Tag: Telephone

5840. Manchester, Northern Quarter

D7606, Northern Quarter, Manchester, February 2024
D7606, Northern Quarter, Manchester, February 2024

I recently visited Manchester for a work meeting, the second visit I have made in a matter of a few months, and made the most of the morning before the meeting started to revisit the Northern Quarter. I spend about an hour weaving my way through all the little backstreets, snapping away at so many pieces of street art and graffiti – it was like being a child in a sweet shop. Among all the pieces, I found several wheatpastes from D7606, who hasn’t appeared on these pages for a long while. I don’t know how old some of these paste ups are, but they appear to have weathered pretty well.

D7606, Northern Quarter, Manchester, February 2024
D7606, Northern Quarter, Manchester, February 2024

I have met D7606 when he has been visiting Bristol for Upfest, but it is becoming increasingly difficult for wheatpasters at the festival, because the organisers have to remove posters and paste ups after the event, so they are discouraged, which is a pity.

D7606, Northern Quarter, Manchester, February 2024
D7606, Northern Quarter, Manchester, February 2024

Here are some wonderful post boxes, telephone boxes and old style telephones with some celebrity additions for you to enjoy. Original ideas that are executed well and replicated all over the country. Great to see some more of D7606’s work (I feel a galley coming on).

D7606, Northern Quarter, Manchester, February 2024
D7606, Northern Quarter, Manchester, February 2024
D7606, Northern Quarter, Manchester, February 2024
D7606, Northern Quarter, Manchester, February 2024

3578. M32 roundabout J3 (296)

Aah, such deep joy. This is my favourite collaboration of the year so far. For me it simply speaks of spring, of life, of happiness. The colours are strong and vibrant and the execution of the two elements of the collaboration by Billy and Sepr is so natural and so very easy on the eye.

Sepr, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2021
Sepr, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2021

On the right of the piece is a classic Sepr character holding an old wired telephone handset stating that ‘it’s for you’ and expecting at any moment to hand the phone over. The colours are magical and the green shadow is outrageously bold but somehow works brilliantly.

Billy, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2021
Billy, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2021

To the left is a visual interpretation of what is being heard in the earpiece of the telephone handset. ‘Hello, this is spring, can I help you’ says Billy’s half of the mural both in words and visually. A rural landscape with a lamb and daffodils and a spring rainbow are contained in a speech bubble. This is magnificent and I would challenge even the coldest hearted critic of street art not to find some happiness in this piece.

Billy and Sepr, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2021
Billy and Sepr, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2021

I’ve not seen these two collaborate before, but if this is anything to go by I sincerely hope it is not the last time.

448. Brick Lane (2)

In a small side street off Brick lane, there is a fairly squalid car park…the perfect site for some great street art and graffiti art. At this site there were some wonderful pieces which I will get round to posting some time. My eye was caught, however, just as I was leaving the side street by this fabulous D7606 pasteup.

D7606, Brick Lane, London, August 2016
D7606, Brick Lane, London, August 2016

I like the bright colours he uses, the icons he adopts (in this case the telephone itself and David Bowie) and his recognisable style. Although a small piece, this is really fun art.

397. Charles Street (2)

I posted about this duo back in January this year, with a focus on the robin by the talented Aspire. At the time I didn’t know who had created the wheatpaste of a yellow telephone box with Marilyn Monroe in it. It was of course D7606…he even signed it!

D7606, Charles Street, Bristol, August 2016
D7606, Charles Street, Bristol, August 2016

Recently, the yellow telephone box has been replaced by an orange one and Monroe by Bowie, I am guessing that D7606 made this exchange during Upfest, as he was in Bristol doing his stuff during the festival.

D7606, Charles Street, Bristol, August 2016
D7606, Charles Street, Bristol, August 2016

Since becoming aware of D7606, and reading an excellent interview with him, I have really begun to enjoy his work, and with my weekly work trips to London, I encounter his treats all over the Shoreditch area. There is something fun about the repetition of themes that he pastes up, and he makes street art very accessible for wannabe graffiti artists (like me).

D7606, Charles Street, Bristol, August 2016
D7606, Charles Street, Bristol, August 2016

This is a wonderful vibrant, contemporary piece, and I love it. Aspire looking good as ever.

276. Old Bread Street (3)

Every now and then I like to check out the hoardings at Old Bread Street, near the rather peculiar Gardiner Haskins department store. Last weekend I was immensely pleased to see that a bunch of street artists from ASK had collaborated on several of the panels.

Sepr, Old Bread Street, Bristol, June 2016
Sepr, Old Bread Street, Bristol, June 2016

This is a wonderful piece by Sepr. Now who hasn’t had a telephone call like this, especially those of who can remember real telephones with cords? I think that Sepr really conveys the sense of irritation. The man’s expression and the pulling of his own tie speaks volumes – it is almost like a moving image. Very clever.

Sepr, Old Bread Street, Bristol, June 2016
Sepr, Old Bread Street, Bristol, June 2016

The observant among you will see this piece is sandwiched between Deamze and Voyder burners. Great company indeed.