"Let it Bloom", Bristol, Guida per visitatori e cosa fare nei dintorni

"Let it Bloom" is a mural by Bristol-born street artist Jody Thomas at 16 Charlotte Street in the centre of Bristol. Painted in 2018 for The Florist restaurant, it shows a florist whose face is hidden behind flowers that are ready to blossom. It is a good example of the city's street art scene, where murals sit on ordinary streets rather than in galleries.

The story behind it

The Florist restaurant commissioned the piece in 2018. Jody Thomas chose to work with the weathered wall rather than hide it, so the aged surface gives the painting a vintage feel. The flowers cover the florist's face, which leaves the figure anonymous and lets the blooms carry the picture.

Thomas was born in Bristol, and his early work was inspired by indie music and LP covers. That fits the city, where musicians such as Massive Attack, Portishead and Tricky shaped the trip-hop sound and helped make Bristol a place where music and street art grew up side by side.

What to look for

• The face of the florist is covered by flowers, so look at how the blooms are arranged to take the place of the features.
• The weathered wall is part of the design, so notice how its worn texture adds to the vintage look of the painting.
• The flowers are shown ready to blossom, which gives the whole mural a feeling of something about to open.
• The mural belongs to The Florist, so see how it fits the name and character of the place it was made for.

Tips for your visit

• You see it from the street, so you only need a few minutes to look properly and take photos.
• Daylight shows the texture of the wall and the colours best, and a bright, even light helps with photos.
• It sits in central Bristol, so it combines easily with a wider walk through the nearby streets and other murals.
• The mural is outdoors and The Florist is a restaurant, so check current opening hours if you plan to go inside for a meal.

See it on a quest

The best way to see "Let it Bloom" is as one stop on Street Art Bristol: From Banksy to the Capital of Graffiti Walking Tour & Escape Game. You reach the mural on foot as part of a longer route through the area, the app tells you about the artwork when you arrive, and you solve a puzzle on the spot, so you look at the wall far more closely than you would walking past. There is no guide and no group to join, and you can start whenever you like. One ticket covers the whole group.