Street Art

[HertzvanRental]

@HertzvanRental There are a few small bits in Whitstable just down the road from you.

Yes, I've seen a couple of those, but nothing in the league that @booze and cake is offering. Great stuff!

 

[booze and cake]

I was brought up reading comics, and do like a bit of pop art. As today would have been Roy Lichtenstein's birthday, and one of his most famous works, 'Whaam!' has been owned by the Tate since the 60's and is on display in Tate Modern, I thought I'd go along there today to grab a picture of it. Knowing I would'nt be able to take my racer bike inside, I smuggled in a mini bike past the bag check. I was still going to get a bike in front of art pic, even if this particular one was inside.

I barrelled up to the info desk to ask where it was located, only to be told its not on display at the moment as its undergoing restoration, denied! A low budget, low tech pic in front of my laptop will have to suffice.

Anyway I've been hoping to find some good outdoor Lichtenstein/comic book style ones for ages, and finally I've come across these recently which fit the bill nicely This is a new one in the Leake St tunnel

And this is in Croydon

 

[booze and cake]

This is on Noel St, Soho, and from left to right shows Theresa May, David Cameron and Jeremy Corbyn running over BoJo on his bike

And over in Hackney, the bird by Roa in the backgrond I've posted before, but the lettering on the hoardings is new and impressive. I tried to find some 'Billy' graffiti to post ahead of this pic, but no luck

 

[booze and cake]

The local BBC London news on Friday night had a report about a house in Chiswick, which over 20 years has been gradually covered in mosaic by the owner and artists from around the world, and its finally finished. I thought I'd pop over there this morning and have a look. Being a fan of bright colours myself I did an audible 'Yes!' after cycling down a typically pastel leafy suburban street and happening on this:

And the hedonists blue plaque and accompanying mosaic is great

One of the many artists who contributed was street artist ATM who's huge collection of rare and endangered birds crop up regularly on these pages. For more info and some more great pics of the back of house which I could'nt see, see here: https://inspiringcity.com/2017/03/2...t-in-mosaic-by-artists-from-around-the-world/
The pick-up outside is also a mosaic work of art.......

.........its called 'the Tiki Love Truck' and has featured in the V&A Museum, see link below where it was done up even more elaborately: http://www.mosaicartnow.com/2015/01...ki-love-truck-in-the-vas-disobedient-objects/
I loved it all.

 

[booze and cake]

My afternoon consisted of a bicycle steel interlude, see here: https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/show-us-your-steel-its-real.16850/post-5018684
On way home from the above, crossing Waterloo Bridge I saw this on the side of the Hayward Gallery:

I thought it was aimed at the poor souls in cars inevitably nose to tail on this section, as the bridge is down to one lane in each direction due to road works. I googled it when I got home and its by American artist Sam Durrant. : https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/124408-sam-durant-man-i’m-tired-waiting-2002-2017
The text originates from a placard at the 1963 march on Washington, a landmark event in the US Civil Rights movement that culminated in Martin Luther King's 'I had a dream speech'. More info if anyone's interested: http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/march-on-washington. The original placard can be seen here: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=like+man+i'm+tired+of+waiting+1968&rlz=1C1CHBH_en-GBGB702GB702&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiz0IWYo5bXAhXLL1AKHSBPDdMQ_AUICigB&biw=1707&bih=762&dpr=1.13#imgrc=X6csub7-LufiBM:
Over 50 years on and its clear 'The Donald' still has much to learn about civil rights and equality, he should crack on with that as soon as he's finished playing tonsil tennis with Boris. My sister sent me this today from Stokes Croft in Bristol (thanks sis), it caused quite a stir at the time. I think this should be made into a Christmas card for Jacob Rees-Mogg

 

[booze and cake]

A few more from the south London street art hotbed that is Croydon. First up is a portrait of Katie Melua by Hannah Adamaszek. Melua was discovered while attending the BRIT School in Croydon.

I don't know who this is, anyone?...or who its by, but really like it.

And the Millennials won't recognise this next one. Featuring on the BBC test card which aired from 1967 until 1998, young Carol Hersee, aged 8 at the time of the original photograph, and posing with her own toy clown Bubbles, is one of the most broadcast faces in TV history, having racked up an estimated 70,000 broadcast hours, or nearly 8 years continuously.

This one differs from the original as young Carol appears to have swapped the noughts and crosses game she was playing for a reefer. The original pic, a pic of Carol now, and some other info can be found here:http://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/667462/Test-Card-Girl-Carole-Hersee-now

And these regal looking two are right next to each other.

 

[booze and cake]

Its Halloween today, so lets have a few scary ones. Normally cats evoke a 'awwww cute' response, but if you don't draw the eyes they look very scary indeed. This from my sis in Bristol.....

....as is this, anyone with coulrophobia look away now.

And here's another clown in the Leake St tunnel at Waterloo

And I've been marvelling at the 3D effect of the pumpkin in this, also in Leake St.

 

[Reynard]

That cat's not scary... That's merely the "I haven't been fed in a month" expression, used in particular when the food bowl is only half full...

 

[booze and cake]

I discovered there were 2 ATM birds at Brent Lodge Park, it was my day off today so I headed over there this afternoon. They were in the animal park section, which is not free, and a no bike zone, but at £2.50 for an adult is mega cheap compared to most rip-off London attractions. First up is a Pintail duck, the pic is not the best as its through some netting. Any keen eyed twitchers might recognise some real birds here too.

Nearby is a Hawfinch

I came across a few other bonus finds too. First up a Lily Mixe, who I featured way back on page 1.

Some flamingos by the flamingo enclosure, the real birds can be seen in the background on the right

Some mosaic, featuring a Pokemon, or is it a rabbit? I could'nt see a Pokemon enclosure.

And finally this, which I was'nt sure of at first.....

....until I looked through the perspex of the enclosure, ahhhh of course, ring tailed lemurs, wondering where summer went

 

[Cuchilo]

I saw these this morning on a rainy training ride In Richmond .

Just googled Paul Don Smith and this popped up . https://inspiringcity.com/2015/08/0...-one-of-londons-most-prolific-street-artists/

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Here's a sobering story - I heard it on Radio 4 the other day, but the account also appears as an article in the BBC magazine. I won't spoil it. Read and weep, or laugh ruefully.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-41850348

I heard that radio piece (was it Our Own Correspondent?) and found it quite touching. I'll admit, though, that there are hundreds of B&C's photos above that I prefer.

 

[booze and cake]

@User13710 cheers for the link, I must admit to laughing and having no sympathy for him at all, preferring a plain white wall? Heretic!

Thanks @Cuchilo. I have come across a few of Paul Don Smith's pieces before, he is obviously a big Rik Mayall fan as I've seen this just off Whitecross St in Islington....

....where this is too.

I managed to identify the artist of a few works I've tagged before, thanks to finding a new piece that was signed. This new find is in Berrymede Road in South Acton:

Its signed by Terry Baden, so I looked him up and it turns out this piece is called 'Afghan Hound', and Terry is fascinated by dogs. He is also responsible for the dog being carried away by balloons from the previous page, and another piece just off Whitecross St I've posted before, 'for the love of dog' which is what the little girl is writing on the top left of this;

And a couple of new ones on Hanbury St. I've never been able to photograph the first one before, as this is the first time I've seen it with the gates closed.

And right next to it, is this:

 

[Alembicbassman]

There's a few of these on the Rotherham - Sheffield canal towpath, this is the best I think

 

[booze and cake]

Excellent, thanks @Alembicbassman

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Excellent, thanks @Alembicbassman

And it's a single speed in Sheffield! Never seen one of those...!