Tag Archives: Graffiti

Banksy, Robbo, feud, Banksy v Robbo, Street art, Graffiti, London, Shoreditch, Camden, Pure Evil Gallery, tour, tour guide

A Decade On – King Robbo

Christmas Day 10 years ago the notorious Robbo vs Banksy spat went to another level.   Robbo, RIP, headed out very early Christmas morning, crossed the Regents Canal at Camden directly under British Transport Police HQ and painted the perfect riposte to Banksy’s Wallpaperer.

Banksy, Robbo, feud, Banksy v Robbo, Street art, Graffiti, London, Shoreditch, Camden, Pure Evil Gallery, tour, tour guide

25th December 2019 KING ROBBO!

Early that Christmas morning I noticed a photograph on Flickr of Robbo’s new iteration of this piece posted by Robbo’s WRH crew mate Doze.   The genius was immediately apparent from that photo.  I whizzed straight down to the canal, took some photos and “Banksy vs Robbo WRH, WD – Checkmate” was posted online before Christmas lunch was served.  It remains to this day the most read post on Graffoto.

Before Robbo’s Christmas morning adventure, the art on the wall consisted of a workman by Banksy wallpapering over some graffiti, which was actually over an ancient Robbo piece.

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Banksy Wallpaperer, 19th December 2019

For context, Banksy vs Robbo was an intense feud with ancient origins but for roughly a 6 month period it raged spectacularly at several locations along Regents Canal in Camden as each artist attacked the other’s art with a succession of insults.

“It’s tongue in cheek, it’s all a laugh, it’s a giggle” Robbo told Graffoto about 10 months later when we met for a beery one on one unpublished interview in his local near Kings Cross.  Robbo also said in reference to the art Banksy was producing at the time “A couple of things I like, the graffiti wallpaper, that was a good piece, so was the global warming, that was a good piece.  I appreciate art, I’m an artist. I’m a graffiti artist that’s my main flag but I am an artist”

Banksy, Robbo, feud, Banksy v Robbo, Street art, Graffiti, London, Shoreditch, Camden, Pure Evil Gallery, tour, tour guide

Robbo exhibition opening night, Pure Evil Gallery, Sep 2010

Banksy, Robbo, feud, Banksy v Robbo, Street art, Graffiti, London, Shoreditch, Camden, Pure Evil Gallery, tour, tour guide

Robbo exhibition opening night, Pure Evil Gallery, Sep 2010

Robbo mentioned how he didn’t have much to do with social media so his mate put up the photo on Flickr, then early afternoon Robbo received a call to tell him the piece had already been picked up by a blog.   Robbo said some kind and appreciative things about the Graffoto coverage so on the 10th anniversary of that event it is a pleasure to remember that exciting piece of art.

Banksy, Robbo, feud, Banksy v Robbo, Street art, Graffiti, London, Shoreditch, Camden, Pure Evil Gallery, tour, tour guide

Robbo RIP, Tribute by  Adnate (Aus) in Shoreditch. Sep 2014

Graffoto Christmas Day 2009: “Banksy v. Robbo – Checkmate”

All photos: Dave Stuart

Shoreditch, Urbanart, streetart, shows, gelleries, extinction rebellion, End Of THe Line, NomadicCommunityGardens

Graffestival – Spraycan Art At The Community Gardens This Weekend

Graffestival, a huge spraycan art festival at the Nomadic Community Gardens and surroundings areas just off Brick Lane is happening this weekend.  Painting started today with a frantic burst of wall preparations, rollers, hoists, cans, renewing old acquaintances, sharing beers and gossip, chilling in the glorious sunshine, nodding to heavy beats and drinking red stripe.  With thanks to the artists whose consent we obtained for photos and apologies to those that we didn’t get the chance to interrupt, here are walls, shadow, marks and work in progress.  The festival continues tomorrow (Sunday 22nd).

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All photos: Dave Stuart

 

 

 

Street Art, Shoreditch, London, Graffiti, Tours, Meeting Of Styles UK 2018, Nomadic Community Gardens, Jim Vision, Xenz, Fanakapan, Voyder, Kaes, Core, Irony, Samer, Aches, Woskerski, Carleen De Sozer, Candie Bandita, Minto, Tom Blackford

Meeting Of Styles 2018

At the end of May there is a Bank Holiday in the UK and a couple of weekends ago this provided a marvellous opportunity for a huge array of spraypainting talent to gather in Shoreditch for a frenzy of graffiti and art at the Meeting Of Styles Festival.  Since that date a load of the artists who participated in the meeting Of Styles have been mentioned on the Shoreditch Street Art Tour.

Street Art, Shoreditch, London, Graffiti, Tours, Meeting Of Styles UK 2018, Nomadic Community Gardens, Jim Vision, Xenz, Fanakapan, Voyder, Kaes, Core, Irony, Samer, Aches, Woskerski, Carleen De Sozer, Candie Bandita, Minto, Tom Blackford

Dan Kitchener Meeting Of Styles UK 2018

Meeting Of Styles is an international series of festivals which takes place in multiple locations around the world each year, this year 11 events are scheduled spread across the far east, South Africa and 6 cities in Europe.  Since 2014 the London edition of MoS has found a home in the extraordinary Nomadic Community Gardens in Shoreditch.

Street Art, Shoreditch, London, Graffiti, Tours, Meeting Of Styles UK 2018, Nomadic Community Gardens, Jim Vision, Xenz, Fanakapan, Voyder, Kaes, Core, Irony, Samer, Aches, Woskerski, Carleen De Sozer, Candie Bandita, Minto, Tom Blackford

Nomadic Community Gardens

Here are a few of the highlights of this amazing festival of art and music.

Street Art, Shoreditch, London, Graffiti, Tours, Meeting Of Styles UK 2018, Nomadic Community Gardens, Jim Vision, Xenz, Fanakapan, Voyder, Kaes, Core, Irony, Samer, Aches, Woskerski, Carleen De Sozer, Candie Bandita, Minto, Tom Blackford

Nomad Clan Meeting Of Styles UK 2018

Street Art, Shoreditch, London, Graffiti, Tours, Meeting Of Styles UK 2018, Nomadic Community Gardens, Jim Vision, Xenz, Fanakapan, Voyder, Kaes, Core, Irony, Samer, Aches, Woskerski, Carleen De Sozer, Candie Bandita, Minto, Tom Blackford

Xenz Meeting Of Styles UK 2018

On the Graffoto blog we have done a longer set of highlights which includes some of the history of the London meeting of Styles festival and a look at the development of the Nomadic Community gardens which has become a thriving vital community space in Shoreditch.

Graffoto Blog Post

All photos: Dave Stuart

 

Shoreditch, London, Airborne Mark, The Pilot, Street Art, Graffiti, origami, origami riots, maquette,

New Origami Street Art In Shoreditch By Airborne Mark

Street Artist, rapper and origami guru Airborne Mark returned to Brick Lane a couple of weeks ago to paint a new origami mask inspired mural, which was a pleasant surprise for the Shoreditch Street Art Tours group who stumbled across the artist at work.

Shoreditch, London, Airborne Mark, The Pilot, Street Art, origami, origami riots, maquette,

Work In Progress April 2018

Airborne Mark was using a folder paper origami model as the reference for the painting and we have often seen Airborne Mark using his own origami models.  Airborne Mark, who is always very pleasant and happy to have a little chat with the tour, told us that this wasn’t his piece of origami, it was sent to him from Sweden by master origami mask maker Flynn Jackson,.

Shoreditch, London, Airborne Mark, The Pilot, Street Art, Graffiti, origami, origami riots, maquette,

Maquette – Flynn jackson

You can see what a stunning realistic painted interpretation of the actual model airborne Mark produced.

Shoreditch, London, Airborne Mark, The Pilot, Street Art, Graffiti, origami, origami riots, maquette,

Airborne Mark vs Flynn Jackson

Airborne Mark has produced a really cool video of both receiving the model through the post and the work in progress painting at the wall.  Blink and you’ll miss it but there is even a subliminal glimpse at about 5.05 of our tour group admiring Airborne Mark at work.

Here is a little selection of other occasions we have seen Airborne Mark painting from his own origami masks as well as a few shots of other Airborne Mark masterpieces put up over the years.

Shoreditch, London, Airborne Mark, The Pilot, Street Art, Graffiti, origami, origami riots,

Airborne Mark (crouching in shot), Massai, Dan Kitchener, Jimmy C 2012

Shoreditch, London, Airborne Mark, The Pilot, Street Art, Graffiti, origami, origami riots, maquette,

Airborne Mark Origami Riots 2014

Shoreditch, London, Airborne Mark, The Pilot, Street Art, Graffiti, origami, origami riots,

Van Painting – Meeting Of Styles 2015

Shoreditch, London, Airborne Mark, The Pilot, Street Art, Graffiti, origami, origami riots, maquette,

Work In Progress March 2017

Shoreditch, London, Airborne Mark, The Pilot, Street Art, Graffiti, origami, origami riots

Greek Mask work in progress 2017

A tiny smidge of background: Airborne Mark moved to the UK in 2005 and had a graffiti pedigree, he used to write the name Pilot before switching to the still aviation related street art moniker Airborne Mark, here are a couple of his older graffiti pieces in Hackney Wick and Leake street, both from early 2009.

Shoreditch, London, Airborne Mark, The Pilot, Street Art, Graffiti, origami, origami riots

The Pilot, Leake Street 2009

Shoreditch, London, Airborne Mark, The Pilot, Street Art, Graffiti, origami, origami riots

The Pilot, Hackney Wick 2009

Links:

Airborne Mark: website

all photos: Dave Stuart

video courtesy Airborne Mark

Night Street Art Photography is Back

The nights are drawing in so our unique Night Street Art Photography Tours being again. The first one was last night and what fun we had.

London, Shoreditch, Brick Lane, Night photography, street art, artists, graffiti

Of course there was a lot of new art created since last Winter to photograph.

London, Shoreditch, Brick Lane, Night photography, street art, artists, graffiti

London, Shoreditch, Brick Lane, Night photography, street art, artists, graffiti

Airborne Mark

And we photographed some old favourites which I haven’t photographed at night before, it certainly brings out a different aspect of the street art.

London, Shoreditch, Brick Lane, Night photography, street art, artists, graffiti

Jonesy – looking more sinister and ferocious than ever

London, Shoreditch, Brick Lane, Night photography, street art, artists, graffiti

Conor Harrington

The Night Street Art Photo Tours are organised as and when we can pull together a small group. You can of course arrange a private Night Street Art Photography Tour just for yourself.  More details HERE (link opens in another window)

London, Shoreditch, Brick Lane, Night photography, street art, artists, graffiti

Neoh, Lily Mixe and others

London, Shoreditch, Brick Lane, Night photography, street art, artists, graffiti

Best in brick Lane!

 

London, Shoreditch,Nomadic Community Gardens, Meeting Of Styles, Graffiti, Street art, tour, tours, artist, art

Meeting Of Styles UK 2015

Meeting Of Styles returned to Shoreditch recently for the second Summer on the trot. Over a 2 day period spraycan graffiti writers and street artists from Brazil to Russia via Spain and UK threw a wild ribbon of colour around Shoreditch.

London, Shoreditch,Nomadic Community Gardens, Meeting Of Styles, Graffiti, Street art, tour, tours, artist, art

Tyme (Swe), Adno (Rus), Awone (Swe), DJa’Louz (Fr) and from the UK Jim Vision, Zadok and below them Kak, Ekto and Wisher.

London, Shoreditch,Nomadic Community Gardens, Meeting Of Styles, Graffiti, Street art, tour, tours, artist, art

Meeting Of Styles UK 15

Meeting of Styles is an international and not-for-profit federation of spraycan festivals, this year 22 MoS festivals around the world are responding to the “Mind Above Matter” theme, though not all were as focussed on the theme as Neoh below.

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Neoh

The focal point for the festival was a dramatically transformed elbow of land trapped between a knot of railway tracks now under new ownership and currently renamed the Nomadic Community Gardens. A primarily Bangladeshi community have transformed the Fleet St Hill end of the gardens with raised beds of allotments while a temporary village of tents, vans and dens of upcycled wood and canvas housed kitchens, bars, decks and admin.

London, Shoreditch,Nomadic Community Gardens, Meeting Of Styles, Graffiti, Street art, tour, tours, artist, art

Nomadic Community Gardens

Wall locations were geographically more wide spread this year, the centre of weight shifted over to the Bethnal Green side of Brick Lane with some painting taking place even further east than the Nomadic Gardens Community Centre.

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Stendec & Soma

Traditional bubble letters and wild style sit happily alongside 3D, abstract, the “post graffiti graffuturism” and calligraphy based graffiti writing. It is not all letter writing though, characters and creatures and even sculpture made an appearance.

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For a lot more photographs and a bit more analysis, check out the Graffoto post of which this is essentially an abstract of highlights.

All photos: NoLionsInEngland

London, Shoreditch, Graffiti, Street art, meeting of styles, festival, party, artist,

Meeting Of Styles 2015

Meeting Of Styles returns to Shoreditch and it needs your help!

London, Shoreditch, Graffiti, Street art, meeting of styles, festival, party, artist,

Beatbox and Jazz!

Donate, support, and be a part of London’s largest graffiti and street art festival right by participating in Meeting of Styles’ Kickstarter fund raiser – amazing rewards HERE.

London, Shoreditch, Graffiti, Street art, meeting of styles, festival, party, artist,

Lovepusher

We were wowed by the range of top domestic and international artists who participated in MoS 2014 and produced a load of brilliant art, find out just how much here

 

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all photos: NoLionsInEngland at Meeting Of Styles 2014, Shoreditch

Awarded Certificate Of Excellence

Shoreditch Street Art Tours is delighted to announce that it has been awarded the prestigious and prized Tripadvisor 2015 Certificate of Excellence.

This award is testament to two things, the most important is our wonderful guests who have chosen to share their appreciation of the Shoreditch Street Art Tour activities with the public through Tripadvisor. The second, and we blush here, is down to the quality of the tour.

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Tripadvisor Certificate Of Excellence

At this moment a quick glance at Tripadvisor shows that since its first review appeared in July 2013, Shoreditch Street Art Tours has received 601 reviews and a massive 587 – that’s 98% – of those are 5 out of 5 stars. The other 14 of course are all 4 stars.

The art always changes, the route may changes, the message often changes but the quality of the experience is unwaivering.

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photo: Ron de Vos (guest)

We thank all the guests who have provided feedback through Tripadvisor and the other locations where independent reviews can be placed, here are just a few snippets from recent Tripadvisor reviews:

“I brought along my husband who didn’t have a previous interest in the subject and at the end he said, “This is the best tour I have ever been on in any city”. ” – Annie Y, 16 May 2015

“Don’t skip the Tate. But this is even better. ” – Gutflam5, 15 May 2015

“with Dave’s expertise, we were able to understand and decode the messages hidden in the work” – Maria V, 12 May 2015

Certificate courtesy Tripadvisor

Group photo: Ron de Vos