ART | 5 SHOREDITCH GRAFFITI WORKS YOU DIDN’T KNOW EXISTED

The walls of London’s Shoreditch pop with colour, messages, pictures and tags. Shoreditch is well-known for its graffiti and street art — if you’re familiar with the area you’ll know there’s a number of famed Banksy works, but really that’s just the tip of the iceberg. If you want learn what some of these other vibrant pieces are when you find yourself strolling through the neighbourhood, then The Stage have helpfully put together a list of some of the lesser-know and harder to find street art works.

Juane — Mini Art

Location Address: 154 Brick Ln, London E1 6RU

Juane — Mini Art

Shoreditch High Street can be a hubbub of activity, from street vendors to musicians and shoppers rushing about. So for this piece, you may need to take your time and look a little harder. On the corner of Buxton street and Brick Lane, at knee height are two clandestine rubbish men, trying to hide from passers by. This comical scene is typical of Juane’s sense of humor when it comes to street art. Before becoming a street artist, Juane worked as a garbage man and realised that everyone seemed to ignore him, even in his fluorescent jacket. Being so visible yet so hidden is his visual joke. So keep an eye out for two very sneaky bin boys.

Dreph — Myvanwy

Location Address: 49 Brick Ln

Dreph — Myvanwy

You can find this piece tucked away in Seven Star car park, which is just off Brick Lane. The Ghanaian artist Dreph painted a series of portraits called ‘You Are Enough’. These portraits involved a number of “amazing women who are not given the visibility they deserve”. In painting these beautiful, bright portraits all over London he wanted to pay tribute to the women who do “extraordinary work for the betterment of their communities and society”. This large portrait portrays Myvanwy, the director of cultural marketing agency ‘Louder Than Words’ where she focuses on the visibility of important youth and community programmes.

Lewis Campbell: No Evil

Location Address: 1A Heneage Street

After you walk out of the Seven Star car park, walk right and you’ll see the small side street known as Heneage Street. Taking the corner, make sure to look down and you’ll see three wise monkeys portraying: “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil”. These three vibrant characters have stood the test of time as they were painted in 2013.

Phlegm

Location Address: 16 Heneage St, London E1 5LJ

After seeing Lewis Campbell’s piece, walk straight ahead and just behind the Rag Factory is a mural of epic proportions. Overlooking a children’s playground, this playful piece is almost 3D in places as it covers the building’s old chimney walls. Arranged with help from Globalstreetart.com, the piece was painted in 2012 after three days of work! Making use of the building’s height, the Sheffield based cartoonist and illustrator painted his iconic monotone figure’s in boats and on stilts, making a grey, boring alley way into an unmissable landmark. He also refreshed the paint of the hopscotch in the playground, so why not indulge your inner child and play around?

Zabou Wonderland

Location Address: 50 Middlesex St, London E1 7EX

Zabou — Wonderland

Off the beaten track, yet not far from Aldgate station, lies the The Bell pub with its entire façade covered by a beautiful Purple Zabou piece. The pub has commissioned Zabou on multiple occasions to add a truly unique spin to their entrance. Zabou hails from France but has set her roots, as well as her paints, firmly in London. From the most well known piece ‘The Twins’ on Shoreditch High Street to this little hidden gem. After a long walk around the east end, why not grab a pint while you admire it?

As street art is subject to change and at the time of publishing most of these pieces still grace the streets. However, regular repainting and tagging means that some pieces are gone in a matter of days, so we invite anyone who knows of more recent pieces to submit them to us. Just click the ‘Add a Gallery/ Street Art Location’ button in the bottom right-hand corner of the map.

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