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Some Walker Photos - East End Walk

23/1/2013

Libby, who came on the first 'My neck of the Woods' Sunday east end walk of 2013, sent me a few photos she took along the way, so I thought I'd share them here. This was the whole group at the end of the walk, by Nicholas Hawksmoor's Christchurch in Spitalfields.

Christchurch - Spitalfields

So, the first one, is a rare photo of ... me, perusing one of street artist Ben Wilson's tiny bits of chewing gum art, which as it might suggest, are tiny paintings on bits of chewing gum, stuck to the pavement.

Ben Wilson - Chewing Gum Art

This next one was taken in Bunhill Fields Cemetery, with the buildings of the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) in the background. Despite being right on the cusp of the City, there's 6 acres of open space behind there, which once (as you might have guessed) was an artillery ground back when people were still using bows and arrows, but is now more commonly used as a cricket pitch. The HAC also have the distinction of being the oldest Regiment in the British Army.

Bunhill Fields Cemetery

The photo below shows an old bank, which a few years ago was a bar / gig venue / art space and much more, partly set up by Bill Drummond of KLF fame, called The Foundry. It's since been closed down and is awaiting development ... no doubt in to a swanky hotel. You can see work by street artists Cityzen Kane, Roa, Eine and Phlegm.

The Old Foundry Building - Great Eastern St / Rivington St

The next photo I really like, and if I had my arty farty hat on might feel inclined to say that it's a wonderful juxtaposition between the block of flats in the background and Sweet Toof and co's sideways clown in the foreground.

Onwards to Columbia Road Flower Market, where of course you are guaranteed to find another strange juxtaposition, which is rather burly Essex blokes shouting about how cheap their pansies are.

Columbia Road Flower Market

And ... if you look carefully, delicate little paper cut outs and their respective shadows painted on to the pavement, the work of Mexican artist Pablo Delgado.

Pablo Delgado

Although pretty newish, that particular one is already quite weathered. It originally depicted a lamp post, from which the light is falling.

So, last but not least, Lucy and Jamie who accompanied Libby on the walk and although Jamie started empty handed, acquired a small olive tree along the way ... as you do.

Walkers on Columbia Road

So thanks very much to Libby for sending her photos. It's always great to see what people have snapped along the way.

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Weekend Roundup - 11th March

12/3/2012

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weekend Roundup - Sun 11th March '12

Well, it's another demi roundup today, as I have only the east London Sunday walk to report on so will be reasonably brief, but what a glorious springy day it was. After five people dropped out, I was left with the select, but very pleasant group of Eleanor, Florian, Alison, Matt and Patricia.

We did a mildly different route from previous Sundays, and walking down a road I'd never been down before certainly paid off, as we discovered one of French street artist 'Invaders' space Invaders that I'd never actually seen before. You can see it in the photo below, along with Sunday's Chalkers.

This photo was obviously not remotely posed, and Eleanor on the left was not at all embarrassed about being in it. Honest.

Then literally minutes later, we stumbled across a brand new Sweet Toof mural on Ravenscroft Street, that he only painted last week. It's pretty big actually, and his trade mark teeth and gums are surrounding a shop doorway. It would appear to be a scary clown-esque character.

Sweet Toof - Ravenscroft St

Anyway ... then after a stop at Columbia Road flower market, we passed the new Eine mural on Great Eastern Street. Eine's letters feature quite a lot on Sundays walk, but that's because he's been so prolific around the area. Last week he painted some words for Shelter, the housing and homelessness charity, to highlight a charity art auction they organised called 'Up My Street'. It also included an exhibition at the Coningsby Gallery in central London and 40 artists including the likes of Antony Gormley, the Chapman Brothers and Grayson Perry donated work. Here's a photo of his mural. It reads 'Home Sweet Home Less'.

So ... all that remains is for me to thank Sundays intrepid east end explorers for coming along and of course ....

Some Awards

Most French - Florian

Most English sounding surname for someone not from England - Patricia English

Actually, most English - Eleanor

Best Moustache - No winners

Most diligent note taker - Alison

Most American person called Matt - Matt

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Weekend Roundup - 28th/29th Jan

31/1/2012

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Weekend Roundup - 29th Jan '12

It's more of a demi roundup this week featuring Sundays walk, which after a couple of people didn't turn up, included Sandra, Caroline and Charles, who undeterred by the cold, joined me on a wander around 'My neck of the woods'.

Here they are in front of Roa's twelve foot rabbit on Hackney Road. There are quite a few works by the Belgian street artist in the area, who specialises in painting large scale black and white animals, so I wasn't suggesting that this particular rabbit has twelve feet, but was alluding to its size.

Roa's Rabbit

The rabbit has had a lucky escape, as a couple of years ago, Hackney Council wanted to paint over it. Apparently it was 'a blight on the environment', but thanks to a campaign spearheaded by the Premises music studios and cafe on whose wall the giant rabbit is daubed, in one week, 2000 local residents signed a petition demanding that the rabbit be allowed to stay and for once the voice of the people was heard. Incidentally, aside from playing host to anyone who's anyone in the music scene, the Premises studio also generates their own electricity from solar panels on the roof, where they also have their own hive and bee colony ... so maybe they make their own honey as well.

And keeping on a large scale street art theme, here are Sundays intrepid explorers standing in front of one of Sweet Toof's large sets of gnashers, which are situated just off Brick Lane.

Sweet Toof

Sweet Toof has created a niche for himself by painting teeth and gums all over east London. As it goes, I think I prefer Roa's animals.

Thanks to Sandra, Caroline and Charles for coming along.

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Things Are Afoot

Some Walker Photos - East End Walk

Weekend Roundup - 11th March

weekend Roundup - Sun 11th March '12

Weekend Roundup - 28th/29th Jan

Weekend Roundup - 29th Jan '12

Bowl Of Chalk

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