Summer in London

I’m easily distracted by anything colourful, original, organic, and human-made. The books in my home library are evidence of my infatuation with all kinds of art, design, and creative practices. Yet it is graffiti and street art that I praise as one of the most skillful art forms out there. I don’t practice graffiti. It’s a skill that takes dedication, risk, and a whole lot of nerve and valour. Just like rapping, DJing, or breaking, it’s a pillar of Hip Hop that can also be appreciated as a fan, rather than a participant.

Hip Hop culture has its roots among the kids in the Bronx, during the '70s and '80s. It was born out of boredom, curiousity and a longing for self expression —kids messing around with sound loops, spinning on flattened cardboard boxes, and writing with marker pens. Things have developed though there is still a huge respect for the old style. Today hip hop music industry is valued at $16 billion annually. Breaking has since become an Olympic sport, and the same kids who ran from the police for painting trains are now considered icons in the art world, collaborating with designer labels and selling work in major galleries around the world.

The five pillars of hip hop culture are DJing, MCing, Breaking, Graffiti, and Knowledge. These elements, as they are often referred to, are far more influential on Gen Z and Gen Alpha, who are currently navigating their way through art education. Looking back at my own primary school art lessons, I remember studying the works of French Impressionist artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Spanish painter and sculptor Pablo Ruiz Picasso. Two important artists of their time, but of no relevance to me as they didn't depict the type of art I wanted to draw, or impact the music I listened to or the clothes I wore. Without downplaying their greatness, to a nine-year-old newly discovering hard rock and obsessed with skateboarding, they were little more than two old white guys who died ages ago.

This brings me back to my point about being aware of what's current and the art movements that are being shaped right now. Keep your eyes and ears open and stay clear of the superficial nonsense that's being sold in auction houses that claim after 30 years that they can now see the genius behind those writers they turned their noses up at when they were bombing (painting) the subways.

When I arrived in London, I went straight to The Graffiti Tunnel, located in London waterloo. A massive space 300 meters long where anyone  can spray paint the walls without any legal reprocusions.  The space was opened in 2008 by Banksy and is a great way to see the areas most talented artists free. You can even paint something yourself.  Here is a video of what I filmed during my visit. 
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