In London

A very quick post from London where I'm visiting English relatives and catching the chance to have a look at some street art. Banksy of course is the best known--though ironically he's of course the enigmatic incognito artist whose real identity nobody knows(or so they say). And he also happens to be the one most influenced by the classic French street artists(he's cited Blek le Rat as probably his greatest influence). He is very cool, a sharp eye and fine wit and mostly with lots of social and/or political engagement, but not always obvious. Sometimes like with the kids with the no-ball sign, it's just joyous and poetic. Always, it's cocking a snook at dull and dulling authority and pompous little napoleons and empecheurs-de-tourner-en-rond, as we say in France!

Banksy's website: http://www.banksy.co.uk

I must say though that while I really love a lot of what he does and he's very clever and imaginative, there's a certain slickness about the way he operates which is sort of different to how the Paris street artists operate. I'm not saying that's necessarily a bad thing but there's a lot more hype around him than there is say around Nemo or even Blek le Rat, there's a lot more commercial razzmatazz which is maybe not of his manufacturing but I can't help feeling it goes against the grain of street art. Or maybe I'm just biased cos the Paris street artists are my first and true love!

New street art friends

Been meaning to say for a while how cool and exciting it is that some great street artists are adding me as friends on Facebook. It's a big honor for me as a big fan of street art and really makes me feel part of the scene.

There's VLP, Vive La Peinture(that's at the top), two fabulous artists who have an awesome expo called Wall Street Art going at the moment at Galerie Keller, 13 rue Keller, 75011, Paris. They had the launch on November 5 which also was the launch of a really cool book about them as well as the expo, I couldn't go to it cos I was away but I've caught up with it since, it's fantastic, you should go!! It's on till December 5 so still a few weeks to go.

Then there's the great stencil and graffiti artist(and photographer) Jinks Kunst with his bold, creative works, which have so much to say(see bottom pic). Have a look at his site at http://jinkstencil.jimdo.com/

Bloggers' hiatus

I've come to the feeling blogging is a bit like the diaries you are determined to keep on New Year's Day and in a burst of enthusiasm you write in it every day for ages--or like for at least a week!--and then the entries get fewer and fewer as life, the stuff that's supposed to be in those diaries, keeps interfering and just won't stay still long enough to be noted down! Anyway that's my excuse. Sorry, guys, for being such a crap blogger of late, but things have really been hotting up here in my personal life and then I've had to do a fair bit of travel as well but I will try and do this a bit more often, the blogging, I mean!