Street Art & Graffiti,

This month we had a creative wander around the East End area, notably Brick Lane, world famous for its street art. Which has featured artists such as D*Face, Banksy, Ben Eine, Stik, Mr Cenz, Carleen De Sozer and Ant Carver. The area and art, used too in plenty of music videos.

The artists are prolific, with art constantly changing, evolving, in these colourful chaotic streets, as a covered up graffiti masterpiece, makes way for new street art.

This area has a huge history, in the 17th C, brewing, with Benjamin Truman establishing the Black Eagle Brewery on Brick Lane, (home to Design Week), came to the area, alongside being one of the first areas outside of the City, where you could buy fruit & veg! Just imagine that! Immigrants have always settled in the area, French Hugenots escaping religious persecution in France, in the 17th C. And at this time too, the Spitalfields area become a hive for weaving, tailoring and a clothing industry emerged.

Irish and Ashkenzai Jews immigrated to the area in the 19th C, and today the neighbourhood is populated by the Bangladeshi Sytheti community, with the area earning the name of Banglatown. With its diverse history and multi culture, the streets have become a centre and hub for self-expression with street artists. A cool trendy urban ‘hood with bars, curry houses, cafes and colour galore on every corner.

In part, also, when walking down the side roads and no. 4 Princelet Street in particular; with its faded Georgian splendour, it feels like you are either in a movie scene, or indeed a time warp. Such a contrast to the modern day street art, feet away, old and new colliding and cohabiting side by side!

This is what I loved most about the area, that creativity had a place to be expressed, juxtaposed amongst and not so far from
historical property gems from a bygone Georgian age, where one day in passing you could spy a film crew on set.

If you’re in the area take a detour, (the street art will be different for sure), it’s quite unlike any other part of town.