Tag Archives: urban art

Beyond The Streets Exclusive Intervew

Beyond The Streets, a huge public exhibition dedicated to the history of graffiti, street art and related cultures related has arrived in London after previously showing in New York and LA.

The exhibition is epic in scale and wide ranging in content and features art and installations from many household names from the urban art realm. Yesterday, the day before the official opening to the public, we manage to put together a taster video and we grabbed an exclusive moment with the curator Roger Gastman, if you have seen Banksy’s Exit Through The gift Shop he was the Zvengali saviour parachuted in by Banksy to wave his “make-shit-happen” wand over the chaos of Mr Brainwash’s LA debut show.

One burning question is why no Banksy? The elephant is not in the room. Yet. We have a sneaky feeling that these guys could still have something up their sleeve.

Our full review will follow eventually, there’s no rush!

Beyond The Streets

“Beyond The Streets”

Feb 17th – May 9th

Saatchi Gallery, Duke Of Yorks HQ, King’s Road, London SW3 4RY

Enigma Street Art and a show with friends

A significant amount of Enigma street art, who is one of our favourite street artists, has been spotted over the past few weeks. A quite wet Shoreditch Street Art Tours party bumped into Enigma the Friday before last who was finding the morning’s rainy conditions and wet wall not conducive to painting but as soon as we arrived, the cloud parted, the sun shone and Enigma was able to complete a stunning centaur, part man part horse.

Enigma street art surreal painting of multi part horse and human centaur

Enigma May 2022

This was the week Enigma opened in a group show at BSMT Space alongside Ed Hicks, Perspicere and Roncho. This elevates Enigma to the level of some heavyweight artists in a very impressive show.

New Surrealism: Ed Hicks Enigma Perspiscere Roncho

Close to BSMT is a stunning collaborative mural painted with Ed Hicks that week. The dramatic portals and volcanic landscapes Ed has been painting recently have been amazing. The group show attempts to bind the four artist together on the basis of surrealism, in this street art the fusion of enigma’s heads and skulls with Hick’s fractured portal, a woodland scene and a landscape certainly nods in that direction.

Ed Hicks and Enigma collaboration, Dalston, May 2022

Street art collaboration in Dalston by Ed Hicks and Enigma

Ed Hicks and Enigma collaboration, Dalston, May 2022

In Shoreditch that same week our tour troupe turned a corner and instead of an Enigma shadow puppet we found a “Forty winks” graffiti throwie. Two days later on yet another tour we discovered that Enigma had returned to reclaim the spot with a painting of a study on paper of the human torso with a line element head. Unpick that one!!

Forty Winks over Enigma shadow hand

Ed Hicks had painted a diptych “as above so below” in Shoreditch the previous week with Emma Richardson, a private tour group came upon Ed’s painting the day after it had been created but Emma’s panel had already been totally painted over, such is the mayfly-like existence of street art in Shoreditch. As I have a photo of only Ed’s half, with thanks and apologies I have taken the liberty pinching Ed’s photo from his Instagram.

Streert collaboration in Shoreditch Ed Hicks and Emma Richardson

Ed Hicks and Emma Richardson: As above so below (Photo Ed Hicks)

Perspicere’s string art was highlighted in our 2021 Street Art review as one of the two forms of innovative street art to appear that year. Perspicere has remained prolific this year with plenty of new specimens revealing the vague semi solidity of their subjects which is seen more clearly the further one stands from the art.

Perspicere string art in Shoreditch of woman in Niqab

Perspicere – former site of Hitchcock Reel

Perspicere

Perspicere’s string art provokes a high “how is that done” curiosity so has a tendency to deteriorate fairly quickly as people pluck at it, though one of Perspicere’s faces has been the subject of a royal update Butterflyman aka Sellout. The quizzical smiley face one has been installed high off the ground and its longevity has benefitted from the effort that went into that placement.

Perspicere String Art Smilies

The group show ends this weekend so pop up to BSMT if you have the chance, or if it is all over by the time you read this hopefully a few photos will capture some of the magic.

New Surrealism: Ed Hicks Enigma Perspiscere Roncho

Why Enigma didn’t have his usual coat on in the rain 🙂

Perspicere “Walking Head”, “Chair Head”

New Surrealism: Ed Hicks Enigma Perspiscere Roncho

Ed Hicks: Anniversary

Perspicere detail

Perspicere Shadowman Watching detail

Perspicere: Shadowman Watching; Shadowman Tear

Enigma

Roncho

The Dialogue, Enigma

All photos Dave Stuart except where stated

Adam Neate Short Film

Adam Neate’s early days of dropping free art on bits of cardboard around Shoreditch and Clerkenwell maybe in the distant past but his gallery art is always one of my favourites. Set aside 11 minutes to enjoy this just released film put together in 2013, it captures the flow, colours and sensuous energy of Adam’s art beautifully.

On Graffoto we were pretty ecstatic about the 2011 “Dimensional Paintings” show, reviewed here: http://bit.ly/2Lb7Oxx

Adam Neate, street art, urban art, Shoreditch street art tours, tour guide, Elms Lester, gallery, London

Adam Neate – Dimensional Paintings, 2011

Then 2014’s “Dimensionalism” had us raving, reviewed here: http://bit.ly/1BO1SOe

Adam Neate Dimensionalism, 2014

Adam Neate signing at Elms Lester, September 2014

All photos: Dave Stuart

Film as per end credits

Shepard Fairey Facing The Giant

Shepard Fairey was in London in October celebrating 30 years of Andre The Giant Art with a two site exhibition hosted by StolenSpace.

Facing The Giant – Beats Residency space (October 2019)

Facing the Giant – StolenSpace (October 2019)

The exhibition was slated to close at the end of October but actually a great selection of art from the two site display has been consolidated and rehung at the StolenSpace Osbourn St site.

Facing the Giant – StolenSpace (November Rehang)

It looks just as spectacular and is well worth popping in to see if you missed it in October.

Facing the Giant – StolenSpace (November Rehang)

We raved about the exhibition on Graffoto, check it out HERE

Facing the Giant – StolenSpace (November Rehang)

LINKS:

Shepard Fairey Website (subscribe to his email)

StolenSpace Website

Graffoto “Shepard Fairey: Facing The Giant)” Review

Banksy Solo Show in Croydon

For two weeks in October I was exhorting everyone who did our street art tour to make a short trip to Croydon to check out Banksy’s first UK solo show since 2009 and I got feedback from several people who did.

Banksy created a real world store with items from various departments arranged in a shop window display.

Gross Domestic Product

Here are a few of my favourites.

Welcome Mat, in support of “Love Welcomes” (details in Graffoto post)

Rat Clocks

As soon as it closed its shop window display Gross domestic Product opened an online store selling some of the displayed range.

Early Learning Centre Counting Set

Banksy was very keen that a cross section nof the goods be available at affordable prices to ordinary people, so the sales process depending upon fans applying to buy one piece, then waiting to see if they got luck in what appears to be partially a draw and partially “complete this sentence 12 words or fewer” kind of tie breaker. At the time of writing I am desperately clinging to the hope that those emails have not yet been sent out.

Duck and Cover

On Graffoto, we have a comprehensive photographic survey and appraisal of the items Banksy displayed as well as his motives, check that out HERE

All photos: Dave Stuart

Subdude – From Street Art To Gallery

Subdude is a London based street artist whose street art has been intriguing and amusing Shoreditch Street Art Tour guests since 2016.

Street Art, urban art, Shoreditch, Street Art Tour, Subdude, Political Street Art, Politicians, Trump, Boris Johnson,

Subdude September 2016

Tangerine Tyrant

Recently sister blog Graffoto got the chance to sit down with Subdude and shoot the breeze about the political landscape, the various projects he has undertaken out on the streets and most notably, a look back over his recent debut solo show..

Subdude good guys and bad guys in Monty’s Bar

Subdude’s Little Dude Character in the show

In a fascinating interview the parallels between the art in the exhibition and the various phases of Subdude’s career became apparent.

Subdude – Fight Tiny Tribal Minds March 2019

Subdude pulled off something you don’t often see in a gallery, the opportunity to vote on the next paste ups and to even propose texts Subdude would use as the foundation for future street art paste ups.

Subdude Future Social Media Paste Ups? What do you think?

Check out the full interview on Graffoto.

Subdude abstract collage

Links

Interview and review on Graffoto

Subdude Instagram

Monty’s Bar Facebook

All photos: Dave Stuart

Street Artist Xenz Exhibits At Nelly Duff

Former guests who have received follow up information about the tours will have noticed Nelly Duff listed as a key gallery. Last week the amazing street artist and highly collectable urban artist Xenz opened a fresh show at Nelly Duff under the title xEnso.

xEnso, Nelly Duff Gallery

Elegance is a word that sits very comfortably in a description of a Xenz painting though the graffiti writer always lurks among the branches, literally. As a graffiti writer the letterform must reign paramount and outdoors Xenz produces stunning landscape paintings with his name cunningly disguised within the branches and trees.

Meeting Of Styles, Shoreditch, 2009

Hackney Wick, with Busk, 2011

Meeting Of Styles, Nomadic Community Gardens, 2018 – This young boy was entranced by this Xenz artwork

The circular paintings were inspired by the zen buddist ensō symbol, ensō circles capture a concept of fulfilment, calm, strength and most particularly, elegance and enlightenment.

xEnso, Nelly Duff Gallery

A collection of beautiful watery paintings on handmade paper discs roughly a foot in diameter were painted in a very gestural manner; simple colours , dots, lines and drips were applied and left as they fell, no corrections, no smoothing of curves or sharpening of edges and a sense of grace and flow in the finished article is clear.

xEnso, Nelly Duff Gallery

The paintings in the show may look a million miles from any graffiti aesthetic but look closely, again the letters are subtly secreted inside the lines of the flora.

Golden Mist

Golden Mist with lettering highlighted (photoshopped, with apologies to Xenz!)

Xenz’z interior art has often featured wispy forest fronds and filaments frequented by flying fauna. The colourful birds flitting through the branches and hovering in front of soft petals are based on humming birds. This goes back to an occasion when Xenz was enjoying some traditional hospitality high up a Jamaican mountain when a humming bird flitted out of the forest canopy to perch on his finger like it owned it. A few magical seconds and some herb imprinted the experience in Xenz’z mind and thence into his art.

The Golden Branch

Turquoise Dreams

Flutter

The show runs until Thursday 8th November. Nelly Duff is open late every Thursday.

This blog post is an extract of a post published on Graffoto, same author

Links:

Xenz website

Nelly Duff website

156 Columbia Road, London, E2 7RG

all photos: Dave Stuart (instagram)

Banksy Shredding – Update!!

Banksy shreds Girl With Balloon but not his credibility.

Two weeks ago the art world was “en fête” at London’s art week and the major auction houses held champagne swilling contemporary art auctions. There can be very few people who are not aware of the amazing stunt Banksy pulled off at Sothebys auction when his “Girl With Balloon” shredded itself at the very moment the auctioneer concluded the sale.

London, street art, urban art, banksy, girl with balloon, Sothebys, auction, shred, shredding,

Going, Going, Gone! source: Banksy

The stunt is a work of genius in its production, execution (Sotheby’s involvement?) and impact Banksy of course is mocking the art world’s obsession with wealth, value and profit.

“I Can’t Believe You Morons Buy This Shit”, Banksy, 2006, source: Banksy website

Speculation and conspiracy surround this particular stunt by Banksy. Could this possibly have been fabricated in 2006 . Could this possibly really have been fabricated in 2006 in anticipation that it might appear in an auction years later? How many would Banksy have to make to ensure that the stunt could be executed in public rather than stymied by a private sale? Was it pure chance that this particular art piece would be mounted so visibly on the auction room wall rather than just wheeled in, given its 2 minutes in the sunlight on an auctioneer’s easel then trundled out again? Back in 2006 we had not yet had the first gold plated white gloved Urban Art Auctions (here), could anyone have reasonably predicted that Banksy’s art would be so lauded (i.e. expensive) as to be the highlight of an art week contemporary art auction?

Last weekend Sothebys put the so called new artwork on public display. Queuing was about 45 minutes on Sunday afternoon, the guards marshalled orderly lines of visitors, the artwork was beautifully hung to be visible from both sides, well lit, well sign posted and well controlled.

“Love Is In The Bin”, Banksy, 2018

The catalogue listing for the original “Girl With Balloon” piece described the work as “signed and dedicated on the reverse”, presumably what looks like black tape in a recess on the back is masking the dedication but there’s the signature in all its glory.

“Love Is In The Bin”, Banksy, 2018 rear view

“Love Is In The Bin”, Banksy, 2018, signature!

Here is the news! Sister blog Graffoto by same author posted last Sunday about the rumours and speculation and associated ironies and included one prophetic statement:

“Was Plan A that Girl With Balloon would shred itself to complete destruction? If it had Banksy would have highlighted the precariousness and ephemerality of the trivia to which the art world attaches its highest valuations. We won’t know ever. “

That last bit – completely wrong! Within the past hour Banksy has released an updated video – well, we won’t spoil the ending, just watch!

Links:

Banksy website

Banksy instagram

All photos Dave Stuart except where otherwise credited

“Love Is In The Bin”: Graffoto

Moniker Art Fair 2018

Here are a few of the highlights from the 2018 Moniker Art Fair which has been a must visit urban art adventure for fans of street art. Three key aspects have been gallery displays of urban art, mainly art by street artists which isn’t on the street; installations and a day of presentations and talks about theory and practice of street art. Some of stands are gallery presentations, some are specific to individual artists.

Moniker, Urban Art, Street Artists, Old Truman Brewery, Art Fair, London Art Week, Frieze

Moniker 2018

Last year entry was through a mocked up trackside installation, this year French street artists Lex and Sowat have creative an immersive maze of plastic material, light and sound.

Lex and Sowat “The Maze”

Gallery highlight was probably BSMT Space presenting work by Sweet Toof, A.CE and Skeleton Cardboard topped off by stunning video displays of the provocative political stunts of the Rocco Brothers.

Moniker, Urban Art, Street Artists, Old Truman Brewery, Art Fair, London Art Week, Frieze, BSMT Space, Sweet Toof, ACE, A.ce, Skeleton Cardboard

BSMT Space: Sweet Toof, A.CE, Skeleton Cardboard

Vermibus was one of the stars of the 2012 edition of Moniker, the Vermibus stand this year makes a feature of the feline beauty of Kate Moss.

Vermibus

Skewville is over from New York stamping YO on sheets of paper while displaying duplex prints which look dramatically different when viewed through a red lens or a blue lens.

Skewville

Skewville – one print, two artworks

Masai has set up studio alongside an installation created with crowd participation with visitorss adding coloured cloths to form a bee sculpture.

Masai

Louis Masai

Louis Masai Bee Sculptures

The installational part of the Moniker Art Fair was superb, getting close to the art quality and production values of the Lazarades curated shows in the Leake Street Tunnels of yesteryear. A couple of standouts among the installations were the cut metal shadow art of Dan Rawlings and the beautiful work of Hera, one of the Frankfurt Herakut duo.

Dan Rawlings

Moniker, Urban Art, Street Artists, Old Truman Brewery, Art Fair, London Art Week, Frieze, Hera, Herakut

If You Don’t Teach Them Peace Someone Else Will Teach Them War

Hopefully you get to see this exhibition before it closes as this 10^th of Moniker is probably the best yet. Admission details in the feature image at the top of the post, use discount code LDNBSMT30 in the checkout for a 30% discount courtesy of BSMT Space and don’t forget to say hi to them on their stand.

Moniker Art Fair Website

All photos: Dave Stuart