While painting the multi-layered GIF-ITI on Redchurch, INSA had time to pop around the corner to Ebor Street and leave us one of his trademark pieces.

He is in good company on the block - next to Shepard Fairey, ABOVE and Eine with ROA, MaDc, Stik and James Reka just around the other side on Chance Street. I look forward to passing on a weekend and listening to the next instalment of drivel by the street art tour guides about how this all came about…

It took a bit of chat, but INSA has returned to Redchurch Street with a bang! Not on the inside with a gallery show, but the outside with a GIF-ITI creation to challenge the static norm. You need to download the GIF-ITI APP from the Apple Store then open it up and look at the artwork painted on the first floor of 28 Redchurch Street to see the piece come alive in front of your eyes.

“It goes without saying: INSA makes incredible GIF art murals. Previously, we’ve covered his apocalyptic GIF-ITI building, and his co- creation of the world’s largest GIF wall painting. Now, with his augmented reality app, GIF-ITI Viewer, you can watch INSA’s handmade creations reveal their full animated glory without ever having to leave the curb you’re standing on.” The Creator’s Project

“Taking the unique practice to the next level, INSA recently launched a mobile app called INSA’s GIF-ITI VIEWER that uses augmented reality technology allows you to see the graffiti move in the palm of your hand through your cell phone’s camera.” Complex Mag

GIF-ITI: THE BACKGROUND

Nowadays, we consume almost everything online: including art. The term GIF-ITI was coined by artist INSA when he started creating his unique animated paintings; an innovative approach to viewing and experiencing artworks produced in the public space.

In over two decades working as a graffiti artist, INSA’s work has been recognised globally for its technical complexity and innovation: in creating the GIF-ITI, INSA’s motivation was to create paradoxical artworks: pieces painted on the street that would only be experienced in full via online platforms, moving his murals to another dimension.

THE PROCESS

INSA’s GIF-ITI are created through a laborious physical process: it’s all about the challenge. INSA will repaint a wall anything up to 12 times, photographing each ‘layer’ as he goes. This has included anything from painting and repainting the entire side of an 8-storey building in a monsoon in Taiwan, to painting 72 skulls next to the Seine in Paris, or spending 5 days in the jungle in Gambia painting a marabout’s mud hut.

With the labour done, INSA heads back to the studio: this is the tense moment in the process, when the artist discovers if the GIF works. Putting all the images together he produces the final artwork, which is then released back to the public space online.

For the artist, the whole process itself goes back to the uncertain status of artwork today: where creations appear and are consumed in nanoseconds, living in an infinite time and space of the immortal internet.

THE GIF-ITI VIEWER APP

Following the widespread success of INSA’s GIF-ITI work worldwide, the London-based artist has been developing his first ever app to interact with his artwork.

Available now to download in beta-version, the GIF-ITI app allows the user to direct their smartphone (currently only Apple) at the static painted wall and see it come to life in its fully animated format. A map showing the locations worldwide adds another element of interactivity, allowing viewers to hunt down INSA’s special GIF-ITI walls IRL.

INSA’s GIF-ITI app is a natural evolution of the artist’s explorations of the interaction between the digital and physical worlds, specifically in relation to artistic practice and new technological developments. The app brings the paradox full circle: taking his hyperreal GIF-ITI art back out into the street.

For those unable to visit the wall locations in person, INSA has also uploaded a selection of static images of his GIF-ITI paintings online. The viewer at home can use the app by directing their smartphone at their laptop. See the VIEWABLE WALLS page at www.gif-iti.com

MORE ABOUT INSA

INSA is an internationally renowned artist based in London, UK. His output includes diverse media from installations to products. His work has exhibited at galleries and museums around the world including the Tate Britain, London. He has worked with select major brands, producing signature products for Nike, Evisu, Warsteiner & more.

GIF-ITI.COM GIF-ITI.TUMBLR.COM

Back in the Summer (remember those long heady days….), James REKA stopped by Chance Street to update the wall he did a year or so ago for us before heading off to Stolen Space Gallery off Brick Lane where some of his latest work has been exhibited for sale.

This is exactly the type of collab we are into - a great guy, at the top of his game, producing quality work that really adds something to our Programme. James, we salute you and hope to see you next year.

What REKA has been up to…

This year, Reka has had solo shows in Denmark and Melbourne, has exhibited at the Royal West of England Academy (RWA) in Bristol and participated in Stolen Space’s 7th Anniversary Group Show in London - as well as pieces appearing in New York, Munich, Denver and Cologne exhibitions.

On the streets, his characters adorn the walls of cities around the world from Japan and Milan to Paris and Brooklyn. Reka’s works have recently been acquired by the National Gallery of Australia for their permanent collection - cementing his place as one of Australia’s most respected contemporary street artists.

Check out REKA’s works available at Stolen Space Gallery.

At the end of a hot summer of street art, there seemed to be one (flank) wall on Ebor Street looking sorry for itself. Shame as it’s very visible from nearby BOXPARK (grab a burger outside of Bukowski and you’ll see what we mean). Shame no more.

After a quick call from a friendly agent, ABOVE dropped by on his way through London and go look what he did…

Hopefully Dean and Alex and all the crew from ‘C on C’ will approve.

It’s all looking rather international on the block - what with the UK, USA (x2), Australia (via Berlin), Beligium and Germany now presented.

More above ABOVE? See here…

A few emails, some flights from The Fatherland and 4 days back to back work later and Chance Street has never looked so good.

The finished wall

We first met Claudia Walde (aka MadC) back in 2011 when her 700Walls project in Germany caught our eye and she was over in London to launch a graff typographic book for Thames & Hudson at the Pure Evil Gallery. Meanwhile, she kindly stopped by the Londonewcastle Depot (RIP) with her team and did a stunning, though dark piece.

2 years on and with Summer here, the artist has returned and boy has she brightened up the street. The block itself is now a microcosmic who’s who of the Street Art world with ROA, Eine, Reka, Shep Fairey, Stik and now MadC entering the fray.

Chance Street never looked so good

With one wall left and plans afoot already, will any one out there surpass this?!

Street artist Andy Seize has ditched the street for his first gallery show at Londonewcastle Project Space. The show features a range of work from the hard-working artist and genuine nice guy. Crucially it shows the artist’s first forays into 3-dimensional art in the form of custom car models and a huge reproduction of an underground train carriage crash landed in gallery 3.

The tube car is great idea, but leaves one wishing that he’d gone the whole hog and dressed up the space to replicate a platform with mock tube posters and Transport for London signage. With seats inside and some piped in sounds the experience could’ve been truly immersive, but perhaps a bit cheesy too. Whatever, it’s a great way to use the space and get people to walk through the art to experience it in the round.

Regardless, my favourite pieces are the car models (which took the artist 5 weeks each to make by hand and are available to buy for a cool £5,000 each), which really add something to the show - though they are cartoon-like in form, they don’t feature the usual Seize-style artwork in colourful splendour. May they mark a turning point for the artist in the future?

Who knows? What I do know is the show is on now and the bright white walls contrasted with the vibrant artworks makes a change for recent shows which have tended to take themselves quite seriously. So if you want some light relief from looking cool and Shoreditch, head here for some light relief.

The show runs daily until 22nd August. Click here for full details and opening times.

At last, a nice day to get a decent snap of James Reka’s completed work on Redchurch Street. Schedule (and weather) permitting, he is planning to return later in the Summer to finish the rest of the building.

As an added bonus, the neighbours apparently much prefer the new work to what was there before.

We’ve been discussing it for what seems like decades, but at long last James REKA jumped on a plane to Shoreditch, London and started on Phase#1 of the Chance Street wall, just up from the ROA piece. This is a work-in-progress shot so drop by the wall over the bank holiday to see the finished piece up close and personal (and if you are in the ‘hood then pop around the corenr to Londonewcastle Project Space for some art of a different flavour).

James is a talented - and self taught - guy who has battled the inclement weather to create a stunning visual piece that really makes the most of his unique talent. Thankfully the neighbours also liked it, which is a massive relief.

Now based in Berlin, but originally hailing from Melbourne, Australia, Reka has been on the scene for a decade and his work is really getting out there. His style is instantly recognisable, featuring animated forms with striking lines and colour ways. His paintings have recently been acquired by the National Gallery of Australia for their permanent collection - cementing his place as one of Australia’s most respected contemporary street artists.

For more info on the Londonewcastle Street Art Programme click here.

It’s nearly the end of May in London, but it could be winter. I stumble my way down to a wet and dreary Shoreditch High Street, having successfully negotiated the stressful London underground rush-hour crush. Umbrella up and head down I make my way across the street, only vaguely aware of groups of young men deep in conversation, apparently staring at walls in the lane which leads to my destination.

I arrive. I can’t find the entrance. A woman stands in a dark alcove. She is dressed in a dusty overall, and expertly holds a cigarette between her lips in a pose which I instantly recognise as being based on a sitcom character whose name, just for the moment, escapes me. I ask her where the entrance is, She’s never heard of the place.

I step back from the pavement on to the street, narrowly missing an elderly cyclist with a soggy baguette under one arm. The whole wall against which the smoking women stands is bright yellow, contrasting bizarrely with the dark graffiti-laden walls of the adjacent buildings. Then I see it. As she turns, the alcove reveals a door and, next to the door in precise but small lettering it says ‘Catin Art Prize - until 26 May’.

I am at the Londonewcastle’s Project Space to meet Peter Allen, marketing manager of the property development company which describes itself as “one of London’s top design-led residential-focussed mixed-use property developers”. Peter has not arrived. The friendly receptionist invites me to have a wander around and offers to look after my dripping umbrella. Low lighting and ominous sounds fill the first space which opens up to reveal another, then another and yet another. As I explore, I can’t decide whether this feels more like an old-fashioned mechanical ghost train or a modern multimedia exhibition. What I do know is that it feels like a journey.

I see a wall of TVs showing a young women in a white gown climbing over bricks, bizarre screens where I catch glimpses of myself at different angles and colours, what appears to be an old school room with a large Sesame Street-like elephant, an amazing light show and am confused if the effect is achieved by lasers or by wire, a strangely peaceful video of a group of men operating model trains, a bright gallery containing a pixellated stained glass window and oil cans, and an eclectic collection of large photographs and paintings.

Peter is back at the entrance, having managed to expertly negotiate the sudden closure of an underground line. He introduces me to Justin Hammond, Catlin Art Prize Curator. Justin explains that some 40 artists were selected for this year’s prize of which nine were shortlisted are are displaced in the month-long exhibition at Project Space, The Catlin Prize was set up in 2007 to give UK artists a support system for at least a year after leaving college and this is its second year at Project Space. Justin says that he really likes the venue because the Londonewcastle managers are very supportive and do not attach unnecessary conditions. This year, for example, he has been able to construct several walls and put in additional lighting. The only condition is that he returns the space to its original state.

Justin takes me back into the galleries. He explains that his aim is to bring west-end production values and museum standards to the event. He describes the year-long process of finding the best artists, supporting them to produce work for the prize, organizing the shortlist and displaying their work to best effect. He is warm with his praise for Londonewcastle as he finds that they, like him, want to develop a relationship of trust and are keen to work with him in a partnership rather than see themselves as simply hiring out a gallery space.

I don’t think I have ever been fortunate enough to have been given a personal guided tour of any exhibition by its curator. And of course Justin has not just been gathering and exhibiting works of art - he has been actively involved with the artists, supporting them both financially and with advice and ensuring that individual artists are displayed to their best advantage and that the experience works as a whole. He describes it as ‘a journey’ - yes, I am delighted. But my credibility takes a dive, I think, when I liken the journey through the carefully assembled exhibits to walking along an Ikea store’s prescribed buying route.

Justin carefully talks me through each artist’s work and highlights the two prize winners - Terry Ryu Kim winner of the 2013 Catlin Art Prize for his “Screening Solution I, II and III”, and Juno Calypso for her unsettling and strangely erotic photographs who was winner of the visitor vote among the several thousand people who attended the exhibition.

And on the way back out, the elephant walks! I see that it’s not actually an elephant but, wonderfully, the artist Nicky Deeley who has performed in five costumes every day, all day of the exhibition’s 30 day run.

Before I brave the London rain, I have time to ask Peter why Londonewcastle run Project Space. He tells me that the company’s ethos is to develop design-led properties which have inspiring, vibrant environments and that promoting arts, and particularly new artists, matters a lot to the them. Londonewcastle’s aim with their arts programme, he says, is to provide environments donated for artists’ use, reducing the financial burden on new creative talent. Their programme also supports street art by providing large canvases for local, regional, national and international artists; established, emerging, infamous or just unknown.

A quick look at the Project Space programme for the rest of the year shows a bewildering variety of painting, drawing and photography exhibitions by solo artists, mixed media events, performance and street and fashion and design shows. I question Peter about Londonewcastle’s apparent low profile in support the arts. He recognizes that this may seem a little strange this but says that its just how they go about their business.

Happily when I leave Project Space after a wonderful two hours, the rain has eventually stopped. I’m almost at the station when I remember that I have forgotten my umbrella. On my way back I see Peter talking to one of the groups I had seen earlier, taking photographs of a large colourful mural on one of the walls. Peter shouts me over and introduces me to James Reka, a well known street artist from Melbourne. Reka has just finished his latest work on one of Londonewcastle’s buildings next to Project Space. He says that he is is extremely happy with his work and is full of praise for Londonewcastle’s support. He points out other large works on adjoining buildings by renowned artists Roa Hedgehog and Ben Eine.

I finally leave Project Space, the Catlin Prize and Shoreditch High Street, surprised and impressed with what is happening and at the skill and enthusiasm of those involved. And there is so much going on; so many ideas, so much dedication. My mind races as I eventually board the train for my journey home, only to discover that, in my excitement, I have forgotten my umbrella a second time.

Here are a few completed images of the fine work that celebrated street artist EINE has done on Ebor Street. It was cold, but the good man of Hastings shrugged off the elements in fine, colourful style, doing away with the Anti-Anti-Anti and Pro Pro Pro missives of 2010 (read the story on EINE’s blog) and replacing them them with some new words.

A big shout to ad agency Mother for doing the double and asking the artist to paint their side of the street.

It always makes we wonder when a new one of these pops up, what those dudes doing graff tours to eager Japanese students say ‘knowledgeably’ about the stories behind these walls…

Anyway, hope you like the new works. Have a look next time you are down in Shoreditch - first right off Redchurch Street as soon as you pass the Tea Building.

Forgot to post this picture taken a while back (well, mid-January) when I visited the London Art Fair 2013 courtesy of our friends TAG Fine Arts, Catlin Art Prize (welcome back to Londonewcastle Project Space in 2013!) and ALISN.

The print on the left was on a gallery booth wall mounted innocently enough in a nice picture frame with an even nicer price beside it. It is, however, dwarfed by the massive free-to-view-everyday piece that the artist created back in October in Shoreditch for his sell-out London show at Stolen Space gallery (read the original blog).

The piece is still free to view if you are passing the area off Bethnal Green Road (opposite Box Park). Who knows for how long.

We got chatting with a nice lady a few months back at the Lazarides show about the possibility of (now internationally) acclaimed artist EINE returning to Ebor Street in Shoreditch to refresh the ANTI ANTI ANTI work he did a few years back.

Well, it’s taken a while, but he is here and smashing it once again (no surprise). Here’s a glimpse of the work in progress…

More pics to follow once the work is finished.

With just a couple more days of The Streets of Buenos Aires left to run at Londonewcastle Project Space in Shoreditch, a pictorial article by Tom Feiling for The Guardian on The graffiti of Bogotá has been published which provides an interesting comparable to the works on show by Argentinan urban artists.

Check out the article before or after you visit the live show which runs until this Thursday at 7pm.

To the opening of The Talking Walls of Buenos Aires last night in Shoreditch. Arriving at 7 to a busy Redchurch Street, you are greeted by a simple Argentinian flag painted on the outside of the space - a simple and bold move that may confuse the casual passerby. No matter, go inside.

Gallery#1 was a bit of a blur - a good blur with some bigger pieces and some of my favourites, but the entrance to gallery#2 hits you with a fine wall mural by MART and his artwork at the end.

Through in gallery#3 there’s more murals and great variety in the art on display.

What you really get though is a sense that the artists see things differently to their UK or US counterparts and that is very refreshing for the medium indeed. The show runs daily 12.30 - 7pm until 13th October - click here for more details.

It’s only one day to go until the opening of The Talking Walls of Buenos Aires at Londonewcastle Project Space in Shoreditch so here’s a brief glimpse of what you might expect.

The show is presented by graffitimundo - who apart from having a cool retro name - are a talented bunch of creatives who reside in BA and have seen how street art plays a big part in the life of the city. This isn’t about a load of egotistical tagging, walls have been used to challenge dictators. They have broadcast the stories the media wouldn’t touch. They serve as a channel for expression, art, activism, political propaganda & public opinion. The walls of Buenos Aires talk, to those who are prepared to listen…

So it’s with that idea to communicate something more that the show is happening. The following artists will be taking part:

Cabaio Stencil / Chu / Corona / Defi / Ever / Fede Minuchin / Gonzalo Dobleg / Gualicho / Jaz / Malatesta / Mart / Nasa / Pastel / Pedro Perelman / Poeta / Prensa La Libertad / Pum Pum / Roma / SAM / Stencil Land / Tec / Tester / Zumi

and a crew of these guys have flown in especially to create some new works in and around the Shoreditch area and transform the inside (and some of the outside) of the gallery too. It all kicks off on Thursday 6th September at 6pm.

With the Blur21 exhibition now over, we’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped make it happren and all the visitors to the gallery who made it such a success.

No sooner had the band played a teary farewell to the Olympics as thoughts turned to the next big thing…

Street Art. It’s everywhere. From Bristol’s massive multi-artist outdoor festival See No Evil 2012 to our own little initiatives. Sao Paulo based artist FLIP painting Ebor Street (right opposite Shoreditch House) and the impending Talking Walls of Beunos Aires group show which will be presented by graffitimundo in September. Things bode well for this show, having made First Thursday’s Top 5 to see in September and a feature in Time Out already.

On a rainy evening at Opera Gallery in Mayfair, Mr Brainwash launched his latest (London-centric?) Summer show. The artist himself was in attendance along with a well-heeled room of art collectors and non-cynics who buy into the Brainwash way of seeing things.

Mr Brainwash’s private view at Opera Gallery

Whatever your thoughts, you can’t help but smile at some of the works on show - a mix of pop art inspired paintings and - new for this show - sculptures. The steel cut ‘Je t’aime’ sculptures mark a bit of a departure, but stylistically work.

The paintings feature some of the artists previous subjects - including Madonna and Mickey Mouse - and despite the cliche, my favourite piece is this one, of Kate Moss.

Mr Brainwash’s latest London show work

You can decide for yourself - the show runs until 10th August.

The rumour mill has gone into overload since this new stencil seemingly by Banksy appeared in Wood Green, North London a week or so ago.

Clearly, it has the signature style of the man himself - depicting a child hunched over an old sewing machine making bunting for the impending Queen’s Silver Jubilee celebrations. Could it be saying that we can’t afford to buy the bunting but need to borrow Gran’s old machine to fashion our own material (harking back to rationing post WWII) - or more likely, look at the (often ex-Empire) sweatshops we are promoting by buying this stuff in?

Either way, it’s got noticed, sparked a debate and got us all thinking. Job done.

As property developers, we’re quite often challenged on our endorsement of Street Art. We always welcome this because a) we do enjoy a challenge and b) we love a debate.

Essentially for us, it’s a much needed art form. One that changes constantly in a world that is in desperate need of fresh, new ideas. It also calls for constant change, providing a clear, sometimes provocative- but always thought-provoking- comment on life in the urban environment.

For the artists themselves there remains a defiant sense of community and respect in support of work that can often be about real, extraordinary beauty.

Such things interest us in our personal and commercial lives. So, what’s not to like?

We’re partial to a bit of street art at Londonewcastle, and to tie in with Belgian artist ROA’s current London show, one external wall of our Huntingdon Estate site on Redchurch Street is now home to an unmissable oversized hedgehog. This feature installation is part of ROA’s solo show ‘Hypnagogia’, hosted by Stolen Space gallery, and spanning two galleries as well as various other architectural ‘canvases’ across East London.

ROA is known and loved globally for his distinctive large-scale portrayals of urban wildlife, which he hand-paints on derelict buildings, shutters and walls, waking up blank spaces around the world by forcing them to reflect the realities of the urban world in which they exist, and in particular the tense relationship between humans and animals cohabiting in and around those spaces.

The name of the show might seem cryptic, but actually refers to the transitional state between being asleep and awake. Through his depictions of animals in pure form, be they sleeping, alone, skeletal or in a state of dissection, but always in that ‘interstate’, he tackles the complex issues of human vs animal behaviour and nature vs culture.

It’s definitely a show worth seeing, with a body of original work on recycled objects found in the city, as well as the site-specific installations. Find out more on the Stolen Space website. The show closes on 6th May 2012.