1946. Shoreditch, London (18)

Ok, ok I hear you, I should have posted this last year, but I didn’t right? so I am doing it now. Continuing on the theme of trawling through archives, I found this piece by Bonzai from a trip to Shoreditch back in February 2018, but hadn’t made the connection to the piece I posted by Bonzai from my more recent visit in November.

Bonzai, Shoreditch, London, February 2018
Bonzai, Shoreditch, London, February 2018

These pictures are a bit rubbish for two reasons. I had dropped and broken my camera about five minutes earlier and so had to use my iPhone and the road was rather busy, and I couldn’t get out far enough (without risk of death) to catch the whole piece. Maybe this is why I never posted it first time round. It is a great piece though…that melting chrome look is stunning.

1936. Shoreditch, London (16)

I think I timed my November trip to Shoreditch really well as it seemed that there were a whole load of fairly recent pieces, one of which is this extraordinary chrome rabbit underlit with pink light by Fanakapan. Better know for his helium balloon-style paintings, Fanakapan has in this instance gone for a solid chrome piece and shares some techniques with artists such as Bonsai.

Fanakapan, Shoreditch, London, November 2018
Fanakapan, Shoreditch, London, November 2018

At first when I saw this I wasn’t entirely sure it was by Fanakapan, because it is a bit different from other pieces I have seen by him. The face of the rabbit is brilliantly worked and as for the neon crown…doers it get any better than this?

1933. Shoreditch, London (13)

Bonzai is yet another artist I am unfamiliar with, but what a pleasure it was to discover him for the first time. This was one of two recent pieces, as described by the brilliant London Calling blog.

Bonzai, Shoreditch, London, November 2018
Bonzai, Shoreditch, London, November 2018

The effect of molten chrome is simply outstanding, and yet if you look at the piece carefully is reasonably simply constructed with colours that trick your eyes. I absolutely love this kind of work and will definitely be on the look out for more from this artist on future London trips.

1314. M32 roundabout J3 (67)

I am not entirely certain, but I think this piece is by Hemper. For sure the writing spells HEMP, but it is possiblt this is a drug reference and nothing at all to do with Hemper. Whoever it is by, it is a nice bit of chrome writing set on a green and purple wall for a background.

Hemper, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2017
Hemper, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2017

Walls seem to feature a lot in street art. I suppose that along with spray cans, walls are one half of the tools of the trade. This is a nice piece that seems to have stood the test of time in a location that normally has a high turnover. Finally, who can’t agree with the statement ‘homes for all’?

1224. Dean Lane skate park (98)

What a lovely Christmas present from Mr Draws. He sprayed this enormous chrome burner just before Christmas Day and what is difficult to convey is its size. It is an impressive and fun piece.

Mr Draws, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2017
Mr Draws, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2017

It is so good to have a regular feed of Mr Draws pieces, which he finds time to spray, in between woking in his studio on his mountains. I love this bloke.