The history of street art is a complex story whose content varies depending upon author, location, editorial preferences for a “creation” date and people’s differing actual lived experiences. Its ripping away from graffiti was for many reasons dominated in the early phase by stencilism, the significant role of the paste-up technique is easily overlooked. Perhaps Read More
October ushered in a tipping point in our weather and our clothing choices changed through the gears through the month. Autumnal colours compete with fresh new artwork on the walls and one exciting development in October was the return of visiting artists from overseas. Enigma is a Japanese artist who was based in London for Read More
Street Art has many forms, different techniques have evolved to suit different artistic strategies and different environments. Stencilism is most closely associated with street art’s emergence in the early to mid 2000s thanks mainly to Banksy and the many artists he influenced and inspired. Muralism, on surfaces ranging from building site hoardings to massive end Read More
A couple of Sunday’s ago the Shoreditch Street Art Tour group had the pleasure of coming across Airborne Mark in the early stages of a new origami spraypainting. Mark was as charming as ever and showed the origami model he was using as the reference for his painting. “Can you see what it is yet?” Read More
September turned out to be a perfect goldilocks month for street art in Shoreditch, not to hot and not too cold, not too wet and not too dry, just perfect! Here is a selection of some favourites from the past month, some of which are already no more, have ceased to be, expired (etc). Last Read More
A bit of context to begin with. All over the world there are graffiti writers who will testify that their introduction to graffiti began with one book, Subway Art written by Martha Cooper and Henry Chalfant. In 2009 I queued with literally hundreds of other graffiti fans and graffiti writers to get the Cooper/Chalfant signatures Read More
Massive queues, a packed opening night at a gallery – is this 2008 all over again? Actually no, it’s D*Face collaborating with two of StolenSpace’s long term friends Kai and Sunny, a double act counting as one friend, and Shepard Fairey. Many may recall that D*Face’s gallery StolenSpace has hosted three major Shep Fairey solo Read More
After the Sunday tour this weekend I cycled over to the Whitecross Street Party, always a reliable live street art/music/food fest. Here are some mainly work-in-progress highlights. Most of the ground level art, particularly those pieces on hoardings were only on temporary display so I regret not being able to hang around to see the Read More
Break out street artists are rare beasts. These are street artists whose appeal grows way beyond the natural base of street art fans leading to popularity and commercial success. Commercial success doesn’t preclude artistic success of course. David Speed started his neon illuminated portraits and animal painting around Shoreditch a few years ago and has Read More
