Guided Tour of Banksy Graffiti (& others) - Part 4

[mido]

Free Guided Tours of Graffiti / Street Art (mainly Banksy) in London

Next tour = Sunday 24th September 2006 - Shoreditch

Over the past 6 months or so, many people, on several forums, have responded to my leading questions and downright Miss Marple-esque annoyance of where to find a lot of this graffiti / street art. I have also discovered a lot myself, wandering the streets like a stray dog, following hunches / leads, and smelling lamp-posts.

In an effort to share this info and to let people take their own photos (if they want - it’s not compulsory) I have added the locations of a lot of graffiti (mainly by Banksy & Eine) to two location maps, and have also arranged a series of free tours of graffiti in London, mainly of Banksy's work. Tour 1 visited the Shoreditch area. Tour 2 visited Waterloo, South Bank, and Victoria Embankment. Tour 3 was a mini-tour, in the Farringdon/Clerkenwell area.

[glow=red,2,300]
Tour 4 - Sunday 24th September 2006 - 2pm start [/glow]

Just OUTSIDE EXIT 1 of Old Street tube station (Northern Line & some train services). 2pm sharp. There is a bit of space just after the stairs of the exit, where we could meet up, under a sign for 'Smartline', on a white wall. It's on the opposite side of the road from a large red bricked building ('Imperial Hall').

If for any reason you miss the 2pm start I will be leading the tour (hopefully) around the area for a while and you could pick us up on the corner of Pitfield St and Old Street at approx 2.45pm.

This is pretty much a re-run of the first tour I ran. Last time I did this tour it lasted a fraction over 3 hours. But, people can leave at any time they want. We will always be within a decent distance of Old Street, Aldgate East or Liverpool St tubes (forget Shoreditch tube as that is currently closed)

Unless things get buffed soon, the tour should include….

Banksy - Pulp Fiction Pt 2, ‘Smiley’ Copper, Lots of rats, Girl with balloon (maybe - might be gone soon), Grin Reaper, Happy Choppers, 0800, Pink car, TV out of Window, Giant rat
Eine - several shop shutters, 0800, stickerings and ‘old school’ paint pots tags, often is spiderman style locations
El Chivo - firestarter, boy and bomb, kid, girl and bird, Muhammad Ali, where did you put it?
Faile - posters and lots of ‘faile’ logos
Plus a few from Space Invader and others

This tour is in quite a tight area, but it is quite a long way overall. It’s all relatively flat and doesn’t involve any non-avoidable steps I would have thought that it could be done by someone using a wheelchair or a buggy. If you were planning to use a wheelchair / buggy etc, it might be worth mentioning it to me so I can make sure I know how to get around any of the areas with steps (I'm sure they could be avoided ...).

You WON'T need a tube / bus / whatever ticket for this... It's just a lot of walking. No need to book - just turn up.

It's free, and you even get some Banksy and Eine stickers kindly donated by those nice people at Pictures on Walls (POW), and a small version of one of my Black & White photos.

If there are any problems, or you want to ask me a question please message / mail me

take care, Martin

www.shellshockphotos.co.uk

[BANK5Y'S-BOY]

nice 1 lol can we still turn up if we have been b4 lol.

[HowAboutNo]

fook mi... The first tour I'll miss Am gonna be in Amsterdam that weekend.

My heart will be with you all. And my mind on another panet.

Note to self...defo delete this post in the morrow.

[saffa]

Cool. if it's anything like tour 3, it will be great. Martin is an awesome host. thanks for your time and sharing the passion.

see you on the 24th!

[HowAboutNo]

Just a point to note for all you tour # 4 people. Shoreditch Golf Club have just posted flyers through all the letter boxes today saying the following :

Dear Sir/ Madam

Shoreditch Urban Golf Open will return again this year on Sunday 24th of September 2006. We would like to invite you to join us at this year's tournament between 12pm and 6:30pm. This letter has been delivered to inform you of the event and to highlight this year's changes, as well as offering our reassurances against any concerns you may have.

Shoreditch Urban Golf Limited has contracted an experienced event management company, Gekko, who will be managing the event on site. As professional event mangers and members of ISES andthe National Events Association, we in association with Gekko will be installing new regulations and procedures for this year's event.

In the first instance, last year's leather golf balls will make a return in order to remove the risk of injury to people and damage
to property. Stewards will be instructed to search all golfers for real golf balls and there will be umpires supervising each Tee.

Additionally, we have taken certified authoritative steps to have this year's tournament approved for this date by the Police, Highways, and the boroughs concerned. Thirdly, we will be implementing a strict no drinking rule for all event staff, and finally, we are doubling the amount of security.

This year the tournament will start at the junction of Leonard Street and Tabernacle Street with the first group of golfers teeing off at noon. We anticipate the last group to be returning to the clubhouse at 6:30pm, where we will hold an award ceremony and bestow the coveted Austin Moss Memorial Trophy.
Please note that there have been a couple of changes to the course area this year as highlighted on the map below.
The streets indicated by the black or hatched areas will be closed to traffic on the Sunday of the event from 5am until 8pm. Therefore we kindly encourage residents to make prior parking arrangements to facilitate both the event and traffic in the area.

We will be happy to liaise with you and remedy any particular issues you have regarding access and safety on the day, or
if you have any questions, please contact Gekko Events on 0207 404 1252.

This year looks like it will be the best tournament yet. As always, we are raising money for charity and hope to encourage local companies to gain from exposure by sponsoring greens for a small cost. It would be great to have your support and
we hope to see you at the tournament.
Yours Faithfully,

Jeremy Feakes.



Basically, just my usual long winded post to say happy spotting, and hope no one gets taken out by a leather golf ball (yeah, cos that's gonna hurt so much less if it spanks you in the eye!! )

[mido]

Clare, one of the regulars on another banksy forum has had to pull out of tomorrow's tour and therefore has some train tickets to give for free! Contact her as clare.long (at) blueyonder.co.uk

"Anyone in easy reach of central bristol who wants to go,I have return train tickets that I can't use; something has come up...damn and blast!

10.40 train out of Temple meads,london at12.38.
19.07 paddington,bristol 21.00.

FREE "

[mido]

Bump - just in case anyone needed to find this thread for directions etc

I won't be around sun am so can't answer any final questions I'm afraid.....

Full details at the start of this thread

The basics......

Tour 4 - Sunday 24th September 2006 - 2pm start

Meet just OUTSIDE EXIT 1 of Old Street tube station (Northern Line & some train services). 2pm sharp. There is a bit of space just after the stairs of the exit, where we could meet up, under a sign for 'Smartline', on a white wall. It's on the opposite side of the road from a large red bricked building ('Imperial Hall').

If for any reason you miss the 2pm start I will be leading the tour (hopefully) around the area for a while and you could pick us up on the corner of Pitfield St and Old Street at approx 2.45pm.

[gm]

I don't know if I'll be able to get there I'f I've not shown up by the time you want to set off, don't bother waiting.

Hope you get a good turnout, whatever happens

[matilda]

FABULOUS! 49 ppl,way to go! Looks like fun was had by all.
Well done martin, very sorry to have missed out; next time!

[mido]

it was rammed! I thought it was about 40-45 people, but it's been counted as 49! It did make it different / hard though. I hope people still liked it but it did seem very impersonal compared to the usual 8-14 people I've had before. Didn't get to talk to people so much as there were so many of them, and I was trying to keep order ;D

best points

- everyone seemed smiley & chilled on a lovely lazy sunday afternoon
- blessed with the weather again! woke at 7.30 by bashing rain on my window. had mainly stopped by the time I left (8.30). sun for the rest of the day!! yeah!


worst points

- just ran out of my goodie bags for people! I made about 40 odd..... (it consisted of a small version of one of my photos, an Eine sticker, and a Kate Moss postcard! - yes, a Kate postcard - I'm no cheapstake! Only quality goods with me - Massive Thanks to POW as usual for the freebies)
- I reckon that over the last 3 months more graff has been buffed than has gone up. :-( Still loads to see, but the balance is slightly against us I'd say

[mido]

LOL - i'd forgot about that! The story behind it - There is a run down (but beautiful and historic) house that used to have quite a bit of graffiti around it. It also had what looked like tyedyed throws insteads of curtains, and an old Glastonbury style truck to the side. The front walls were then painted over but the little banksy was left. It's now gone.

so I was standing outside this house booming at the top of my voice (49 people to reach!) that there used to be a rat there, and it looked like a run-down hippy house that is now being renovated so looks like the rat went with the renovation.

The guy comes out - cool with it all but probably wondering why all these people are outside. He's in dressing gown, and someone else also popped half a head out. Afterwards I'm a bit embarassed about the run-down and hippy references LOL

re car park (giant rat / TV out of window) - Weird that it was closed, especially as it would have been the perfect day to keep it open (due to golf). It's usually open on sunday. Yeah, it was a chain mesh fence until recently, so it was easy to at least see through it.

Cargo? You? ;D

so basically you are admitting to pissing on a banksy wall ;D

rattusamorus said:

one of the highlights was the hippy and the amazing technicolour dresing gown who opened his door at 2.30 to find himself being doorstepped by 50 loons asking what happened to the Banksy on his wall. comedy.

Little miss rattus proved her worth by squeezing through the bars of the gate into the car park to take this shot. Don't think the fence was there a couple of months ago was it, i recall stopping for a jimmy in there after a night at Cargo a few months back and deffo wasn't solid wood then, I think..

[LoveRat]

rattusamorus said:

one of the highlights was the hippy and the amazing technicolour dresing gown who opened his door at 2.30 to find himself being doorstepped by 50 loons asking what happened to the Banksy on his wall. comedy.

Wish I'd been there to see it. Reminds me of ..... ;D

[gm]

49!

Well, done ;D

You'll have to start making people book in advance so you don't run out of stickers next time


Edit: And if there are any of those Darby and Joan nights coming up...
(only if they're a bit livelier than my last night out tho )

[mido]

cheeky monkey

I'm young enough to be Juliette's brother! ;D

rattusamorus said:

mido said:

Cargo? You? ;D

Darby and Joan Monday-night-hot-chocolate-half-price-specials, I'll drop you a PM for the next one

[saffa]

Hi Martin,

Thanks for another wicked tour. Never before have I encountered such randomness in London - hippy house with hippy, girl in knickers inside stripclub (caught a glimse as we were wondering past), sketchy alleys, drug dealer alley (hanging shoes), dodgy back street car garage, music gig on top of car, and I can't begin to explain the $hit that was going down in Brick Lane.

Thanks for opening my eyes up to the world.

Here is a link to the el chivo Ali that you said is gone.

www.artofthestate.co.uk/Graffiti/graffiti_stencil_el_chivo.htm

Can't wait for the next one. When you taking us to Bristol???

Thanks for the freebies!

Troy

[mido]

that's shoreditch for you Troy! I love it and loathe it in equal measures. Love the art, the multi-culturalism, & the history. Don't like the so-called coolness of the area and the litter.

on my way back towards Old St there was a woman (I think!) in a masive pink fluffy coat walking past the Foundry ;D And the sunset was great for photography

didn't realise we had gone past a strip club ;D unless it's the hackney rd one, near eine'd shutters, with bouncer on the door....

yep, that's the el chivo. It has def gone now. a few weeks ago the area was boarded up. When I visitied on Tuesday the back of the wall it was on could still be seen, inside the hoardings. By yesterday that wall was gone. so, the death of another piece of street art.

I guess that is why it is street art....

saffa said:

Hi Martin,

Thanks for another wicked tour. Never before have I encountered such randomness in London - hippy house with hippy, girl in knickers inside stripclub (caught a glimse as we were wondering past), sketchy alleys, drug dealer alley (hanging shoes), dodgy back street car garage, music gig on top of car, and I can't begin to explain the $hit that was going down in Brick Lane.

Thanks for opening my eyes up to the world.

Here is a link to the el chivo Ali that you said is gone.

www.artofthestate.co.uk/Graffiti/graffiti_stencil_el_chivo.htm

Can't wait for the next one. When you taking us to Bristol???

Thanks for the freebies!

Troy

[mido]

ooh, bristol would be very difficult. Not that much left (espec now the new Pollution has gone! and the small kids with guns might have gone by now) and a lot of it is a LONG way apart...

anyone got a people carrier?? ;D

[saffa]

yip, it was near the eine'd shutters (seems like there were LOADS of them). bouncer at the door, but somehow timed my walking past perfectly with someone coming out the place so I got a split second view of the 'going on's!' inside. LOL.

also forgot about the woman we saw, shaved head with some long strands, in pink/green lumo dress with leggings to match. did anyone else see her? it was near the electricity box banksy tag and the streetlight with fake shoes hanging from it??? fondly refered to as dealers alley!

[sinewave]

Cheers for the tour Martin !

You obviously put alot of effort into it, and was very generous in providing such an interesting day for us all to these works in real life.



I took close to 80 photo's yesterday - will post a link to them once i have finished adding them tonight

[sinewave]

saffa said:

yip, it was near the eine'd shutters (seems like there were LOADS of them). bouncer at the door, but somehow timed my walking past perfectly with someone coming out the place so I got a split second view of the 'going on's!' inside. LOL.

also forgot about the woman we saw, shaved head with some long strands, in pink/green lumo dress with leggings to match. did anyone else see her? it was near the electricity box banksy tag and the streetlight with fake shoes hanging from it??? fondly refered to as dealers alley!

i saw her, grinning as she passed us all.

[mido]

how could anyone miss her in that garb!

she was also rather tall and slim

sinewave said:

saffa said:

yip, it was near the eine'd shutters (seems like there were LOADS of them). bouncer at the door, but somehow timed my walking past perfectly with someone coming out the place so I got a split second view of the 'going on's!' inside. LOL.

also forgot about the woman we saw, shaved head with some long strands, in pink/green lumo dress with leggings to match. did anyone else see her? it was near the electricity box banksy tag and the streetlight with fake shoes hanging from it??? fondly refered to as dealers alley!

i saw her, grinning as she passed us all.

[sinewave]

here is a link to my photo slideshow on flickr.. some random photo's on there as well.

click here



p.s. how do i get hold of a map for this tour ?

[mido]

well done ren. looks good. loves the colours on many of them. I'm having some problems with my flikr a/c, but will leave some helpful comments when I can (some I can identify for you, etc)

I confused people a bit, re map. Not helped by having to shout to 50 people! ;D Next time I'll maybe do a little hand out. There is a free internet based map of banksy locations, which I have contributed a lot to (but did not start and do not administer) www.zeesource.net/maps/map.do?group=1571
Basic info is available to all. But to get all the information you need to log in - the password is ‘banksy’!

if what you wanted was a route reminder of the tour, email me and I'll send you it...

sinewave said:

here is a link to my photo slideshow on flickr.. some random photo's on there as well.

click here



p.s. how do i get hold of a map for this tour ?

[gm]

Nice photos

[sinewave]

mido said:

well done ren. looks good. loves the colours on many of them. I'm having some problems with my flikr a/c, but will leave some helpful comments when I can (some I can identify for you, etc)

I confused people a bit, re map. Not helped by having to shout to 50 people! ;D Next time I'll maybe do a little hand out. There is a free internet based map of banksy locations, which I have contributed a lot to (but did not start and do not administer) www.zeesource.net/maps/map.do?group=1571
Basic info is available to all. But to get all the information you need to log in - the password is ‘banksy’!

if what you wanted was a route reminder of the tour, email me and I'll send you it...

sinewave said:

here is a link to my photo slideshow on flickr.. some random photo's on there as well.

click here



p.s. how do i get hold of a map for this tour ?

cheers for the map martin !

[mido]

In today's 'London paper' - the freebie trying to do battle with the rabid Evening Standard and it's awful 'Lite' thing! :-)


www.thelondonpaper.com/cs/Satellite/london/lcsearch/article/1157140271744?packedargs=suffix%3DArticleController

[gm]

With thanks to...




(Any danger of repeating the Waterloo/South Bank tour at all?)

[HowAboutNo]

mido said:

In today's 'London paper' - one of the freebies that are trying to shaft the rabid Evening Standard! :-)


www.thelondonpaper.com/cs/Satellite/london/lcsearch/article/1157140271744?packedargs=suffix%3DArticleController

Oooooh, get them with "sporadic tours"!! Fame at last Martin ;D

[mido]

yeah, it's journalism. I wouldn't call once a month that sporadic, but no big deal. And several other things wrong in all the recent articles.

I've got used to it. I've written / edited / published a lot in my life and I know they will always make mistakes, but it's something you have to accept. If a writer / editor let the person in the know check and re-write a story it would be so slow... and defeat the point of being an editor.

In general all publicity is good publicity, and unless you are Murdoch himself you can't control the media.

howaboutno said:

mido said:

In today's 'London paper' - one of the freebies that are trying to shaft the rabid Evening Standard! :-)


www.thelondonpaper.com/cs/Satellite/london/lcsearch/article/1157140271744?packedargs=suffix%3DArticleController

Oooooh, get them with "sporadic tours"!! Fame at last Martin ;D

[mido]

I'm not sure if i will do anymore before the spring. Not sure about the generally worsening weather / light....

gm said:

With thanks to...




(Any danger of repeating the Waterloo/South Bank tour at all?)