Tag: London

357. Rivington Street, Shoreditch, London

Time for a little bit of a diversion from Upfest 2016…just for a few moments. With my work taking me to London for two days a week now, I am taking advantage of staying over in areas where I get great access to the London street art scene. Shoreditch is obviously the most famous place to go, and so this week I took my first steps out into the streets.

Stinkfish, Rivington Road, Shoreditch, London, August 2016
Stinkfish, Rivington Road, Shoreditch, London, August 2016

I had no idea where I was going, but it didn’t take too long to come across some really great pieces. This is by one of the the best South American street artists around at the moment – Stinkfish. This piece, outside the Bedroom Bar on Rivington Street is much smaller than his works I am used to in Bristol, but it is no less impressive.

Stinkfish, Rivington Road, Shoreditch, London, August 2016
Stinkfish, Rivington Road, Shoreditch, London, August 2016

Everything is here…the photo captured image, yellow faces and skin, and designs emanating from and around the heads of the subjects. I was very happy to find this and also to be able to recognise the artist immediately. Rewind 18 months and I would have known nothing, and would possibly have walked past without taking a closer look. I am happy now to be able to enjoy street art and share it with you. A good feeling.

Together alone

 

Me and my pizza,

the chef, waiter and bar girl;

empty restaurant.

 

by Scooj

Undone

 

Seventh to ground

breakfast and back to seventh

horror…flies undone!

 

by Scooj

City food

 

Wonderful smells drift

in and out of the street stalls

selling World cuisine.

 

by Scooj

Son

 

He will not know the

sadness I feel as I hug

him and wave goodbye.

 

by Scooj

337. Leake Street tunnel, London (3)

Everything was unexpected when I visited Leake Street Tunnel recently, not least the large number of new pieces that had been created as part of the #do1cancer campaign. It would have been easy to overlook some of the other works that had been in the tunnel…except, I find it hard to overlook anything.

Hannah Adamaszek, Leake Street, London, July 2016
Hannah Adamaszek, Leake Street, London, July 2016

Having reached the end of the tunnel, I returned the way I came – it is funny how you see different things when you go in the opposite direction. High on the ceiling was this wonderful face by Hannah Adamaszek, who I have featured a couple of times recently.

Hannah Adamaszek, Leake Street, London, July 2016
Hannah Adamaszek, Leake Street, London, July 2016

There are two notable things about this work: the first is that it must have been very awkward to do…neck-breaking; the second is that depending on where you stand, the face takes on very different appearances. More great work from Hannah, who I am expecting to see at Upfest.

London lunch

 

Smoked salmon and cream

cheese sandwiches enjoyed with

views of the river.

 

By Scooj

329. Blackstock Road, London (1)

As regular readers will know by now, I have recently taken on a new job for six months which involves being in my native London two days a week. This week, instead of staying in a lonely sad hotel, I stayed with my lovely sister and family in Stoke Newington. Ever the opportunist, I realised that this would afford me an opportunity to snap some London street art. Hurrah! This is between Finsbury Park station and my sister’s house.

Muretz, Blackstock Road, London, July 2016
Muretz, Blackstock Road, London, July 2016

This is a spectacular mural by a Sao Paulo-based artist ‘Muretz’ (Mauro Golin), which was painted when on a flying visit back in March this year. There is more about this and one other work on the excellent London Calling blog. I cannot hope to cover London works in the incredible way that London Calling does, so I won’t try to duplicate.

Muretz, Blackstock Road, London, July 2016
Muretz, Blackstock Road, London, July 2016

I think that one can predict Brazilian artists will feature skeletons in some of their work, as death is celebrated in a way quite different to the somber conventional ways in the ‘West’. I love this. It is witty and simple. A bit like Stik meets Banksy…or something. I love the way the character appears to be sitting on the steps of the house.

This is a lovely work, and I feel thrilled at coming across it. On a slightly off-topic note, I wonder if the Green Grocer is always open…the sign would suggest it is.

The tube

 

Empty expressions

sad pale figures lined up like

lambs to the slaughter.

 

by Scooj

317. Leake Street tunnel, London (2)

I think that most of the posts about the pieces I photographed in Leake Street on 4 July 2016 are going to be quite short. I say this because I am having difficulty researching the artists, and it is a world unfamiliar to me. I guess also, because I have a Bristol bias, I am lazier about finding out more about London-based artists. Is that a bad thing?

This rather charmingly grotesque piece is by Woskerski – I would guess a Polish immigrant, who like all Europeans, is most welcome in our country. I cannot express my shame at what our nation has decided to do, and how some sectors of our society think it is ok to behave in the way they have since the referendum. I will always stand shoulder to shoulder with Europe and seek greater integration, collaboration and understanding.

Woskerski, Leake Street tunnel, London, July 2016
Woskerski, Leake Street tunnel, London, July 2016

The piece was sprayed as part of the #do1cancer campaign to raise awareness and money for Colchester Hospitals Charity.