Tag: London

2206. Allen Gardens, London (3)

Sometimes it is just too difficult to talk about how good a piece really is, because the words used are clumsy and don’t really do the artist justice. This is a case in point. It is a zombie piece (not to everyone’s taste) by JXC, an artist I have come across a couple of times at Upfest.

JXC, Allen Gardens, London, November 2018
JXC, Allen Gardens, London, November 2018

Everything about this is good – an arresting subject, incredible precision and artwork, great colour selection and a level of detail rarely seen on the street. As an observer, sometimes it is just so hard to comprehend how these guys do this with spray cans, I am left in awe. As you can see, I rather like this piece which I photographed in London back in November last year.

JXC, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
JXC, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
JXC, Upfest, Bristol July 2016
JXC, Upfest, Bristol July 2016
JXC, Upfest, Bristol July 2016
JXC, Upfest, Bristol July 2016

2185. Hanbury Street, London (2)

I am often caught in two minds about the ‘high-end’ street art that is much more common in London than in Bristol, because it can appear to forget where its roots are sometimes. This is a fairly weak observation, because actually I pretty much love the entire street/graffiti art spectrum, but what I particularly love about Dale Grimshaw’s work is that for me it bridges the gap between the street and the posh stuff so very well.

Dale Grimshaw, Hanbury Street, London, April 2019
Dale Grimshaw, Hanbury Street, London, April 2019

This amazing piece is typical of Dale Grimshaw’s work and was painted a day or two before I took this picture, so I tyhink I got really lucky. Here’s what he had to say abou it on Instagram:

Latest wall piece in London. Imagery from PNG but highlighting the occupation & atrocities in West Papua by Indonesia.

A man with a message and exceptional talent.

2184. Brick Lane (4)

Sometimes you need to be eagle-eyed. Many of you will be familiar with the work of French artist C215 (Christian Guemy) and will have seen pieces by him in Paris or London, or indeed all over Europe. It is his cats in particular that he is really well known for and here is a rather old looking and very small C215 cat in Brick Lane.

C215, Brick Lane, London, April 2019
C215, Brick Lane, London, April 2019

This one was so very well ‘camouflaged’ by all the other busy scrawls on the door that if I had blinked I would have missed it. His work has such a deft touch that brings his pieces to life. I am amazed that in such a small two-tone piece, the character of the cat comes shining through. A brilliantly talented artist.

 

 

2183. Allen Gardens, London (2)

It was great to be able to show my sister this wall back in April, because pretty much the entire length of it was  being actively sprayed. It is not often that you happen to be in the right place at the right time to witness a paint jam in progress, especially when Tizer is involved.

Bapsta and Tizer, Allen Gardens, London, April 2019
Bapsta and Tizer, Allen Gardens, London, April 2019

I believe the artist in the picture is Bapsta and that Tizer was probably wandering around, because even though the artists were doing their finishing touches, I don’t think they had started to disperse. If I had been here alone I expect I would have spoken to a few of them because I really don’t know much about the London scene.

It was a privilege and a bit of luck to see these guys in action.

2182. Allen Gardens, London (1)

One of the refreshing things about visiting Shoreditch or Camden Town is that every piece I see is a new discovery. What I mean by that is I don’t really follow London street art on social media, so when I see a piece ‘in the flesh’ it is usually the first time I have seen it or even know of it. In Bristol, I will have seen the majority of street/graffiti art works on Instagram before I ‘find’ them and photograph them. What this also means is that I know relatively little about the London artists, and for my own sanity probably need to keep it that way.

Cokyone, Allen Gardens, London, April 2019
Cokyone, Allen Gardens, London, April 2019

When I visited Allen Gardens in April I think that this piece by Cockyone was relatively new, it certainly looked incredibly fresh. When it comes to birds I think that kingfishers are a real crowd-pleaser, because of their beauty and character, and they frequently feature in street art. I think this is a wonderful piece, skilfully blending abstract grayscale patterns with the vibrant colours of the bird and the crown tops the whole thing off nicely.

2181. Nomadic Community Garden, London (2)

This is a wild, weird and wonderfully executed piece at the entrance of the Nomadic Community Garden just off Brick Lane by the London-based artist Woskerski. I know that skulls are not everyone’s cup of tea, but they play a hugely important part in the street art scene… don’t ask me why, they just do.

Woskerski, Nomadic Community Garden, London, April 2019
Woskerski, Nomadic Community Garden, London, April 2019

Now any skull has a rather dark look about it, but this one is both dark and slightly crazy. There is something disconcerting about that eye floating in its socket and the X in the other socket. What I love about the piece though is the textures and lines and shading that give the piece definition and depth. A masterful work.

2180. Rivington Street, London, (8)

This doorway (if you care to look on streetview, which is a little out of date now) used to be reasonably clean, and only the little squirrel stencil (bottom right) by Bristol’s Stewy occupied the space. Things move fast in the street art/graff world and I have seen dozens of wheatpastes and larger pieces on the doors. This one I think has to be the pick of the bunch.

Nether410, Rivington Street, London, April 2019
Nether410, Rivington Street, London, April 2019

Although I had been aware of this beautiful piece by Nether410 from my trip to Shoreditch last November, it wasn’t until I visited in April this year that I actually found it. There is a big story unfolding, which touches on incarceration and freedom, humanity and nature. A stunning and thoughtful piece. Skylark security can piss off though. (My apologies).

Thursday doors

Doors 69. Fournier Street (Part 2) – 25 April 2019

The second installment of doors from Fournier Street in the East End of London from a couple of weeks back. This week there is a bit of shutter action as well, and I suppose they are a kind of door, aren’t they? Here we go then…

Door with beautiful surround, Fournier Street, London, April 2019
Door with beautiful surround, Fournier Street, London, April 2019
Door knocker and grille, Fournier Street, London, April 2019
Door knocker and grille, Fournier Street, London, April 2019
Another slightly wonky door to a garden, Fournier Street, London, April 2019
Another slightly wonky door to a garden, Fournier Street, London, April 2019
Fine door and matching shutters, Fournier Street, London, April 2019
Fine door and matching shutters, Fournier Street, London, April 2019
Dark blue door and matching shutters, Fournier Street, London, April 2019
Dark blue door and matching shutters, Fournier Street, London, April 2019
Door eleven, Fournier Street, London, April 2019
Door eleven, Fournier Street, London, April 2019
Eleven and a half! Fournier Street, London, April 2019
Eleven and a half! Fournier Street, London, April 2019
Great doors, great shutters, great colours, Fournier Street, London, April 2019
Great doors, great shutters, great colours, Fournier Street, London, April 2019

So that’s is for this week, back to something a little more mundane next time.

If you like doors and want to see more from around the globe then visit the inspiration behind Thursday Doors go and take a look at Norm 2.0 blog where there are links to yet more doors in the commemnts at the end.

Rebellion continues

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In Parliament Square

I’m awestruck by the protest

and I meet a friend.

.

by Scooj

  • Extinction Rebellion is a selfless movement that has a global future very much in mind. I must find a way to get involved without risk of losing my job.

2150. Rivington Street, London (7)

I have a terrible feeling that I might have walked past this marvellous piece by Stik several times over the last year or two. It doesn’t look especially new, but I have just never noticed it before… there is always reward in looking up.

Stik, Rivington Street, London, April 2019
Stik, Rivington Street, London, April 2019

I have said it before about his pieces, but it is incredible how much emotion he manages to convey with these simplest of characters that have no features other than dots for eyes. It is also interesting how your mind completes the picture where the windows break up the artwork. Rivington Street is a great place to see street art, and if you should happen to go, don’t forget to look up.