A Sunday in Brick Lane

Brick Lane is definitely becoming one of my favourite places.

Where else can you find a shop solely selling ukelele’s? Called Duke of Uke, It’s the only shop in the UK dedicated to the instrument.

I went along to the Art Car Boot Fair which featured some interesting, if not quirky, art for sale.

This artist was charging £2 for a 2 hour portrait – what a bargain! I’ve always wanted this done.. maybe next time.

This cute thing was part of the Disabled Avant-Garde stall

Brick Lane generally has some unusual things in its Sunday markets, including these funky bags from SallyCantDance.com.

So true.. you can’t protest on Facebook – get out in the streets you lazy people!

This musician was just brilliant.. very skillful finger-tapping, just like this boy. How can someone this young be so good?! Amazing.

This band were also very good.. I love the diversity of this area, not just in terms of people but the music, clothing and general atmosphere.

Speaking of diversity, here’s a snapshot of things for sale in the street:

Talk about random.

Er..

Whoever would wear this is slightly sad in my opinion. I mean, everyone knows those two statements relate to all guys!

One for the street sign series:

Ironic in a Muslim-dominated area.

I only noticed the sad face in the background when I’d uploaded this shot:

Stumbled across this in the Shoreditch area:

I’ve never seen live graffiti being done like this – even at the Cans Festival

Very cool.

I’ve walked past these Tube trains often and always wondered what exactly is up there. Someone was nice enough to let us go up and see for ourselves.

There isn’t really a great deal there right now, but for a few days in the year, it’s open to the public.

Hm.. comparing Blair to Hitler is just a tad OTT now isn’t it!

All this guy needs is the glasses..

The above two pieces are by Mike Marcus, who creates some very interesting work.

That’s all for now. Roll on summer!

More Wall Art – Cans Festival II

Graffiti is hip and happening in London. Following the Cans Festival, the Tate Modern is holding a street art exhibition, also “the first major public museum display of street art in London”. Gone are the days when graffiti was deemed underground and taboo – it’s clearly mainstream now!

I returned to Leake Street to the tunnel where the Cans Festival took place to see how the graffiti had evolved since the actual exhibition. From 5th May, the tunnel has been open to the public, and people are essentially free to tag over the original works.

I love this:

Then again, I’m biased as the image it’s based on is by my favourite photographer, Steve McCurry.

Clearly a popular piece..

but what’s this I see?!

My favourite piece, tagged over

A couple of weeks later..

Hm

Hm..

That description sounds an awful lot like Mr. Banksy

Either I missed a hell of a lot of graffiti the first time, or things are constantly being added, or both, which I guess is the beauty of this whole array of artwork.

I’ve always been a graffiti spotter and now even moreso!

Perhaps I’ll ditch street photography and just shoot walls.

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Cans Festival – http://tanya-n.com/?p=112