Don’t Like Traffic Wardens Then?

Seen recently in Northern Quarter, Manchester.

Graffiti / Street Art Idea

Had an interesting chat at work today about graffiti/street art. If anyone reading this is involved or has friends involved in the UK in particular, with graffiti, then I’d really like to hear your comments.

Basically, one of our clients is looking at sponsoring an exhibition of street art. Although graffiti comes from a background of anti-establishment and would traditionally frown on commercial ventures, I think the landscape that graffiti operates in has changed massively.

It is very much recognised as an art form nowadays. When your mam knows who Banksy is, then you know it’s fairly mainstream. Writers are making a living from doing it, in various ways. Which is why I think writers, and their audience wouldn’t really frown on this exhibition. It’s something which will really promote graffiti and it’s purveyors as an art form, showing it in a completely positive light. Allowing people to get up close to this type of art and experience it, in a way they maybe haven’t before.

What I want to ask is this:

If you’re a writer, if you love graffiti, if you’ve got friends involved in it etc…would you

a) like to see an exhibition of work by top graffiti writers, in a setting it may not have been viewed before

b) like to see a group of top writers discussing who they think is really worth their paint, in terms of up-coming artists. So, maybe like a one-off blog set up for a week or two specially for a debate/Q&A/discussion on the state of street art, who’s hot, who’s making statements etc.

Ultimately it’d be something aiming to promote young talent. Maybe this ‘panel’ of writers would vote on who is the next Banksy or whatever and then we’d get this artist some exposure. Maybe get them involved in the exhibition somehow with some world renowned writers.

What do you reckon? Anyone?

Oxford Road Thingymejig / TML Stars

Haven’t posted something I’ve seen on the street for a bit. So I give you this:

(click to biggerize)

To be honest, I haven’t got a clue what it is. It was made of wood or MDF or cork and was glued onto an old door entrance. It can be found on Oxford Road, not far from where it crosses Portland St. Going towards the library.

EDIT – Ok, it appears to be by some guys called TML Stars, another London based graffiti set up who’ve obviously been playing out in Manchester. Their work can be seen on Myspace. Google is your friend.

See More @ Portfolio Page

Want to see more ads by me? Click on the portfolio page…

Phew, Worried For A Second…

But they allow graffiti, right?

(snapped yesterday in Chorlton…the perp seems to have got a bit carried away though and sprayed it several times in a small area. Once is enough fella, and it’s all about the placement).

London Police in Manchester

There’s not many as worthy of a first post as The London Police (since ‘98) . I missed this one, it’s scrawled up a lamp post just near Trof in the Northern Quarter, but my mate who’s about 7ft tall found it directly in his vision. If you see any ‘Lads’ around Manchester let us know, I’m gonna hunt down some more hopefully. Keep up the good work, er, lads.