They act at night, behind-the-scenes and on the fringes of the law. Their art is ephemeral, they know that sooner or later somebody else will snatch their work, remove it or, if they are lucky enough, it will become deteriorated little by little due to the inclement weather.
This is the picture of the urban artist, and, even though their work is not behind a security cord or a glass screen, they are part of the artistic world. London is one of the cities with more urban creators and, for some time now, Shoreditch, the district that holds a huge amount of these artworks, has become very popular.
Many contradictions also exist in this art and some of the most popular street works have been exposed in a museum or put out to tender like highly valued masterpieces. This is the case for famous authors like Banksy, Stinkfish or Phlegm. Phlegm is known for his collection The Bestiary, a group of illustrations where real and unreal creatures are depicted and which was displayed at Howard Griffin Gallery. Still, if you want to see a part of this collection on the street you can find it at Queen Elizabeth Hall. Take panoramic bus Hop-on Hop-off London City Tour and get off at stop No.14 “York Road” of the Camden Loop.
Jimmy C. is also recognized for his graffiti with an impressionist touch. It stands out his homages to several artists such as David Bowie, whom he drew after his death last year in Brixton, the district where the singer grew, or the athlete Usain Bolt on the occasion of the Olympic Games in London. Very close to the Shakespeare Globe there is also a portrait of Shakespare. Take Tower Loop of our touristic bus London City Tour to Stop No. 8 Millenium Bridge/St. Paul’s Cathedral to spot it. Thanks to Jimmy C. a new artistic technique has arisen under the name of “drip and scribble painting”. It is the confluence of the artist interests and its result is remarkable. Do not miss the chance to admire it.
Many other street authors, not so popular, have been fine tuning here and there, especially in the East End. Take the Camden Loop and get off at stop No. 8 “Camden Highstreet” to get steeped in this urban delicacy.
