On Wednesday 2nd October, a group of Sixth Form Art and Photography students and staff travelled by coach to Old Street, London. We took part in a ‘Shoreditch Street Art Tour’ led by UK street art journalist, Dave Stuart, a leading critic and expert. We toured the East London streets gaining valuable contextual knowledge on pieces by different street artists, such as Jimmy C from Australia who specialises in the art of pointillism, using large spray paint ‘drip dots’ to make the portrait, instead of tiny paint dots. We discovered that Shoreditch is the world’s epicentre for street art and home to many Banksy pieces, as well as other street artists who have developed influential and unique styles. On our trip, we also had the opportunity to explore ‘Pure Evil’s’ art gallery, which gave us an insight into contemporary street artists’ workspace and imagination. His gallery was unique, it showed how a street artist can make the transition from the urban to the commercial fine art context. We really enjoyed the non-elitist and inclusive nature of the gallery; allowing the pupils to get up close to the art and ask questions about his inspiration. The trip was very educational and gave us a chance to understand the difference between a graffiti artist and a street artist. I really enjoyed exploring a very abstract and vibrant alleyway plastered with artists’ paste-ups and stencils originating from a wide range of contexts and backgrounds, each with their own personal message.

Elliot Gooding​
Sixth Former