Mid April Newsletter: Butterfly Man vs Banksy, Vector Meldrew AR, Voucher update

About Banksy…..

It has been an exciting couple of weeks since the last newsletter.  Huge amounts of great new art have been created; artists have led the political agenda; Banksy influenced art is popular as always and street art tours are up and running!


Butterfly Man homage to Banksy

Expressionist street art drawing of Banksy maid with white paper butterflies in Shoreditch by Butterfly Man aka Sell Out

Sweep It Under The Carpet homage to Banksy by Butterfly Man

Among many of Banksy’s witty and widely appreciated street art works was the long since disappeared “Sweep It Under The Carpet Maid, originally seen on the streets of LA in 2006 then subsequently in Hoxton Square and Chalk Farm London.

Banksy street art in London showing maid sweeping dirt under the carpet

Banksy, “Sweep It Under The Carpet” (with repairs),

The local artist Butterfly Man, formerly known as Sell Out, created a wonder expressionist tribute just off Brick Lane today to Banksy’s maid.  The maid was about to sweep something under a carpet but a kaleidoscope of brilliant white butterflies has burst out and fluttered across Dan Kitchener’s brilliant mural.

comparison of Banksy and Butterfly Man street art images of maids sweeping dirt under the carpet

Banksy vs Butterfly Man – “Sweeping It Under The Carpet”


The Ultimate Banksy History

On the subject of Banksy, our current season of virtual street art tours draws to a close with  perennial favourite “Banksy – The London Chronicle” looking at a myriad of examples of Banksy’s brilliant street art in London.  Banksy emerged in Bristol but in terms of artistic development and heightened prominence it was his move to London in 2001 that really got the Banksy juggernaut rolling.

Banksy Stencil in East London of PLacard Rat with message Go to bed

Banksy Go Back To Bed placard rat

Join me in a live presentation highlighting the major milestones and the various threads that run through Banksy’s career, drawing on my huge personal library of photographs of Banksy street art.

Wednesday 14th April 1900 BST tickets

Sunday 18th 2200 BST 1700 NYC tickets

Banksy Stencil in London of old people called Thugs For Life called

Banksy Thugs For Life, London

Guess what, the London Rail map goes as far as Reading…. just saying.


Win a Banksy Virtual Tour ticket

Simply guess the date the photo above of the Camden “Sweep It Under The Carpet” (with repairs) maid was taken.

Just sign up to receive the Shoreditch Street Art newsletter HERE

AND enter your guess via Instagram, facebook or twitter

Competition closes Wednesday 14th April at 11am

Three closest guesses will be announced straight after the closing time and will be registered for the 7pm Wednesday 14th April presentation of “Banksy – The London Chronicle”


Amazing Augmented Reality Street Art

We love novel applications of technology and inventive concepts being brought to the world of street art, it doesn’t have to be just spraypaint, stencils and paste ups.  Vector Meldrew, the name is a play on Victor Meldrew the name of a well known character in a British sitcom many years ago and Vector being part of a form of digital illustration technology, has put up paste ups and stickers of a squat figure in sports shorts wearing a Star Wars clone trooper helmet. The the paste ups feature a QR code.

Vector Meldrew Paste up of man wearing clone trooper helmet

Pole dancing clone trooper – Vector Meldrew

Thankfully instead of taking you to the artist’s online shop the code initiates your camera in the Instagram app and superimposes an amazing dancing figure on the real life wall.  This next link shows the amazing effect captured on my iphone

Vector Meldrew is a keen advocate of technology and has created a real world treasure hunt giving people the chance to win a Vector Meldrew NFT (Non Fungible Token) art.   Check Vector Meldrew’s instagram or twitter feed for further details.


Vouchers validity extended

Just to let those of you who were bought vouchers as gifts, all vouchers which were valid and unused at 31 January 2020 have had their validity extended to 31December 2021, we look forward to seeing you on the tour with your voucher over the next few months.

For those of you wanting to purchase vouchers, it is very easy, click HERE


Street Art Tours Up and Running

Guess what, small but perfectly formed street art tours are back on!  Come and explore the constantly changing brilliantly exciting Shoreditch Street Art with Dave

Until further notice we are following these covid precautions:

Groups no more than 6 people (children are people too!) or two households (whichever is larger)

Minimum 2m social distancing gap between guests and guide at all times,

No special requirements apply between guests who come as “single household plus support bubble” i.e. a single booking.

Guest groups from different households/bookings will be responsible for maintaining social distancing between themselves.

The guide will wear a face covering, wearing a face covering is optional for guests

No cash – payment to be in advance by paypal or bank transfer, payments protected by a refund policy

Stay local, do something exciting, street art tour with Dave!


Kill THe Bill political stencil mural by Subdude in Shoreditch

Stencil mural by Subdude last weekend

FInally, sign up for automatic notifications of the newsletter HERE