The last month was a particularly busy one and I haven’t had much of a moment to think of any kind of writing proper. We moved into our new home in West London and have all but gutted the place, taking a sledge hammer to the cheap IKEA furniture with which the previous tenants had…
Tag: London
Acid Picasso and gentrification
I very much like this new Picassoesque mural by Italian artist Renato Hunto that can be found on the Kentish Town Road in Camden, London. Behind the oppressive looking gate on which the piece has been sprayed, demolition crews are working to knock down the old Camden Lock Village Market to make way for a redevelopment project that is set to build new residential, retail…
New Camden Mural
The mural in Stucley Place that I posted about last month has been replaced with this rather impressive piece by Raphael Grischa (aka iHad). I saw it while on my way to work and it really brightened-up what was an otherwise dreary Autumn morning. I will have to take a walk around the neighbourhood to…
Cure the Sunday blues
I haven’t had much time to write recently as we have just moved into our new house in Chiswick; this task involving a significant deal of packing, lifting, unpacking, rearranging, realising it doesn’t look quite right and then throwing away altogether. I saw this sandwich board while we were walking through Hamstead last week. After…
Camden Street Art Gallery
I’ve really taken a shine to London’s street art scene over the last year. On my lunch break the other day, I grabbed my camera and went for a walk around Camden Town, hunting for pieces. I found a great collection of works at Camden Mews and took a few photos that I hope you…
The Chalk Philosopher returns
I found another poem written on a boarded-up demolition site in Camden Town this afternoon. Judging by the handwriting, I believe it has the same author as yesterday’s work. It would appear that the person responsible for these poems is indeed a vagrant – or at least someone getting their night’s rest in a sleeping…
I am an Emperor
Simon & Garfunkel sang in The Sound of Silence that “the words of the prophets are written on the subway walls.” I don’t know much about all that, but I happened upon this poem chalked onto the boarded up window of a condemned building on Camden High Street this afternoon. The grammar certainly leaves a…
A hump like a snow-hill
Caught in a downpour, I rounded a corner on my way through town and was greeted by this beauty. It brought me right back to my home off the coast of County Mayo, Ireland. Every few years a whale will wash up on the shore and it’s always a spectacle for the locals. Some families will…
A Rural Idyll in Steady Decline
The people of that plainly built farming town led simple lives and were proud of the hardship and forfeiture rural existence assumed of them. They knew their place in that world and – as is customary in such isolated surroundings – they conducted themselves with the same sheltered constancy as so many of their forebears had done for generations before.
A state of perpetual change
A few weeks ago I posted about a piece of street art that had popped up in Stucley Place (AKA “Shit Alley”) in Camden. Well, that piece has already been replaced with this very interesting work. The artist responsible is a young man from Hong Kong who goes by the name of Roes. I actually…
Happy Sunday
Herself celebrated her 26th birthday this week, and with all the partying and celebration, I haven’t had time to write a single word. I saw this sign today while we were walking along London’s Southbank and thought some of you might get a kick out of it. Have a great Sunday!
Too weird to not post
I went to the dentist before work today and spotted this very unusual piece of street art near Camden Town tube station on the way to the office. It’s incredibly odd, but I quite like it. Any suggestions for a caption? Please comment below.
Custodian of the ephemeral
I’d like to keep things simple today. Herself and I go to Brick Lane at least twice a month, and it’s remarkable how quickly the street-art changes in that neighbourhood. Here are some of the pieces that we found while out on a Sunday stroll last week. That’s all I’ll say for now as I’d much rather…
The Long Way Down
With unrealistic demands, a laughable budget, and an impossible deadline, we were humoured, had our details taken, and then swiftly shown the door from least 10 different offices. If anywhere was available, they told us, it was taken just before we walked in – of course. Not to worry, I said to Herself, if it comes to the worst then we can always spend a few weeks sleeping on the Embankment like a pair of down and outs. At least we’re having nice weather at the moment. I can start collecting cardboard boxes just in case. I like to think of these kinds of ideas as being romantic, she prefers to call them stupid.
Even More Street Art in Camden Town
Opinion may differ as to whether this kind of work should be considered Art, but if you ever happen to spend some time down the grim backstreets of North London, then I am sure will agree that the place could do with a bit of colour.