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Brick Lane Graffiti

Corner of Brick Lane and PRINCELET STREET E1, London

I don’t like graffiti. I don’t like it when it is done furtively, a quick and ugly tag on a trash bin or a wall. That graffiti is mealy mouthed and weak. Here in Brick Lane in London the graffiti surely did not appear furtively; it IS the environment. Brick Lane is wild and untamed. Brick Lane is run by the people.

Heaven help anyone who sprays graffiti on the buildings that are about a kilometre away. There, are the buildings of the City of London, that area within London that is the equivalent of the Financial District in Manhattan.

When will the invaders reach Brick Lane and expunge it from the map?

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Comments

2 responses to “Brick Lane Graffiti”

  1. Tamara

    The painting of the woman shows talent, and I wouldn’t describe it as graffiti, to me it is more elevated than that. The rest of the graffiti I personally could do without. Remember we went to some city where the graffiti was incredibly prominent? Personally not my cup of tea. But “life” on the streets as Brick Lane is known for? Terrific!

    Here’s a link to the very well-received book called “Brick Lane,” and about the area:

    https://amzn.eu/d/jbkdE0j

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. David Bennett

      Thanks. Not my cup of tea either, and neither do I like the towering architecture that says that we the public are small, no more than visitors.

      It’s an interesting question as to whether the woman’s face dominating the side of the building is graffiti. The definition of graffiti is, of course, that it is done illicitly. And when there is so much of it on Brick Lane then is any of it illicit? And if not then it is art (good or bad) and not graffiti? Still, if it waddles like a duck and quacks like a duck…

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