Brick

Lane

Art

By Jonathan Berg, Author, Birmingham’s Public Art I went to secondary school a couple of miles from Brick Lane in the early 1970s. As we grew into our teens at an all boy’s school there was huge pressure to conform and follow the fashions. So, it was off at lunchtime to the Roman Road for Brutus and Ben Sherman shirts and ‘Sta Prest’ trousers. Dr Martin’s boots and tassellated loafers were however a Sunday morning purchase, from the Jewish shoe shops on Brick Lane in Shoreditch and Whitechapel. Over fifty years later, it was great to revisit Brick Lane. Its newer immigrant Bangladeshi community and the graffiti and street art adding so much. During our short walk it was a privilege to meet a team of street artists tackling a major project - see below. Certainly of more interest to me than seeing the latest Banksy. At the coffee stop the owner directed us to the Gilbert and George Centre across the street with his suggestion: “If the green gates are open just go on in”. What great advice - they were and we did! First we sat in the tiny linear cinema to view a good proportion of a 2008 G&G documentary. Then, we headed into the impressive new galleries set out on three levels. The G&G Centre is an amazing find and a visit to Brick Lane should certainly include a visit. Remember the advice: “If the green gates are open just go on in” and you will not be disappointed.

Edgy street art and a Brick Lane jungle

The street art of Brick Lane is so much closer to that of Digbeth in Birmingham than the stuff we recently experienced on visits to Australia and Singapore. Here, just as in Birmingham, we see the whole range of graffiti and street art. Compare that to Singapore, or even to an extent Melbourne and Adelaide, where there is much more control over the street art. It was great to come across some of London’s finest street artists hard at work on a side street just off Brick Lane. Jim Vision was working with a team of street artists who were rejuvenating a residential area on Buxton Street, just off Brick Lane. They were turning a space that certainly felt unloved into a vibrant street art jungle. The naturalistic jungle theme was certainly subject to detailed plans. Someone in the team must have had a schematic on their phone showing how this jungle was going to end up. All seemed very laid back and calm considering the large scale of the job in hand.

End of the Line

Jim Vision and his partner Matilda started the arts initiative, ‘End of the Line ‘in 2010. Their work in Birmingham has included the huge Marvel piece in a Digbeth car park off Heath Mill Lane. They have worked for some of the largest corporates out there but they also clearly have a real role in community installations, like this Buxton Street Jungle (our naming!) It was refreshing to chat to Jim and to see just what a difference the End of the Line initiative can have. The image below was from 2022. Since then the development has changed the barrier to more secure gates, which should mean that the wildlife will to an extent be protected from the graffiti taggers.

I want to go back and visit the finished jungle! Thanks to the artists who allowed me to photograph their works in progress. They include: @klonism @laylas.murals and @jimvision I will try and put their Instagram handles here as I work them out. Cheers - Jonathan Berg • The copyright of all mural and artistic works on this blog remains of course with the artist - thanks for allowing me to show them.

Brick Lane is certainly worth a stroll next time

you venture to London.

An itinerary could include: • Viewing the street art- especially the newly created Jungle on Buxton Street, just off Brick Lane. • A coffee, followed by a visit to the Gilbert & George cinema and exhibition. Then why not a curry to finish. • You can see more about the work of Jim Vision here and End of the Line here…. • The Gilbert and George Centre website is here…..

Other Buying Options

• Publisher website - Use ‘Buy Now button above. • Amazon: Available worldwide - put in the title and ISBN: Birmingham’s Public Art ISBN978 1 7396457 1 7 • Ebay: Special offer from the Author with worldwide delivery here: