Street art and thank yous

In my last post I promised some more pictures of the graffiti and street art around Shoreditch, so here's some iconic and not so iconic images from the Brick Lane area, taken by either myself or the Mr. If you're familiar with the area you'll recognise some that have been around for ages - others are more transient and will probably be gone next time I visit. Sadly some amazing murals have been removed already - apparently in a pre-Olympics clean-up a last year. Still, this is Shoreditch, you can't keep the artists down!

I'm really fond of this stork on a building backing onto some waste ground. If it was scrubbed off or painted over then I think the area would look more run down, not less. The detail and expression in the bird's eye is brilliant.

Technically speaking, the road signs in English and Bengali are not street art in the usual sense of the word. But it's an iconic picture which you always find on photography stands. You're spoiled for choice if you want to take your own version, as there are various places where Brick Lane is sign-posted. I think the old layers of paint on the eponymous bricks add to the grimy charm of this one.

Huge soldier opposite Absolute Vintage on Hanbury St.

 I don't know if this was commissioned. You'd need scaffolding or a cherry-picker

Round the back of the Sunday UpMarket

There's also a Banksy pink painted car which was too difficult to get a picture of, as it's protected in a perspex box, as is his signature. [Attempts to photograph it were thwarted by reflections]. I love Banksy, but that does make me laugh. When I was living in Bristol in 1995, you'd see his stuff everywhere, and it was usually promptly painted over by the council.

The great artist's 'signature' protected for posterity
Wonder if he'd re-sign if it was painted over?
Is it still a Banksy if his thumb isn't on the spray can?
 What if someone else uses a stencil he cut?
Loads of Damien Hirst's 'Spot' and 'Spin' paintings were done by other people, and still sold for a fortune.

Part of a large work near Shoreditch High Street station

One of the many many stickers which adorn virtually everything. 

Is it an advert for a club night? Or just an insult?

I love this one for the juxtaposition of two styles, although 

I don't know if Lady Godiva was added later by a different hand?

Quentin Crisp. At least I think so.

Outside Absolute Vintage. For the moment

Alice and the Hookers.

The above was done by the same person who did the robed figures and chair I showed in an earlier post. As it's made of paper and it poured with rain that day some of it has already begun to come away. Soon just the painted shadows on the pavement will show it was there.

Don't park your car on Hanbury Street, unless you want it to be eaten, crushed by a falling anvil, pooped on by pigeons (a hazard pretty well everywhere) or snipped in half.

My favourite this time was the graffiti below of a cartoon couple, painted in a doorway.  I think you have to be very clever artist to put so much expression into figures devoid of features other than dots for eyes. I also like the way the niqab wearing lady appears to be the more dominant of the two, her companion looking shyly up at her, his head turned down.

Moving on from the East End, but continuing with the home made art theme, I was really pleased to get a parcel in the post from the ever thoughtful Lucewoman. Look how beautifully she wrapped it up:

And inside, this amazing picture. Isn't she clever? Thanks so much Lucy, I love it.

Finally, I need to show you the fantastic 80s earrings which the lovely Loo sent me. Sparkly snake hoops! An excellent addition to my earrings through the ages collection. Cleopatra, comin' atcha!

Cheers Loo!

Lakota x

Linked to the Newbie Party at Debbie Doo's