Words and photos: Tina Edward Gunawardhana
When planning a visit to London, tourists never fail to include Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Big Ben, Madam Toussauds, Harrods and so many other iconic sights. However step away far from the maddening crowds and do something different. Consider exploring the East End of London which boasts a fabulous collection of street art. Walk the myriad streets around Whitechapel, Shoreditch, Brick Lane and Aldgate and discover some amazing street art. Look hard enough and you may even find yourself staring at a Banksy! So hop on the tube and make your way to East End of London to discover some extraordinarily fabulous street art.
A long standing lover of street art, I am known to plan my holidays to specifically check out street art. Spending the summer in London I discovered that East London is a hotbed for street artists and every corner in that area is covered with art in some shape or form. The streets provide an interesting snapshot of life in that part of London and if you look closely you can see art which carry both a subliminal powerful message whilst providing a visual feast for the eyes.
London has one of the most vibrant and exciting street art scenes in the world. If dreary grey walls and magnolia hued buildings and gothic architecture tire you, then head to East London which has a thriving street art scene. It can be argued that a day is not enough to see all the street art in and around East London.
It is true to say that London has one of the largest and best street art collections of uncommissioned street art in Europe, if not the world. Given its proclivity to the arts, it is no surprise that local and international artists have all had a hand in decorating the streets of London with an amazing array of creative work which ranges from painted murals and graffiti to statues and painted shutters. Street art comes in many different forms. From layered stencils, tags and murals which cover large walls to a wall full of stickers and posters.
One of the world’s most famous street artists, the anonymous Banksy has also created some fabulous street art in the vicinity. His distinctive stencil work has regularly appeared in the area for more than a decade and he has gained a cult following as his art delivers a mixture of hard hitting political statements and satire. Given his popularity many of his original pieces have been removed and are no longer visible in London. The only Banksy I managed to catch a glimpse of, the rodent-was on a wall covered by a netting of a neighboring building site.
Whilst the elusive Banksy is the most famous street artists, there are a host of other London street artists you can watch out for. They include Stik who is known for his stick people art around Shoreditch, Brick Lane, Hoxton and Bloomsbury and Jimmy C who is also known for his very creative art work. Belgian street artist ROA paints mainly birds with his preferred mode being monochrome. He is famous for the three storey tall crane he created on Hanbury Street. The Crane pays homage to the Bengali community who settled in the East London area during the 1970s.
So how did street art start? The street art scene in London traces its roots to the 1970’s New York graffiti art movement which was happening alongside the English hip-hop and electronic music subcultures. Some of the streets of London were being transformed into canvasses where artists expressed themselves and started tagging their names. They used pseudonyms like Robbo and Drax on nearly every tube line on either side of the Atlantic in both London and New York Street art encompasses a wide range of media and techniques. It took until the 1990s when Shoreditch began gaining popularity as a destination for up and coming artists. This was in an era where the area was not a popular place to live nor visit. With the passage of time street artists began leaving their ‘tags’ all around the East End of London which in a way was akin to marking their territory with other street artists and also as a way to fight back against the police who were constantly attempting to remove the street art which they deemed as vandalism.
Three decades later while the older generation might take a dim view of street art and consider it vandalism, the millennials are far more appreciative and supportive of street art with many viewing street art as a way for artists to express themselves. Regardless of the old versus young opinion on the subject, in the UK street art is still technically illegal and considered as a criminal activity. This means that often authorities try to cover up new pieces as soon as they appear. On the fun side this ensures that there is always something new popping up around every corner.
Because there is art dotted all over, the perfect place to begin your introduction to street art would be to start at Aldgate East Tube station and end at Shoreditch High Street station. En route stop off at Brick Lane and Princelet Street in Spitalfields. As an aside to the street art you will find a fascinating area of unusual houses where the Huguenots, who were members of the French Protestant Church settled in the 1700s.
It is advisable to keep an entire day aside to explore the street art route in East London. If you get tired of walking you can always stop off at one of the many bars and restaurants for some food and drinks before you continue on your way. It is best to explore by yourself aided by Googlemaps. However for those fainthearted who might find exploring the East End of London a bit daunting then consider booking an organized walking tour which will take you on a circuitous tour showing as much art possible. The downside of such tours are that you have to keep pace with the rest of the group and if you want to explore a certain area in detail you can’t because you will be left behind. There are many maps which you can download from the Internet and follow the route by yourself and explore the area in your own time.
Despite its grim past of being the stomping ground of Jack the Ripper and being an industrial quarter, East London has cleaned up its act and is one of the capital’s most hippest areas. Fancy restaurants, bars, clubs, designer stores and galleries offer a great dose of culture. Brick Lane is an enclave of the Bengali community so you are sure to find a good curry house to satiate your need for a bit of spice in your life while in London.
What I loved the most about my London street art experience is discovering the amazing creative energy of street artists who have expressed themselves unreservedly on the many walls and shutters around East End. Some have created decorative art while others have created art with powerful political messages about social injustices. Not many Sri Lankans dare to explore the street art in Sri Lanka, but do make an exception to the rule and let yourself loose and explore the salubrious vibes of East London’s street art while immersing yourself in the unique culture of the unforgettable East End of London.
