Across The Tracks and Through The Looking Glass

Battle of Waterloo…London Graffiti Jam @ Leake Street

2010.08.23

The spirit and brotherhood  of Hip Hop and Graffiti lives on and gains momentum in London in 2010. Thanks to Chrome and Black for organising a wicked Jam in the Leake Street tunnel for real graffiti writers….“The Battle of Waterloo”…

 

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Although it was a crew battle the rivalry was friendly and lots of people, myself included just down purely to hook up with old pals and maybe stick a little something up…I love to paint  Vaughn Bode influenced characters as has been done in graffiti since the mid-‘70s; this jam provided the perfect excuse.

I advise anyone with even the most remote interest in graffiti to collect and read books of his work.

This post continues with lots more pics after the jump; although not great quality and not catching all the pieces, my camera broke so I was using camera on phone and drinking, and Jenny kindly took some on her wanderings, so it’s more like the vibe of the day…….  

Click the Read More below to see the post…..     

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London Oldskool Graffiti Jam Lakeside 2010-Picture Heavy Post

2010.08.02

Thanks to to Keen 53 and Sharn.E for organising such a wicked weekend, (a few of us started on Friday evening) it really was the ultimate London oldskool writers’ reunion at a wonderful spot, alongside the Thames with writers painting alongside each other for what seemed like miles…

elate piece shopped

My unfinished Elate piece by me with help from Jenny and Drew, featuring  1962 rolling stock  fill and featuring personal additions from Envy, Time, Keen 53, Sharn.E, Prime WRH, Wish, Part Two, Fuem ACR, Carl 131, Merc, Coad 5, Fuel, Kis 42, Fued, Colt 45,  Cazbee DSS, Hit and Urge. People competed over the best spots on ‘the train’ to hit, just like in the old days, it was lots of fun…here’s the view across the river Thames from my spot…

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After last years Covent Garden ‘writers bench’ reunion was so well attended and instantly became the stuff of legend, the organiser Keen 53 and Sian decided to take it to the next level and take it to a spot where we could all paint our own pieces with tunes ,a barbeque a gazebo and all the necessary bits and pieces for an amazing day out, but miles from anyone who might bother us and in a spectacular location ….

IMG00038-20100731-0914  A 7.30 start is a bit much normally but this was good.

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…and a trickle of new arrivals…

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…kept arriving… 

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…until we had our own little mini festival going !!

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There were so many oldskool writers painting and loads of legends passing through that it was hard to stay focussed on your piece for more than a few minutes until the next reunion, introduction and retelling of cherished stories …

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Nearly everyone there was first/second generation (mid-late eighties) London train writer but there were some honorary additions to the roster who all helped to make it a magic day full of real golden moments that will be remembered forever by all.

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In attendance were untold legends from Londons’ rich graffiti history of urban and street art, lost in the mists of time but resurrected in the sun to the live the dream once again….

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the line up just went on and on as you walked…. IMG00139-20100731-1519

 

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IMG00195-20100731-1816  ….and seemed to go on for half a mile or so….

IMG00210-20100731-1822 …. oh the joy of really not being sold anything … no stealth marketing, cynical serial media re-launches, product placement, fake posturing and definitely no toys, bandwagon jumpers, brown noses, me-me-me-ism,  investment strategies, gimmicks or hype (yawn)….

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…instead we had over fifty legendary street and urban transit artists and true blood Hip Hop pioneers including Keen 53, Sharn E, Chic, Desire, Envy, Cop 205, Fuel, Prime, Colt 45, DJ Dexter, Bap, Kis42, Brave 1, Skore, Crok, Shye 131, Rave, Urge, Part 2, Crane, Time, Hit, Carl ST, Merc, Coad 5, Fume ACR, Cazbee, Doze, Ebs, Care, Owed, Kee, Fued 28, Rite, Crok,  Freehand, Urge, Ebee, Keylow, Jyer, Kem, Mef, Trans 1, Arian WD, Hert, Steam 156 and many more…..

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…the art priceless @  $A-Dime-a-Dozen.00

IMG00178-20100731-1807 …the smiles and camaraderie heartfelt, contagious and refreshingly universal…

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….our vocational thirst tempered by maturity and wisdom…

IMG00189-20100731-1815 …the styles diverse, names earned and skills hard won…..

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…and the day featuring absolute legends and cornerstones of global urban art history, some of whom were out painting for the first time in quarter of a century…

IMG00121-20100731-1457‘respect the architects’ I read on a certain brother’s shirt….

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…never was a truer word worn…

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….Elate and ‘OAP’ (old and proud) by Keen 53…

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Freya, a dedication piece to her daughter,  by Sharn.E and a quick stick-up by Kis42

cazbee reunion lakeside

 Higher by Cazbee- nicked from his Flickr cheers Caz, great that you’re back out painting…

Big respect and mad love for all who reached and all those who didn’t make it but should have been there, see you next time, thanks a million to Tony and Sian for organising everything and hooking up so many legends in one amazing spot…

Praise be to the weather fairy for the sunshine, was soooo better than last years hailstone thunderstorm washout…. ta for listening gal you dun good dis time. Respect lol

Andy.Seize art.history Brick.Lane Christmas.Show Chrome.and.Black Consciousness East.London Elate Elate.Graffiti Envy Exhibitions Fuel Graffiti Graffiti.Kings Hall.Of.Fame in.progress in.the.studio Jon.Hammer Keen One Legal.Wall London.Graffiti London.Graffiti.Writers london.handstyles lowbrow Mutate Britain Mutoid.Waste.Company oil.painting Oldskool.Graffiti.Artists One Foot In The Grove Outsider.Art Painting.In.The.Sun Painting.On.Canvas Paintings.for.Sale pop.surrealism Prime Richmix Skore Steampunk street.art tags Urban.Visionary Visionary.Art West.London Westway Zomby

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Arcadia Glastonbury 2010- Exclusive Pics & Official Vids-Artwork by Elate

2010.07.04

 I did all the artwork for Arcadia, one of the highlights of Glastonbury 2010, the Festival’s 40th Birthday, the hottest on record and some say the best yet…

elate in arcadia glastonbury 2010 heade rfor blog post

 

For two weeks we relished the bliss of perfect English midsummer in the most mystical part of the country, Glastonbury, where ley lines meet and legends were born, in The Vale of Avalon, the ancient mythic gateway to the heathen goddess; a place of pilgrimage for millennia.

I was onsite with the team of militant revolutionary dreamers and genius engineers known as Arcadia, easily the best sound system around and quite possibly the greatest show on earth.

index4aTheir meticulous attention to detail and fantastic organisation extends to the busy site canteen who kept me fed and watered with an ever-changing array of fresh veggie delights and herbal teas….

I painted anarcho punk slogans since 82 then graffiti at the birth of UK hip hop in 84, onto London’s tube system in 86 through the golden age of train graffiti moving to acid house backdrops in 89. The nineties and new millenium saw me painting at traveller squat parties and Reclaim the Streets protest raves. Throughout the quiet renaissance of classical, surreal and visionary oil painting I was at the easel and fused my skills back with graffiti in Shoreditch in 2009 then onto MuTate Britain with the Mutoid Waste Company in Ladbroke Grove under the Westway…

Now in 2010 I feel glad to have played a small part by painting for the next underground zeitgeist, one which takes influence and energy from all those phenomenon and more, but boldly maps out a new frontier that is purely its’ own…ARCADIA.

Like all underground revolutionary movements the gold rush is for the inner treasure. The ultimate reward is the accomplishment of the dream and the actualisation of the idea. At Glastonbury 2010 Arcadia surpassed all expectations and reached dizzying new heights of inspiration, engineering, teamwork, sculpture, music, lighting, pyrotechnics, performance art and energy as this film shows….

 

The Build

 

Tangentical

 

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When we arrived onsite the Afterburner stage was still in its early stages, the ‘legs’ of the spider are actually scrap from customs xray machines that used to scan containers and lorries. Pure genius…

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The core of the beast is expertly manoevered into place…

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…and it shows its’ face.

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In keeping with Arcadia’s militant branding and apocalyptic atmosphere I did the line-up board using their trademark stencil lettering, and carefully distressed the fragments of plane for that ‘hauled out of the swamp 5 years after the crash’ look….

 

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…with lots of help from capable hands.

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The entrance arch is a couple of modified plane wings, possibly from a glider, it’d been rubbed down to the bare aluminium so to keep the burnished metal intact on the ‘pipes’ I used Belton’s amazing transparent black spray paint to get the relief modelling without losing the wonderful texture which gleamed from underneath as the sun caught the metal…The design was finalised between myself and Pip Rush and based on carvings on an ancient Aztec  temple….

 

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Here’s a video of the build in progress.

 

DSC06539 The line-up boards go up….

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I then cut back over the black with Belton’s burner chrome to get a contrast against the aluminium and carefully painted the pop rivets and ‘crazy paving’ seams by hand.

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Pip was keen to use my ‘Circuit Splat’ style so I modified it to pure abstraction with a vivid tribal background on some pieces of aeroplane scrap to hang behind the massive ‘Arc Bar’, the sun was pounding down…

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After painting ‘til twilight the lights go on on the new Afterburner for the very first time and the eerie entity blinks into life.

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Next day the crew finish building ‘stage left’ so I can start the piece.

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Across the field the punk tent takes shape

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After being branded with the Arcadia logo by their prop maker and effects guy, Simon, he begins work on the dirty-metal-effect background for my piece….

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…and I start blocking in the arrows. Some respectful inspiration drawn from amigo Keen One here, but in 3 dimensions and distressed with a strong Elate/Arcadia twist….

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arcadia logo by elate

….and lots of rivets, seams, gleams, glints and the Arcadia logo in the centre….

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….everyone seemed to really like this.

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DSC06566 Here the graffiti began to fuse with scrap art by Simon and Sam…

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Finally after sweat and dedication, blisters, sprains and minor sunstroke Arcadia opened on Thursday 24th June 2010 to the public ….

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 DSC06602 …who went nuts….while many crew take the opportunity to sleep until rested before re-emerging to enjoy the weekend.

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My art at the Arcadia Arc Bar ‘scuse the poor shots

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You could feel the heat on your face from the other side of the field. Experience Arcadia, they’re doing amazing things.

mark-vauxhall 

I’ll let the Lords of Lightning sign off this post as only they know how.

All pictures of Arcadia build by me and Jenny apart from a few select shots of Afterburner show and Glastonbury used  with permission Creative Commons and taken by Luke Blackmore, lusciousblopster, mark-vauxhall, medalliamagpie, Tangentical, fussy onion, Al Green midlander123 and bfirsh; thanks to all.

Massive thanks to Pip and Bertie and all Arcadia crew.

Andy.Seize art.history Brick.Lane Christmas.Show Chrome.and.Black Consciousness East.London Elate Elate.Graffiti Envy Exhibitions Fuel Graffiti Graffiti.Kings Hall.Of.Fame in.progress in.the.studio Jon.Hammer Keen One Legal.Wall London.Graffiti London.Graffiti.Writers london.handstyles lowbrow Mutate Britain Mutoid.Waste.Company oil.painting Oldskool.Graffiti.Artists One Foot In The Grove Outsider.Art Painting.In.The.Sun Painting.On.Canvas Paintings.for.Sale pop.surrealism Prime Richmix Skore Steampunk street.art tags Urban.Visionary Visionary.Art West.London Westway Zomby

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Elate in Arcadia @ Glastonbury 2010-Graffiti & Visionary Art

2010.06.15

To See Exclusive Shots of Arcadia Glastonbury 2010 Build and Official Arcadia Videos Click Here To See My Post-Festival Blog Entry!

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

 The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, is the largest open-air music and performing arts festival in the world.

The main attraction for many revellers for the last few years has been one of the smaller, more underground arenas known as Arcadia.

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Arcadia is a synchronised pyrotechnic stage and lightshow sculpture arena featuring world class bands and deejays and illuminated by lasers, intelligent lighting, water jets and flamethrowers and is built from military and NASA scrap, primarily jet engine components.

Deejays and bands play live surrounded by what must be the most incredible spectacle of light, smoke and flame on the planet, as tens of thousands of people dance in an ecstasy of ritual theatrics and shamanic pyrotechnics.

Think Heironymous Bosch meets Mad Max versus ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ and you’re getting somewhere.

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I was delighted to find out that my painting is thought of so highly by the visionary behind Arcadia, Pip Rush, that I have been asked to design and paint all artwork for the entire Arcadia arena at this years Glastonbury, 2010; the festival’s 40th Birthday.

Pip’s the younger brother of Joe Rush,  founder of the Mutoid Waste Company and has spent much of his life since a baby in the delirium of Joe’s events;  we share many similar inspirations and themes in our work.

the-hangmans-beautiful-daughter  The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter- A Painting by Me…..

ELATE on PCB

…and some Graffiti by me…..

We put our heads together and have been bouncing ideas backwards and forwards so expect  something a bit special.

Year by year Arcadia Spectacular have expanded at Glastonbury, starting off in ‘Trash City’ in 2008 with the Mutoid Waste Company. It was so successful that they were given their own field in 2009, this was in turn so successful that  this year, 2010; to quote organiser Micheal Eavis…

"We’re giving over an extra 15 acres to Arcadia …..because the feedback we got on that area was fantastic.”

As a result the Arcadia crew are ramping up the spectacular even further, featuring a new top secret ‘Afterburner’, the main stage structure, which  takes the whole show to the next level.

Mutating daredevils on highwires and trapezes will do battle with actual lightning bolts, pyrotechnics and flamethrowers high above the arena in a mid air extravaganza of cosmic significance and electric delight that will bring the ‘invisible world’ into living focus before your very eyes and ears.

I will be doing my best to provide this sensory feast with an incredible surround of amazing art that will help Arcadia to transport minds to places and times far from this dimension.

Thanks to the guys at Chrome and Black paint shop in Shoreditch, East London, yet again, for looking after us so well….

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                      Arcadia Stage Line Up Glastonbury 2010

                     Weds 23rd-Sun 27th June 2010

DAY

MUSIC ACT

Thursday

evening

King Porter Stomp

FRIDAY

3PM-4PM

Gadjo

4PM-5PM

Astroboy

5PM-6PM

The Soul Jazz Orchestra

6PM-7.30PM

Rob da bank

7.30PM-8.30PM

Swing Zazou

8.30PM-9.30PM

The Correspondents

9.30PM-10PM

light up

10-11PM

Beardyman vs. Arcadia

11PM-12

Foamo

12-12.30AM

Arcadia spectacular featuring Freefall Collective

12.30-1AM

Arcadia allstars

1-2AM

Kissy sell out

2AM-3AM

Dog Show

SATURDAY

3PM-4PM

Joe Acheson Quartet

4PM-5PM

Mr Woodnote

5PM-6PM

The Beat

6PM-7PM

A Skillz

7PM-8PM

Smerins Anti Social Club

8PM-9PM

Dubrovnik DJ set

9PM-9.45PM

Doc Daneeka

9.45PM-10.15PM

light up

10.15-11PM

Dr Meaker

11PM-12

Hostage

 

 

12-12.30

Arcadia spectacular featuring Freefall Collective

 

 

12.30-2AM

Wonkavision

 

 

2-3AM

McMash Clan

 

 

 

 

 

 

SUNDAY

 

 

 

3PM-4PM

Professor Skank and African Simba

 

 

4PM-5PM

DJ ASBO

 

 

5PM-6PM

Vibronics live

 

 

6PM-7PM

Mungo’s Hi Fi featuring MC Ishu

 

 

7PM-8PM

Gentlemans dub club

 

 

8PM-9.30PM

Powersteppers

 

 

9.30PM-10PM

Light up

 

 

10-11PM

David Rodigan

 

 

11PM-12

Warrior One

 

 

12-12.30AM

Arcadia spectacular featuring Freefall Collective

 

 

12.30-1AM

Arcadia allstars

 

 

1AM-2AM

Passenger records presents: Aquasky & The Ragga Twins (History of Breaks set)

 

 

2AM-3AM

Black Sun Empire feat: Stamina Mc & Sp:Mc

 

Arcadia photos images Creative Commons many thanks to Luke Robinson  theadz01 and Russ Garrett

Andy.Seize art.history Brick.Lane Christmas.Show Chrome.and.Black Consciousness East.London Elate Elate.Graffiti Envy Exhibitions Fuel Graffiti Graffiti.Kings Hall.Of.Fame in.progress in.the.studio Jon.Hammer Keen One Legal.Wall London.Graffiti London.Graffiti.Writers london.handstyles lowbrow Mutate Britain Mutoid.Waste.Company oil.painting Oldskool.Graffiti.Artists One Foot In The Grove Outsider.Art Painting.In.The.Sun Painting.On.Canvas Paintings.for.Sale pop.surrealism Prime Richmix Skore Steampunk street.art tags Urban.Visionary Visionary.Art West.London Westway Zomby

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A Message of Thanks

2010.06.15

tottsmag-thankyou

I’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone who has shown me support and encouragement during the ongoing campaign of stalking, harrassment, threats and intimidation, which began shortly after I announced my plans to open a new art gallery in East London.

These events seem to infer that certain people in the ‘street art’ establishment are prepared to use thugs, threats, hackers and dirty tricks. You can read all about this here.

I have had many messages of kindness and support  from readers of my blog and people in the art world which have given me great comfort at this difficult time. Thanks to those people.

Thanks also to my family and friends and the bloggers and websites who published the events, put out calls for information, expressed their outrage or linked to the article describing the events including Fatcap, Canned Goods, London Street Art Design, Vandalog, Graphotism, Artshout, Graffiti Spotting and many more…

Thanks to all the guys from London’s graffiti writing and broader art communities who have lifted my spirits with their kindness and support.

Thanks also to the police  who have been  kind and understanding, know what’s been going on and are taking it seriously.

I have to admit I was a bit apprehensive to go to the police with news of developments, but to their credit, they were very interested in what I had to say and seem to be taking it very seriously.

They requested I keep a log recording any  information including unusual sightings and descriptions of people I believe may be involved, events, photos of the threatening artworks which have been appearing from various sources; anything in fact, which could be seen as aggressive or a warning and could possibly be directed against me.

This log remains in my possession and has, of course been backed up and passed to trusted allies but will hopefully never see the light of day.

I had assumed the police would not be interested in veiled and ambiguous threats.

However I have been informed by officers that taking into account the circumstances (especially if  these threats continue or anything ‘untoward’ or ‘unusual’ happens to me); that  these would become a basis for an investigation.

I was no angel in my youth but it’s at times like this that you realise there are a great many kind, good hearted officers on the force who are genuinely doing a great job for the right reasons and are the last resort  when people find themselves the innocent victim of attack, intimidation and harrassment.

These basic tenets of our society is what our proud British freedom of  expression and human rights is built on.

All I want is to get on with my life and let other people get on with theirs with no hassle or problems.

Peace

Elate.

Andy.Seize art.history Brick.Lane Christmas.Show Chrome.and.Black Consciousness East.London Elate Elate.Graffiti Envy Exhibitions Fuel Graffiti Graffiti.Kings Hall.Of.Fame in.progress in.the.studio Jon.Hammer Keen One Legal.Wall London.Graffiti London.Graffiti.Writers london.handstyles lowbrow Mutate Britain Mutoid.Waste.Company oil.painting Oldskool.Graffiti.Artists One Foot In The Grove Outsider.Art Painting.In.The.Sun Painting.On.Canvas Paintings.for.Sale pop.surrealism Prime Richmix Skore Steampunk street.art tags Urban.Visionary Visionary.Art West.London Westway Zomby

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Magic Window Studios

2010.05.03

Magic Window Studios is a concept for a new London art gallery that I’ve been working hard to put together over the last year as anyone who follows this blog will know.

Due to interference and a campaign of  intimidation, (related in my previous post) it has not seen the light of day.

I have also encountered other adverse reactions that I have not recorded here.

My intentions were not to make a pot of cash, (though a humble living would have been nice for myself and the other artists).

Instead my dreams were of an aesthetic aspiration, giving exposure to ignored, untrained visionaries and first generation London graffiti pioneers from the roots of our rich urban culture; exploring typography, symbolism, social commentary and archetypes, free from the restrictions of graffiti but freed by it’s energy to explore new dimensions.

I have made a reluctant decision to cancel forthcoming events.

I apologise to those who were to be involved in this project, including artists who have been preparing work and individuals and agencies I had engaged to help. I find it hard to believe that we have faced this level of opposition to something so authentic, and of such interest but this has unfortunately been the case.

……………….

“For better it is to do mighty things, to dream of glorious triumph, even though checked by defeats, than to take part with those poor souls who neither do much, nor suffer much because they live in the grey twilight that knows neither victory or defeat.”

Theodore Roosevelt- January 30, 1882 – April 12, 1945

It is with this wisdom in mind and in a spirit of peace that I relate this news.

Elate/ Jon

Andy.Seize art.history Brick.Lane Christmas.Show Chrome.and.Black Consciousness East.London Elate Elate.Graffiti Envy Exhibitions Fuel Graffiti Graffiti.Kings Hall.Of.Fame in.progress in.the.studio Jon.Hammer Keen One Legal.Wall London.Graffiti London.Graffiti.Writers london.handstyles lowbrow Mutate Britain Mutoid.Waste.Company oil.painting Oldskool.Graffiti.Artists One Foot In The Grove Outsider.Art Painting.In.The.Sun Painting.On.Canvas Paintings.for.Sale pop.surrealism Prime Richmix Skore Steampunk street.art tags Urban.Visionary Visionary.Art West.London Westway Zomby

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Outsider Art (14)
Painting Background Archive (7)
Paintings (11)
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Relics and Curiosities (12)
Shoreditch (15)
street.art (5)
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Elate- London Artist under Attack

2010.03.18

A Message to the Graffiti Community and Beyond.

………………………………………………..

I haven’t posted on my blog for a few months, here’s why.

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I have been subject to a campaign of intimidation and aggression after announcing plans to open a gallery at Brick Lane and painting legal graffiti on prized spots. Now I realise I have unwittingly been put in an unthinkable situation.

I would be happy to engage in healthy competition of innovation, skills, banter and wit, but whoever is opposed to my plans chose the way of the bully. Now the situation has got so bad that I am going public with the information.

Let’s start at the beginning…..I painted anti-war slogans and punk logos since ‘82, then in the New York style from ‘84.

Being from a working class background I left school aged 16 in ‘86. I didn’t have the privilege of an art education so worked as a messenger boy in the City of London just as the Underground railway was overrun with graffiti for the first time.

My passion for graffiti got me fired from my round in early ‘87 and I continued writing on trains through London’s graffiti heyday until 1989 when I stopped illegal work and taught myself to paint classically in oil, continuing to paint graffiti legally.

When Banksy and others recently enabled vandalism to be accepted as an art form, and visionary painting by untrained outsiders was finally acknowledged, I thought my time for recognition was here. My calculation didn’t take into account the carefully controlled hierarchy that exists in the London scene.

I had no intent to subvert anyone’s status and only wished to embrace diversity in all its forms and participate in the community. So after being completely ignored by the major players in the ‘Street Art’ establishment I decided to go it alone in 2009 and curate my own space in a Georgian warehouse at the top of Brick Lane, the hub of the art community, specialising in work by oldskool graffiti writers and intuitive visionaries.

I told many in the neighbourhood about my plans. This news was met with a sign posted on my wall at the beginning of August 09 “Art Gallery Not Needed- London…Breathe/Stretch/Relax/Perforate” and signed ‘Sinom de Plume’

Sinom de Plume is a corruption of the French ‘Nom de Plume’ meaning Pen Name or literary double, a fake name adopted by an author.

“Breathe/Stretch/Relax/Perforate” is a corruption of the Yoga instruction ‘Breathe/Stretch/Relax/Rejuvenate’. In that simple substitution of one word for another the author turns an instruction in transcendence, humanity and hope into a tool of censorship, oppression and threat.

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I was shocked that anyone could feel such a way against me for doing something so creative and positive but was even more determined to continue with my plans.

By late September 2009 I began to paint with the infamous and upcoming MuTate Britain Collective who embraced my art and long history in the scene , welcomed me with open arms, gave me enormous walls to paint and hung my work in some of the best spots in their ‘One Foot in the Grove’ show under the Westway in Ladbroke Grove. I was asked to invite some oldskool legends from London’s ‘Golden Age’ to come and paint their perimeter wall, which was delivered in fine style.

It’s all detailed on the previous posts on my blog. I felt delighted to be recognised at last. As the MuTate Britain extravaganza was going on in Portobello Road, West London, building work was being done on our proposed gallery in Shoreditch, indicating to people, I presume, that we had ignored the warning notice.

The work was finished in late 2009 and myself and my girlfriend went for a well deserved holiday over Christmas. As soon as we got back in late December, refreshed, invigorated and excited about the year ahead, the real intimidation started.

I began to notice an old car decked out in tinsel and driven by a very large man hanging around our building.

One quiet evening, the 2nd January 2010, I was putting out the rubbish in the bin on the street corner; his car, which had been waiting in a side road, performed a reverse handbrake turn at high speed and then drove straight at me down the dark and empty street at full speed with hazard lights flashing. He screeched to a halt inches from my feet,  I thought I was going to get run over and managed to stumble out of his path to my gates and get in, terrified and shaking as he sat parked outside the gates.

At this point I knew something was seriously wrong.

I needed a drink and had nothing in the building so after 20 minutes left cautiously for the nearest pub after checking out of the window that he had gone. As I was drinking my pint and to my horror, the driver of the car walked up to the window, stared at me then turned on and disappeared into the night. I got home and called the police who said it was a rare and exceptional incident and gave me a crime number.

Two mornings later I awoke and looked out of the window, the barbed wire preventing access to our building had been pulled aside and the grey slate tiles leading to our windows were broken as if they had been walked across, even the roofing felt was ripped. The damage was verified as new by the caretaker so I called the police who attended and registered it as an attempted burglary.

Three weeks after it had been repaired, the barbed wire was ripped aside yet again, with fresh marks on the tiles.

On Sunday 7th March 2010 I found that my computer had been hacked. I consulted my IT guy who told me that it was an attack by professional hackers. They had installed a ‘Trojan’ and ‘key loggers’ (devices which record every stroke of the keypad) set up multiple user accounts with full privileges including ‘impersonate user privilege’ ‘’modify firmware privilege’ among countless other stuff including a ‘tunnelling proxy’ and encrypted zones, things I knew nothing about and had hardly even heard of.

They have ignored multiple opportunities to steal money from paypal accounts, preferring to access my emails.

This was repeatedly listed in my  PC’s ‘Events Log’ as Outlook Events-

‘”C:Users\Me\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\Outlook.pst The store was last opened on a different machine”

…but I have only ever accessed my mail from my own PC; I am convinced this carefully targeted hacking is linked to the previous incidents. Any hacker who installs key loggers then ignores constant access to cash would probably be after something else,as is indicated in my events log.

They have also had access to…

  • My writing and rants, directed at an art scene which ignore myself and countless talented others while celebrating ‘instant artists’ and hype.
  • My personal emails to my girlfriend full of pet names, secrets of our personal life and ‘coochie coo’ sweetness.
  • My gallery plans, manifesto, logos, and communications with artists I was planning to show when we opened; and confidential website information.
  • Personal private photos of my family
  • Shots from my girlfriend’s modelling portfolio.
  • Intimate photos of myself and my girlfriend.
  • My broad collection of ‘adult movies’ of multiple genres; classic hardcore, roleplay, lesbian, ‘Barely Legal’ and JAV (Japanese Adult Video) always verifiably legal and taken from carefully moderated sites.
  • My archive of graffiti and art photos and scans of my sketches of future works.
  • Intimate details of my illnesses, medications and medical conditions.
  • Details of my history of substance misuse, now seven years clean.
  • Highly personal emails to family members in times of illness, joy, distress and even argument.
  • The vast variety of websites I read when trying to understand political and religious points of view from all ends of the spectrum when researching topics current in the media.
  • My unpublished writing analysing the meanings behind mine and others’ work, written in the context of the history of art and civilisation.

After discovering and eventually putting a stop to the attack by shutting off my system I left the building next morning and was followed yet again, this time onto a train.

I cannot see what I could possibly have done to warrant this attention and threat; I am a good, kind and honest man who has done no-one any wrong, have tirelessly helped others throughout my life and have countless people who will happily vouch for my character and personality.

All I have done is paint legal walls with the owners’ permission according to the rules of graffiti, make a few impassioned comments about art on the web, and try to open a gallery in East London that gives a platform for highly talented and innovative  artists excluded by the establishment.

I ask nothing except to be allowed to live my life in peace. I am reconsidering my plans to open the gallery in the face of these experiences. It seems I have ‘ruffled feathers’ for whatever reason.

I send out this statement to raise awareness so that people know what is going on. I re-entered the scene full of optimism ideas, and happiness which I have shared with all who let me participate. I thought things would be very different to this.

Thanks to all who enjoy my art, have shared good times and given me support and encouragement. I hope my next communication will be on a happier note.

Elate / Jon

18th March 2010

AcrossTheTracksandThroughTheLookingGlasslowres_thumb

Additional note: Comments accusing me of being Schizophrenic and imagining the whole thing have already appeared on a well known graffiti site, in an obvious attempt to discredit me.

Andy.Seize art.history Brick.Lane Christmas.Show Chrome.and.Black Consciousness East.London Elate Elate.Graffiti Envy Exhibitions Fuel Graffiti Graffiti.Kings Hall.Of.Fame in.progress in.the.studio Jon.Hammer Keen One Legal.Wall London.Graffiti London.Graffiti.Writers london.handstyles lowbrow Mutate Britain Mutoid.Waste.Company oil.painting Oldskool.Graffiti.Artists One Foot In The Grove Outsider.Art Painting.In.The.Sun Painting.On.Canvas Paintings.for.Sale pop.surrealism Prime Richmix Skore Steampunk street.art tags Urban.Visionary Visionary.Art West.London Westway Zomby

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Mutate Britain (5)
Mutoid.Waste.Company (3)
New Paintings 2009 (9)
Oldskool Graffiti Writers (24)
One Foot In The Grove (4)
Outsider Art (14)
Painting Background Archive (7)
Paintings (11)
Processed Paintings (2)
Relics and Curiosities (12)
Shoreditch (15)
street.art (5)
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Mutate Britain Winter Show Picture Heavy Post part 2

2009.12.11

We kick off part two of this post with the golden age train writer Cazbee 53 from DSS Crew Da Sure Shots, from Ladbroke Grove piecing the outer wall of the MuTate Britain mechanical zoo….Many of Cazbees pieces rolled past this spot on trains,or were under the Westway itself.

Now he’s back 20 years later, along with oldskool steel writers Fuel, Skore, Mear, Crok, Don myself and a few of London’s more new skool to take the vibe back to the raw, enabling a potent and complementary mix of the hardcore underground vibes and tribes….

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and back inside for another shot of me and Vibes….

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……and onto the wild, diverse art within, here’s Jimmy South of War Boutique

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Lyle Doghead, LRRY and friend

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Elate, Obey

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Anarchist Crockery by Carrie Reichart

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In Dog We Trust by Jolly Good, made with real dollar bills…

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DSC04655  Vera Bong

DSC04664 Dotmaster

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The toilets…

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New Arrivals…

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What I have posted is a fraction of what is there, you really have to get down to this 12,000 foot space and experience the most revolutionary art happening London, probably even the world has ever seen.

The future is unwritten!!!

The Mutate Britain shop is now online check it here!!!!

Families are welcome to this multisensory extravaganza!.

Full dates and opening times below. We look forwarding to seeing you!

Opening times:

Opens December 4th to December 20th – FRI / SAT / SUN

Fri – 2pm -10pm
Sat-1pm – 10pm
Sun – 12pm-9pm

We are also open 2 Wednesdays for the Portobello Winter Festival on the 9th & 16th December – 6pm -10pm

FRI & SAT (NO ENTRY AFTER 9PM)

SUN (NO ENTRY AFTER 8PM)

£2 before 6pm / £3 there after’

www.mutatebritain.co.uk

www.mutatebritain.wordpress.com

facebook mutatebritain

www.myspace.com/mutatebritain

Andy.Seize art.history Brick.Lane Christmas.Show Chrome.and.Black Consciousness East.London Elate Elate.Graffiti Envy Exhibitions Fuel Graffiti Graffiti.Kings Hall.Of.Fame in.progress in.the.studio Jon.Hammer Keen One Legal.Wall London.Graffiti London.Graffiti.Writers london.handstyles lowbrow Mutate Britain Mutoid.Waste.Company oil.painting Oldskool.Graffiti.Artists One Foot In The Grove Outsider.Art Painting.In.The.Sun Painting.On.Canvas Paintings.for.Sale pop.surrealism Prime Richmix Skore Steampunk street.art tags Urban.Visionary Visionary.Art West.London Westway Zomby

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Graffiti (36)
In The Studio (2)
Influences (1)
Ladbroke Grove (2)
Learning Graffiti (3)
Materials (1)
Meeting of Styles (3)
Mutate Britain (5)
Mutoid.Waste.Company (3)
New Paintings 2009 (9)
Oldskool Graffiti Writers (24)
One Foot In The Grove (4)
Outsider Art (14)
Painting Background Archive (7)
Paintings (11)
Processed Paintings (2)
Relics and Curiosities (12)
Shoreditch (15)
street.art (5)
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Mutate Britain Winter Show-Picture Heavy Post part 1

2009.12.09

 

Here’s some more pictures from the MuTate Britain Winter Show. I’m going to be adding a whole load more as a separate post at the weekend at some point as I need to rephotograph stuff to a half decent standard.

This has to be one of the best art exhibitions anywhere ever in my humble opinion and I’m very glad to have had a hand in it….If you like your surrealism apocalyptic your graffiti groundbreaking your grime genuine and your people straight up this is the place for you…..We kick of with Rubbish Fairy and House of Doll

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house of doll flyer

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Mear

DSC04366 Skore TRC

DSC04373Crok

DSC04376 Achy

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Fuel

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Joe Rush

DSC04484   Elate Vibes Lyle Doghead and LRRY and Pakka

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Lyle Doghead and LRRY and Pakka with plane by Sam Haggerty and Dotmasters

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Teddy Baden

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Joe Rush

Wreckage International 

Wreckage International

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Joe Rush and others

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Sam Haggerty

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War Boutique

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DSC04516 Joe Rush

DSC04518 Sam Haggerty and Joe Rush

DSC04521 Obey Giant

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Wolf and PXL

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Andy Seize

DSC04528 Elate Vibes

DSC04530 Dotmasters aka Bagsy

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Sam Hagarty and Dotmasters

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Liam Cordy

DSC04513 Joe Rush

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Mutoid Dave and others…

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DSC04619 Elate Cazbee

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Pure Indulgence

Families are welcome to this multisensory extravaganza!.

Full dates and opening times below. We look forwarding to seeing you!

Opening times:

Opens December 4th to December 20th – FRI / SAT / SUN

Fri – 2pm -10pm
Sat-1pm – 10pm
Sun – 12pm-9pm

We are also open 2 Wednesdays for the Portobello Winter Festival on the 9th & 16th December – 6pm -10pm

FRI & SAT (NO ENTRY AFTER 9PM)

SUN (NO ENTRY AFTER 8PM)

£2 before 6pm / £3 there after’

www.mutatebritain.co.uk

www.mutatebritain.wordpress.com

facebook mutatebritain

www.myspace.com/mutatebritain

Andy.Seize art.history Brick.Lane Christmas.Show Chrome.and.Black Consciousness East.London Elate Elate.Graffiti Envy Exhibitions Fuel Graffiti Graffiti.Kings Hall.Of.Fame in.progress in.the.studio Jon.Hammer Keen One Legal.Wall London.Graffiti London.Graffiti.Writers london.handstyles lowbrow Mutate Britain Mutoid.Waste.Company oil.painting Oldskool.Graffiti.Artists One Foot In The Grove Outsider.Art Painting.In.The.Sun Painting.On.Canvas Paintings.for.Sale pop.surrealism Prime Richmix Skore Steampunk street.art tags Urban.Visionary Visionary.Art West.London Westway Zomby

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Influences (1)
Ladbroke Grove (2)
Learning Graffiti (3)
Materials (1)
Meeting of Styles (3)
Mutate Britain (5)
Mutoid.Waste.Company (3)
New Paintings 2009 (9)
Oldskool Graffiti Writers (24)
One Foot In The Grove (4)
Outsider Art (14)
Painting Background Archive (7)
Paintings (11)
Processed Paintings (2)
Relics and Curiosities (12)
Shoreditch (15)
street.art (5)
Techniques (6)
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Uncategorized (9)
Videos (2)
Visionary Art (22)

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Mutate Britain Christmas Special On Now

2009.12.04

ONE FOOT IN THE GROVE ‘Christmas special’

‘One Foot in the Grove’ is back from the 4th of December.

‘Our festival of underground art provides a welcoming, inclusive and visually astounding experience for all ages in an atmospheric 12,000 square foot setting just off Portobello Road. Walk amongst giant sculptures, installations and unique artwork and hang out for good times at our licensed bar with proper music and delicious grub.

We are featuring loads of new work including an epic wall by Elate, Vibes and Obey Giant that cracks and crumbles the Westway to rubble before your eyes!

There’s new work by Joe Rush, a giant collaboration by Sam Haggerty and Dotmasters, new pieces by Teddy Baden, Wreckage, Seize, Code FC, Bleach, Best Ever, Zadok, Fuel, Skore, Crok, Mear, Towns, K-Guy, to name but a few, also light installations, lasers, stalls, bric a brac, curios, and anarchist crockery.

Joe Rush

We have rehung our gallery room that offers exclusive posters, prints, originals, sculptures, photography, clothing and object d’art that make perfect prezzies for you and your discerning friends and family.

We provide that much needed alternative to the Xmas chaos of Oxford Street – so don’t miss out on the best show in town.

See giant fire-breathing robots walking, drink at our licensed bar, see and hear film shows, trains thundering past and experience an authentic friendly festival vibe in the heart of London.

This promises to be London’s biggest, most inclusive, interactive and underground street art event this Christmas.

Families are welcome to this multisensory extravaganza!.

Full dates and opening times below. We look forwarding to seeing you!

Opening times:

Opens December 4th to December 20th – FRI / SAT / SUN

Fri – 2pm -10pm
Sat-1pm – 10pm
Sun – 12pm-9pm

We are also open 2 Wednesdays for the Portobello Winter Festival on the 9th & 16th December – 6pm -10pm

FRI & SAT (NO ENTRY AFTER 9PM)

SUN (NO ENTRY AFTER 8PM)

£2 before 6pm / £3 there after’

www.mutatebritain.co.uk

www.mutatebritain.wordpress.com

facebook mutatebritain

www.myspace.com/mutatebritain

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