London graffiti is getting cleverer, bolder and more and more abstract. Banksy, DrD and the abstract stencillers have blurred the line between art and vandalism and yet more blurring occurs in a new solo show by a graffiti artist open in Southwark this week.
SheOne is the British graffiti artist James Choules who was"an influential part of the 80’s graffiti renaissance" according to the press release. The spraycan artist is having his first solo show called Exit and it is a showcase of the abstract typography, emblems and personalised shorthand that made SheOne an internationally recognised artist and placed graffiti in the contemporary art arena.
We reckon this exhibition is a good day out for those who like seeing graffiti in the context of an art exhibition rather than seeing it flash by on the side of a grubby tube train. And it may be a bit of a buzz for those who get excited by artworks that have a very limited timespan... Because If you miss the show, you really won't have any chance of seeing the artwork again.
Or the building for that matter.
Exit is held in Union Works, a disused factory near Tate Modern. This grade II listed building houses the last remaining bear-baiting arena dating from 1680s and is going to be demolished at the end of the exhibition - with all the artworks still within it. A special late opening on 13 January will be the very last chance to get a glimpse of building and graffiti; the demolition will be filmed for a special documentary. Watch this space. And we mean that quite literally.
Exit by SheOne at Union Works, open 12.00pm and 7.00pm, Saturday 13 January open 12.00pm to 10.00pm. Entry is free. For more information go to the Exit website here.
