Homeless Artist Exhibits New Work In Shoreditch Gallery

By Stuart Black Last edited 116 months ago
Homeless Artist Exhibits New Work In Shoreditch Gallery
 John Dolan with 2501.
John Dolan with 2501.
John Dolan with Broken Fingaz Crew.
John Dolan with Broken Fingaz Crew.
John Dolan with Cityzen Kane.
John Dolan with Cityzen Kane.
 John Dolan with EKTA.
John Dolan with EKTA.
John working on a sketch of George.
John working on a sketch of George.
John Dolan with Gold Peg.
John Dolan with Gold Peg.
John Dolan with Ian Stevenson.
John Dolan with Ian Stevenson.
George with sketches of himself in the Howard Griffin Gallery.
George with sketches of himself in the Howard Griffin Gallery.
John Dolan working on a sketch along Shoreditch High Street.
John Dolan working on a sketch along Shoreditch High Street.
George the Dog by John Dolan (2).
George the Dog by John Dolan (2).
George the Dog by John Dolan.
George the Dog by John Dolan.
John Dolan with Thierry Noir.
John Dolan with Thierry Noir.

The view from down on the street is one not many Londoners consider as they rush around between work and home. But for John Dolan the street has been both his work and home, and his view is quite different from that of most Londoners. Having spent three years living rough on Shoreditch High Street with his trusty dog George (who he received in exchange for a can of lager), John became something of a local personality, selling the pen and ink sketches he made of the area to curious passers-by.

It was enough to keep him going at first and then finally help him break out of a 20 year cycle of bad luck, homelessness and prison. His skills also impressed the more established local street artists who’ve made Shoreditch their canvas over the last decade or so. George now has his second exhibition of the resulting collaborations made with well-known names like the Rolling People, Thierry Noir and Broken Fingaz Crew. The show is dubbed Shoreditch Skyline Collaborations and is part of the John and George project, soon to be published as a book.

The latest show runs at the Howard Griffin Gallery from 17 July to 17 August at 189 Shoreditch High Street, E1 6HU. Free entry - with paintings available to buy (part of the proceeds going to The Big Issue Foundation and Battersea Dogs and Cats Home).

Last Updated 16 July 2014