Tag: London

Thursday doors

Door 28

Door to the Abbey garden, Westminster
Door to the Abbey garden, Westminster

About 18 months ago I was on a secondment with my work, and spent two days a week in Westminster. This gave me the opportunity to reacquaint myself with parts of London as a visitor, rather than as a Londoner, which I am originally, having been brought up in North London. I left in my twenties, lived in different parts of the country and abroad and have been settled in Bristol now for about 26 years or so.

The great thing about seeing things through a visitor’s eyes is that nothing is ignored or taken for granted, every small detail examined and logged. It is so easy to miss that with which you are most familiar.

So…to the door. This door is in the wall surrounding Westminster Abbey garden, a door which most people simply walk past. For me it is not the wood or hinges, or even the sombre utilitarian sign that holds the interest, but it is the surrounding doorway, the mix of stonework and the way it is keyed into the wall itself that I am attracted to. Of course, there is also the mystery…What lies beyond? Who goes there? How can you get in?

A top secret garden.

by Scooj

More doors at: Thursday Doors – Norm 2.0

 

1419. Shoreditch, London (5)

The first time I saw work by Unify was when my wife had spotted a piece in Cotham, Bristol next to a Nick Walker ‘Vandal’ piece on the wall of the Highbury Vaults. At that time I had no idea the artist was based in London. How much I wish he would return to Bristol and leave us some of his spectacular stencil pieces.

Unify, Shoreditch, London, February 2018
Unify, Shoreditch, London, February 2018

His pieces tend to be quite small, and often in a portrait orientation…maybe it is the way he likes to cut his stencils. I love this teddy with a balloon composed of ‘unify’ tags, something a little sad and also happy occurring. Another thing about tjhis artist is his eye for selectingh great walls. This one is pretty much perfect.

1418. Shoreditch, London (4)

On a trip to Shoreditch a little while back I came across this unusual and very attractive piece by Raphael Gindt, a young artist from Luxembourg. This is the first time I have seen any of his work and I know precious little about him.

Raphael Gindt, Shoreditch, London, February 2018
Raphael Gindt, Shoreditch, London, February 2018

I took a look on Instagram, and found his feed where he actually has a video of him painting this piece. What is interesting is that he uses palette knives which he loads up with spray paint and then smears onto the wall, a technique I’ve not seen before.

Raphael Gindt, Shoreditch, London, February 2018
Raphael Gindt, Shoreditch, London, February 2018

On his website, Raphael Gindt describes himself as an urban artist, street artist, muralist, surrealist, painter. A quick look at his street work demonstrated the obvious talent he has and the range of his artwork. This particular piece has a soulful quality and is eye-grabbing. I’d like to see more of his work but I’m not sure if Bristol is on his radar.

1320. Chalk Farm (4)

This sensational piece, which was part of the Ferdinand estate initiative organised by Global Street art and Camden Council, is by Bristol’s very own Andy Council. So good to see an artist’s work in London that I am very familiar with.

Andy Council, Chalk Farm Estate, London, November 2017
Andy Council, Chalk Farm Estate, London, November 2017

This has all the hallmarks of a great AC piece: An animal (in this case a horse with a flowing mane), a fantastic colour palette and the whole being composed of architectural elements and local landmarks.

Andy Council, Chalk Farm Estate, London, November 2017
Andy Council, Chalk Farm Estate, London, November 2017

I remember seeing this on social media when he first sprayed it and thinking that I would probably never see it. When I found it, I certainly hadn’t been looking for it. If I had done my homework properly I would have known where to look. Somehow though I prefer to wander around places using my instinct to track down potentioal street art spots. It is like a sixth sense.

1319. Castlehaven Road, Camden Town (2)

When I first saw this piece, I thought I had found another Gregos mask, but I was wrong. It is a piece by Urban Solid, a street art duo from Italy. To see more of their work, take a read of this great blog by London Calling.

Urban Solid, Castlehaven Road, Camden Town, November 2017
Urban Solid, Castlehaven Road, Camden Town, November 2017

Unfortunately, I looks like the piece has been damaged, there is meant to be something in the mouth of the face, but it has been snapped off. I am a fan of this kind of 3D installation art that challenges the viewer with humour and sometimes political rhetoric. All part of the broad spectrum.

1318. Castlehaven Road, Camden Town (1)

My not-so-recent trip to Camden Town took me back to some places that I had been to on previous visits. This was a particular joy to behold. Always, seeing Dzia pieces is thrilling but to see one so perfectly worked into a wall with an existing piece is just perfect.

Dzia, Castlehaven Road, Camden Town, November 2017
Dzia, Castlehaven Road, Camden Town, November 2017

I first saw this wall, with only the Dotmaster piece in September 2016, but the additional character that the Dzia pigeon has given it works so well. I love the clever touch of the pigeon’s heart, as if it is saying I love this piece.

Dzia, Castlehaven Road, Camden Town, November 2017
Dzia, Castlehaven Road, Camden Town, November 2017

One just has to marvel at the way the lines and shapes that Dzia draws, which on their own don’t make any sense, come together to create such astonishingly lifelike creatures that appear to be animated. Such clever work from this exceptional Belgian artist.

1309. Shoreditch, London (3)

When looking for street art outside the borders of Bristol, it is always a genuinely pleasant experience to find a piece by a Bristol artist. And so it was in this fortuitous instance while wandering around Shoreditch fairly aimlessly, because I don’t know my way around. On a hoarding I saw a very familiar sight that was rather comforting, a couple of pieces by Decay.

Decay, Shoreditch, London, February 2018
Decay, Shoreditch, London, February 2018

Although Decay is a migrant Bristolian, a buit like me, I still consider him to be part of the city. In this first piece, Decay looks like he is branching out a little from his usual concentric shapes – I have seen another piece similar to this one recently. I think it works.

Decay, Shoreditch, London, February 2018
Decay, Shoreditch, London, February 2018

Right next to this first piece, Decay has painted one of his works which is altogether more familiar. I believe he sprayed these only a day or two before I photographed them, which is great, especially as I had no idea he had been in the area. A serendipitous trip to London, certainly in my case.

Decay, Shoreditch, London, February 2018
Decay, Shoreditch, London, February 2018

Two more fine pieces from Decay.

1308. Shoreditch, London (2)

Shok1 is a very well known London street artist whose x-ray pieces are instantly recognisable. In this side street, which I almost missed, he has sprayed a remarkable picture of a hand tossing a drinks can away.

Shok1, Shoreditch, London, February 2018
Shok1, Shoreditch, London, February 2018

I remember watching him at Upfest 2016 when he sprayed the x-ray skull of a unicorn and couldn’t believe the painstaking work that went into creating the misty effect of his pieces. He would spray a mist, step back, return, spray a mist, step back, return dozens of times over until the layering and tone was exactly right.

Shok1, Shoreditch, London, February 2018
Shok1, Shoreditch, London, February 2018

I think that Shok1 has cornered the market in this kind of work, a little bit like Fanakapan and his helium balloons. It would be interesting to see what other styles he could do, with his exceptional understanding of anatomy.

1307. Shoreditch, London (1)

I went to stay with my sister in London for a night a little while ago, and before getting on the train at Paddington to come home to Bristol, I took a bit of a diversion to Shoreditch. It was on this street art hunting expedition that I dropped and broke my camera, which was incredibly annoying. All good now though as I was covered on our insurance policy and I have a new, slightly better, camera.

Thierry Noir, Shoreditch, London, February 2018
Thierry Noir, Shoreditch, London, February 2018

One of the first pieces I saw (before broken camera) was this wonderful musical character by Thierry Noir. I love the apparent simplicity of his work and the bold colours he uses which add character to the locations he paints. I always think there are elements of a fusion of Picasso and Matisse in his work, but that might just be me. I do like this piece a lot…pity about the car parked right in front of it though!

1270. Camden Town van (2)

Following on swiftly from my last post, I have another van from Camden Town, beautifully decorated, this time by Sr.X, a Spanish street artist who now resides in London.

Sr. X, Camden Town, London, November 2017
Sr. X, Camden Town, London, November 2017

His work reminds me very much of the cartoons created by Glen Baxter. There is a retro feel going on here which is peppered with contemporary references and some quirky dark humour.

Sr. X, Camden Town, London, November 2017
Sr. X, Camden Town, London, November 2017

This is a beautifully worked piece that I feel very lucky to have stumbled across. It always pays to keep your eyes open. You can see more of Sr.X’s stunning work on his website.