LONDON MURAL FESTIVAL PART 10

London Mural Festival part 10

     As 2024 draws to a close, my final post in this series brings the total of new murals I've sought out over the last four months to well over one hundred. It has been a good experience, taking me to many more unfamiliar parts of the capital, few of which are on the Monopoly board or near a Wetherspoons. 

Click here for this London Mural Festival interactive map.

Claremont Park, Brent Cross:

Hatch

     The Maze was commissioned by Brent Cross Town in the summer. Various artists were invited to decorate it with Hatch creating the black-and-white artwork on the final blank wall as part of the festival. Local families were then invited to colour it in.

 

 

 

        Hatch (Dave Smith) is a London-based artist whose creations are often monochromatic - but not on this occasion. The Maze was on display until the end of September.

Southwark:

          ..... another effort by Sr. X who also gave us the pair of portraits in Paternoster Square.

Harlesden:

Aches                                                              Bezt

     The skateboarder is unmistakably by Dublin-based Aches, cleverly giving the impression he is using transparent paint. It can be seen on Keir Hardie House, named after the founder of the Labour Party.

     Bezt (Matusz Gapski) hails from Turek in Poland. He is half of the street art duo known as Bezt Etam. According to Google Translate, Betz is 'the best' in Polish. Etam isn't Polish, or any other language. But it is 'mate' backwards ..... just saying.

Hackney:

Marija Tiurina

     Marija is Lithuanian, living in the Netherlands. She studied multi-media design in London and worked on a wide range of projects before taking up street art.

Streatham Hill:

Speno

     What we have here is around 200 metres of painted walls by Streatham Hill railway station - surely the longest entry to the festival.

     But, behind the wall, this older mural is more interesting ....

Carleen de Sozer

     Carleen is a prolific street artist hailing from Birmingham. The wording on the trophy is Key Champion - I have no knowledge of its significance (if any).

Lington, Oscar Shepherd

     It's a shame this has been defaced, especially as it is to be found on one of the smartest estates I've visited. This was the detail before it was vandalised .....

Norwood:

Pete Barber

     I'm guessing this redundant chimney used to serve a boiler which provided heating for all the flats on the Woodvale Estate. Such boilers, once commonplace, were next to useless for the most remote properties. But everyone was expected to pay the same heating bills.

Brixton Hill:

Tea One

    Gavin Renshaw (Tea One) is originally from Preston. Transport is one of his regular themes.

Clapham Common:

Nacho Welles

    The Spanish artist Nacho Welles is probably best-known for his 2023 mural in Shoreditch to celebrate Star Wars Day (May 4, but you knew that, right?) ....

      Unfortunately, it is no longer there. Still, it has been replaced by the golden touch of Rosie Woods (see also Part 4) ....

Sierra Tango Echo

Sickboy

     Sickboy includes his trademark Temple logo in the centre of this basketball court mural. The logo regularly appears on wheelie bins - which can fetch as much as £50,000. So, once I've worked out how to get rid of the of the Redbridge Council logo, Sickboy can come and paint mine anytime.

Stockwell:

Lucia Biancalana

     Another basketball court, this one for kids, has been given a lick of paint by the Brussels-based Italian artist as "an incentive to jump high, both with our feet and our imagination".

Colindale:

Vinnie Nylon

      Vincent O'Connell was a pioneer of British street art. His style, evident here, puts faces on everyday objects. 

South Hampstead:

Penfold

     Penfold is the Bristol-based Tim Gresham. He didn't paint a basketball on the backboard - this is an action photo by yours truly. (This stuff isn't just thrown together).

Swiss Cottage:

Wom Collective

     Wom is a group of London-based female artists. "Our wall is inspired by the interconnection between the feminine energy that inhabits all living beings and the natural world. When the relationship is healthy and in harmony, it directly affects our environment in a positive way. The representation of the animals is a symbol of a strength, loyalty, teamwork  and protection towards family. The olive leaf is a symbol of peace and friendship. Mushrooms are associated with spiritual growth, enlightenment and rebirth. The life cycle of the mushroom, with its ability to emerge from darkness and decay, represents the cyclical nature of life, death and transformation".

     Quite! Exactly my interpretation. Anyhow, the kids of the Hilgrove Estate will love the tigers.

...... and there's more on the opposite wall of the playground ....

Toddjerm

       Note the discarded spray can, bottom right.

    

Bonus Murals:

    The following, mainly around Brick Lane, were not commissioned for the festival, but also took my eye ......

      

Banksy                                                              Skyhigh

     Banksy's familiar rat can be seen in Hoxton, on the corner of Great Eastern Street and Rivington Street. It is a commissioned work above the entrance to Art'otel, a hotel and gallery.

     In nearby Garden Walk, our old friend Skyhigh has given us another beautiful bird, this time a kingfisher.

     More than three hundred artists contributed to the 2024 London Mural Festival, producing 140 permanent public murals. Over 10,000 cans of paint were used.