Graff Attack

The weekend before last I went on a Graffiti Tour with one of my BFF's Lo.

You've been warned!

We both love graffiti and street art so when I saw a discount offer on Time Out I said yes please I'll be having some of that.

The tour hosted by Great British Tours took us round a small area off and around Brick Lane in East London. It's somewhere I've been to loads of times but never really stopped to take in all graffiti.

This is what I think Mother Earth would look like

So off we went.  There are loads of fantastic pieces ranging from huge artworks and murals to with tags and tiny pieces you'd miss without an eagle eye.  They included pieces that had been commissioned and impromptu work. Walls, pavements, streets, shop stutters, doorways any and everything was a canvas.  Lots of different techniques: spray paint, stencils, paints, posters, 3D stuff too. Some of it had clear political or social messages others not, some well know artists and others unknown to the tour guide.

One of my favourites

Someone's electricity meter got a makeover

Angry Stick men by Stik

Spanish artist Francisco de Pajaro

Beautiful piece by Jimmyc

Brazilian artist Cranio

Mural by American artist Beau Stanton

Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi by Hin

Stick lady wearing a burka with Stick man by Stik

When you've grown up and lived somewhere like London it's easy to take it for granted.  Sticking to the same places and same things because its easy and familiar.  Five years ago I went to New York on holiday with Lo. We had an awesome time,  I fact I didn't want to come back, but it took going to New York, somewhere not too dissimilar from London, to make me realise that there's so many great things to see and do in my own hometown.  Things I might have brushed off as too touristy, off the beaten track stuff, or stuff right in your door step but few streets away and you'd never know.  And there're loads of cheap and free things get stuck into too!

Graffiti by Brazilian artist Senna

You don't need to go on a tour to see the graffiti in Shoreditch, it's everywhere!  But being on a tour was a great way to learn more about the graffiti, how it was done, who it was done by and previous works that hve since been covered by newer one. Our guide was friendly,  knew her stuff and was eager to answer questions about works that she hadn't included in her tour.  Definite thumbs up from Lo and I.

Next, I'm going on a Ghost Walk of London, I love a good scare!

Kanika x