and colours of your masterpiece, so choosing an area with soft natural lighting is a must! However, direct sunlight hitting the canvas should be avoided as it may fade or discolour artworks over time.

Canvas weight:

Smaller canvas prints (up to 16 x 16 inches) can be easily supported on the wall with a saw tooth bracket attached to the top of the timber frame.

For a larger canvas, wire or string attached to the sides is the way to go as it can bear more weight and offer hanging stability.

Most importantly when choosing your hanging method, purchase hangers that are rated for the weight of your canvas, these are typically easily identified on the packaging!

Wall material:

It is essential to consider your wall material in preparation for hanging your canvas print and clean the surface before you start!

Brick or Concrete

If you are comfortable using a drill, hanging your canvas print will come with relative ease! Some important factors to consider:

  • You may need to drill holes in the wall for additional support.
  • Measure twice, drill once!
  • Both the brick and the mortar which holds the bricks together are suitable to drill into with the right tools, mortar tends to be easier to work with.
  • You will need a 1/8 inch masonry drill bit and a masonry screw of the same thickness (or slightly thicker) to screw into the hole.
  • A masonry anchor or sleeve may come in handy, these anchoring systems expand when the screw is tightened, providing a stronger hold.

Plaster

Plaster tends to be brittle and is more susceptible to cracking or breaking so drilling a small hole in the and using a plaster screw reduces the risk of damage to your wall.

You will also want to locate a wall stud, this is a piece of timber behind the plaster that you can anchor your screw to. You can pick up an electronic stud finder at the hardware store or try gently knocking along the wall, listen closely and you will hear where the cavity is hollow where there is a stud there will be a higher tone and more solid sound.

Drywall

Drywall is a user friendly surface to hang canvas art and luckily the majority of walls are constructed with this material!

There are a range of quick and straightforward drywall hanging methods that can be tackled with a few simple tools.

The best part is, unless you’re hanging something really heavy, like the weight of a baby Hippo heavy, you don’t even need to find the wall stud to hang your canvas print.

Protecting your wall:

Avoid using too much force when hammering, be careful not to scratch or dent your walls when measuring and mark out pencil lines with a light touch.

You can protect your walls from being scratched or marked by the wooden frame by applying stick on wall protection pads to the back of your canvas print.

What You Will Need to Hang Your Canvas Print:

You have read over all the basic tips on how to hang a canvas, now it’s time to collect your kit.

Head to your local hardware store and get ready to feel like Bob the Builder as you fill your trolley with these essential tools:

  • Measuring tape
  • Hammer
  • Steel wire or art wire/cord
  • D rings or sawtooth hanger
  • Spirit level

Different Ways to Hang Canvas on a Wall:

Your canvas is ready for its spotlight moment, prepare it for hanging with one of these methods.

Sawtooth hangers:

Sawtooth brackets are perfect for small, lightweight canvas prints and art, easily attached with two small screws to the wooden frame of your artwork.

D-ring hangers:

D rings come in various sizes and shapes with screw holes and screws to attach to your canvas frame. Like sawtooth hangers, these are attached with a screw to the wooden frame and string or wire is added. Take the wire or string and thread it through both D-rings, tie a knot to fasten each end, pulling taut.

Wire or string hanging:

An alternative to D rings is simply stapling wire or string to the wooden frame and tying knots firmly on each end. Standard staple guns can be purchased at your local hardware or craft store and are easy to use, just mind your fingers and make sure to double staple for a firm hold!

Picture hanging adhesive strips:

This invention is perfect for those wanting to hang a smaller canvas print who are more reluctant to grab that drill, change their minds often or are living in a rental property.

Adhesive strips for wall mounting allow you to hang smaller canvases without making holes or leaving sticky residue. They are affordable, super easy to put up and can hold up to 16 pounds.

  1. Measure and cut strips for all four sides of the canvas.
  2. Remove the backing and carefully place strips on all four sides.
  3. Position and firmly stick it to the wall.
Pinot & Picasso Hang A Canvas

FAQ:

How can I maintain my canvas and keep it clean?

Enhance the lifespan of your artworks with a regular Spring clean! The best part is, you don’t need to purchase any special cleaning products to keep those canvas prints looking fine and dandy!

For dust and surface dirt a clean, dry cloth will do the trick. If you have some more heavy residue to take care of, take a slightly damp cloth (using distilled water) and gently wipe over the canvas.

Over time temperature changes may cause your canvas print to sag a little inside of its frame and we have a simple fix!

Fill a clean spray bottle with distilled water and spray a fine mist over the back of the canvas. Leave to dry and notice how it slowly tightens up and pulls itself back into position like magic! Once fully dry, you can hang your clean, newly stretched masterpiece back on the wall.

How can I make sure my canvas art is level without using a spirit level?

A wonky picture on a slight angle is quite distracting but have no fear, there are two surefire hacks to achieving perfectly level picture placement without a spirit level!

#1 Smartphone apps – Bubble level and Spirit Level are free and easy to use, acting as a digital version of a spirit level tool.

#2 Measuring tape – Start from the ceiling and measure down the wall to the top corners of the canvas, adjust your canvas print until both corners are the exact same measurement.

What is the ideal height for hanging canvas prints on the wall?

A general rule is to hang your canvas print on the wall at eye-level, especially if you are planning to hang your masterpiece above a sofa or bed frame.

If you are ready to get fancy and follow Museum guidelines to accurately hang your canvas at eye level follow these basic tips:

  1. Lay the canvas print on a flat surface and measure from the top left corner to the bottom corner.
  2. Divide this number by two to find the canvas height centre.
  3. Add 57 inches (140cm) to this number.
  4. Measure your total number on the wall starting from the floor up mark with a pencil. This is how high the top of the canvas print needs to be from the floor.

How do I measure out a set of canvas art to hang together?

Hanging a set of wall art doesn’t need to be daunting! Consider these few basic hints to ensure a gallery worthy display:

  • Lay out your canvas prints on the floor and decide on the placement. This is where you can get creative ideas flowing, consider which one will be central, do the colours or patterns of each canvas look more complimentary in a particular order?
  • Measure out a distance of 2-4 inches between each canvas print.
  • Mark each spot on the wall with a pencil.
  • The first artwork you hang will be the central focal point of the complete layout and should be hung first, working outwards to hang the remaining canvas prints.

Are there places I should not hang canvas art?

Avoid direct sunlight so those harsh UV rays can’t infiltrate your art!

Rooms that are humid like bathrooms or kitchens tend to have a lot of moisture build up so take this into consideration when choosing the perfect location to hang your canvas.

If you absolutely need to display some awesome canvas art in your bathroom or kitchen, it’s important to apply a protective coating to your canvas to keep out moisture and clean it regularly.

Explore the Different Functions Offered by Pinot & Picasso’s Here!

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