The "Disco Wolf Boy" graffiti, Bristol, Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

The "Disco Wolf Boy" is a large street art mural of a psychedelic wolf by the artist Aryz, on Rupert Street in central Bristol. It is one of the many works that have made Bristol known for graffiti, and it plays on the old fairy tale image of the wolf as a predator.

The story behind it

Aryz is a Spanish street artist who grew up in the suburbs of Barcelona. He has painted large-scale murals in many countries, and his work often pairs human figures with giant, strange creatures. The Disco Wolf Boy is one of these creatures, with a wolf drawn in vivid, hallucinatory style.

The wolf has a long history in folk tales, where it is usually the menacing hunter. The best-known example is Little Red Riding Hood, in which the wolf disguises itself as the girl's grandmother so it can surprise and eat her. The story has changed over time. In the first published version the wolf eats the girl and that is the end. The later Brothers Grimm version adds a hunter who rescues her by cutting the wolf open. Earlier oral versions let Red Riding Hood escape on her own. Some readers interpret the tale as a story about coming of age, with the girl leaving home and emerging changed from the wolf.

What to look for

• Look at the sheer scale of the wolf, which is painted to be read from across the street as well as up close.
• Notice the psychedelic treatment of the animal, which makes it feel more strange than frightening.
• Think about the fairy tale behind the image and whether this wolf looks like a villain, a trickster or something else.
• Keep an eye on the walls nearby, because Bristol's street art changes often and other works sit close by.

Tips for your visit

• It is street art on a public street, so you see it from the pavement and there is nothing to go inside.
• Ten minutes is plenty for the mural itself, longer if you want to photograph it or explore the surrounding streets.
• Daylight is best for seeing the colours and details. Street art can fade or be painted over, so it is worth checking recent photos before a special trip.
• Combine it with a wider walk through central Bristol, since the city has many murals within easy walking distance.

See it on a quest

The mural is a stop on Street Art Bristol: From Banksy to the Capital of Graffiti Walking Tour & Escape Game. You reach it on foot as one part of a longer route through the city's street art, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle right in front of the wall. There is no guide and no group to join, so you can start whenever you like. This quest is paid, and one ticket covers the whole group.