I’ve lived in East London for about four years now and most Sundays I can be found wandering around the markets in Spitalfields and Brick Lane. Last night, after a couple of drinks in Bethnal Green, I wandered home down an unusually quiet Brick Lane. It had been months since I’d seen the road so quiet, without the hustle and bustle of the market or people pouring out of the various bars and clubs.
As I grumbled to myself about the freshly laid tarmac beneath my feet (a Brick Lane with no bricks is probably considered less of a trip hazard for Olympic tourists not quite so adept at navigating cobbled streets), I was able to look around properly for the first time in a long time and re-examine the stunning artwork adorning the walls, so often hidden behind all the people.
Some of London’s greatest artists decorate Brick Lane with work that’s made only more exciting, more interesting, more inspiring by the fact that it’s so temporary. In a matter of weeks, even days, it will be gone, covered by new work by new artists.
I wanted to share with you some of the art I saw last night. My photos are a bit grainy – taken on my phone in the dark – but I think, in a way, something might be taken from the artwork were it to be shot using some fancy lens.
Misquoting the great Ferris Bueller ever-so slightly: “Art moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
