Gang mural: City Kitty, RX Skulls, Toastoro, Voxx Romana and local friend Wrdsmth This August a group of street artists from Portland, Oregon as well as their friends from other ends visited Shoreditch to bless the public realm with their creativity. Various combinations of this group have been visiting Europe regularly over the years and the street art they create is never short of impressive. Gang mural: City Kitty, RX Skulls, Toastoro, Voxx Romana and local friend Wrdsmth RX Skulls and Voxx Romana have been at the centre of the previous manifestations of this team, on this occasion the ..read more

It being that day, Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral, I decided to go out graff hunting and what a great decision that turned out to be. “Helch Watch” has been running for several months following the addition of an incomplete piece of graff close to our hood in May. Helch, May 2022 Helch, May 2022 My fave graff lookout, Lady Nolions, reported back a couple of weeks ago that Helch had returned to transform and complete that piece and it was looking epic. Helch - Sep 2022 Helch - Sep 2022 After suitably urban looking “context” shots, stepping in for some context shots revealed a stun ..read more

Carnival Route Westbourne Grove Carnival returned to Notting Hill this weekend after a COVID hiatus of 3 years, this meant the return of one of the best and most temporary HOFs (Hall of Fame) going – the Notting Hill Carnival shopfront hoardings. Notting Hill One person who played a major role in grabbing the head of graffiti and twisting it 180 degrees until it became street art was Mode2. The jaw dropping highlight of my exploration of the Carnival graffiti was unexpectedly coming across a new piece by Mode2. Check the Mode2 writing, I have not seen that spidery angular swirl since he p ..read more

Street art from the artist Novelondon has appeared around Shoreditch within the past week and there is nothing we love more than delicious new art from an unfamiliar artist. Novelondon vs The Rolling Stones Novelondon in Shoreditch. August 2022 Novelondon’s new street art combines characters and text with the unmistakable influence of Spain’s Miro. The Rolling Stones and The Beatles lyrics feature. Novelondon vs The Rolling Stones Novelondon vs The Rolling Stones Novelondon vs The Beatles Novelondon vs Bob There is great consideration given to placement, colour coordination ..read more

“It’s A Brum Ting” has been the signature of the past fortnight as Birmingham hosted the Commonwealth Games. So what is it about Birmingham, why is it so great? Armed with a cheap cheap day return rail ticket I set out several weeks back to discover what Goldie, Trevor Francis and Banksy (might have) appreciated about the UK’s “Second City” (tm). Justin Sola, Void One & Mose78 The art started right outside the train station, FokaWolf was well represented as was Brummy staple Tempo, of whom more later. FokaWolf Tempo 33 Gent 48 is a giant of Birmingham’s street art scene so perha ..read more

Banksy, the best known living artist, is an enigma with a perverse attitude to celebrity status and personal information. In an age where non-entities share every plate of food, change of eyeshadow and ill-advised swimwear hot, this is this is a major anomaly. Anonymity and secrecy fuels curiosity so there have been many books about Banksy, though none actually by him since “Wall and Piece” in 2005. The economically titled “Banksy”, Stefano Antonelli & Gianluca Marziani, Rizzoli International Publications, 2022, unauthorised, collects together a significant amount of material addressin ..read more

Jean Peut-Etre and Boxitrixi (also feat My Dog Sighs) A wonderful new batch of paste ups from a pair of overseas artists really gave a huge make over to some of Shoreditch’s paste up halls of fame. Jean Peut-Etre and Boxitrixi We can see.... Jean Peut-Etre and Boxitrixi Jean Peut-Etre is from France, quelle surprise, and collages letterpress and screenprinted paste ups on found vintage paper. Jean Peut-Etre (also feat Subdude, Face The Strange, Ghead, City Kitty) Jean Peut-Etre Jean Peut-Etre Jean Peut-Etre Boxitrixi is from Argentina and is currently a welcome resident ..read more

Any excuse to blow the London vapours from the lungs will do so my travels recently took me to Cardiff thanks to a cheap rail ticket promotion. Cardiff is the capital of Wales and, as a specimen of street art informs me, the 6th most “at risk” city in the world from rising water levels. Cardiff At Risk - artist unknown I have previous with Cardiff, having been born there, schooled there and fled from there. It was a shithole until I left, now look at it! In the mid 00s when I joined Flickr with its global community of artists, writers and photographers I realised early on that Cardiff has s ..read more

  Double portrait, 2016 Street artist Dale Grimshaw featured in a brilliant BBC programme on TV last night so here is a little profile of Dale’s street art pedigree and a huge recommendation that you to catch up with Dale’s moment of TV glory. Dale Grimshaw work in progress, 2019 In the early years, from about 2009 Dale Grimshaw put paste up street art featuring elaborate dynamic portraits. Motion was a key characteristic, bodies plummeted from the skies, subjects kicked out at us, heads twisted with dizzying speed. The Fool, Dale Grimshaw, 2009 Self portrait and raven, 2009 ..read more

Three days ago Russia invaded Ukraine.  Street artists in Shoreditch have united with the rest of the world in putting out street art with messages of solidarity with Ukraine and revulsion at war breaking out on the European continent. This afternoon (Sunday 27th February, 2022) these pro Ukraine messages were seen in Shoreditch, shown dovetailed with photographs from protests outside Downing Street in Whitehall, London yesterday. Peace and Love, our thoughts are with Ukraine Shelter the sky over Ukraine/Block Putin war Putin Danger To Life, by Pegasus Ukrainian flag flying o ..read more