Sunday, October 9, 2011

Last Sunday, a week ago now, I was sweltering in London during the unexpected October heat, picnicking in Regents Park and chillin’ on Brick Lane. This Sunday the truth that Winter is on its way couldn’t be avoided. So I thought it a good time to get back into a bit of blogging. With the primary aim of wanting to shift my time here from a WORKING Holiday to a Working HOLIDAY, I have dropped down to part time teaching and part time cafĂ© worker. So, you see I now experience what the normal people do; Sunday afternoons not spent thinking about or doing marking and planning. Today’s post is a short guide to the street art of St Leonards-on-Sea. Now I am quite a fan of the art of the streets, plain concrete walls just don't hold any attraction Let’s start with the most famous. Banksy.
Rumour is that Banksy was visiting town about a year ago for local artist Ben Eine's (see below) fortieth birthday. Note the cat stencil on the left hand side of the wall. There seems to be a mysterious animal stencillor in town.
Moths have also been turning up around town over the last year, these ones are by a group called zeroh who have conducted the Hastings Moth Project commissioned by the local council. It's done by a process known as reverse graffiti, cleaning away dirty walls to make a pattern. So in time, as the grime comes back, the image will slowly fade away. I like these the most.
And finally, there is the biggest. A pixelated young Prince Charles by an artist called Ben Eine. This was commissioned by The Guardian newspaper. Eine firstly achieved some fame for painting closed shop shutter fronts several of which are in St Leonards and Hastings. Then the PM gave a image he's done to Obama as a gift.
So there you go.

8 comments:

  1. It must be a great sacrifice, not teaching the little darlings every day, but I know you'll be able to cope, being a staunch Kiwi.

    I am usualy a bit dismissive when it comes to street art, but I really like the animal stencils. Someone has gone to a lot of trouble to get it just right. Fascinating.

    Nice to hear from you again, we were thinking you might have faded away like Fflur.

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  2. Yeah, good to see you back. Hope all is well in your world.

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  3. Good idea - we should all work and LIVE!
    Enjoy!

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  5. Oh, that Sunday feeling if you don't have to mark or plan!
    I had 6 years of it, Sunday evenings at the Red Lion in Brentford, a great pub band, Pink Floyd covers, and the free feeling that comes when you know you don't have to do anything to prepare for tomorrow.
    Even a 5.30am start, the walk through the dark dirty streets to the night bus that took me to the depot, driving the trains that took the masses to work through freezing wet grey London mornings, (I finally understood Eliot's "I had not thought death had undone so many") couldn't distract from that feeling.
    Enjoy it while you can. I see you're officially on leave from us. It'd be great to have you come back.
    But, if/when you do, Sundays will never be the same again.
    -- CliveG

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  6. Hi Clive,

    I forgot you were a train driver. Where exactly was the route you took the masses along? When I am in London I stay not far from Brentford, in Chiswick.

    Wainuiomata is never far from my heart, so perhaps I will be back, even if only to visit (nothing is certain in my life other than the fact I WILL be back by the end of next year!)

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