Street art and urban artwork has gone from being considered vandalism to a higher form of creativity in the last few decades, with provocative works from the likes of Stik, Blek le Ra and of course Banksy demonstrating that ‘graffiti’ can be just as innovative as fine art. Many people now visit London to explore its urban artwork scene, and as well as the pieces you’ll find on the streets, there are now a number of galleries dedicated to showcasing this type of work.
Here at the Montcalm Hotel, we are lucky enough to be centrally located, so anyone hoping to explore the amazing urban artwork in the capital has a fantastic base to start from. Let’s take a look at some of the best places to explore the urban art scene in London.
Stolen Space
Osborn Street, London, E1 6TD
This gallery is owned by D*Face, a popular urban artist himself. Over the last few years it’s built a reputation for showcasing some of the best-known street and urban artists from across the world, and the collections are always of the highest quality – with a price point to match. The gallery is just off Brick Lane, which is world-famous for its street art, so you can drop into Stolen Space after you’ve explored the local works by Conor Harrington, Otto Schade, Bailon and Jimmy C.
Camden Town
The Camden area is famous for its markets and its musical heritage, but it also attracts street artists in their droves. Walking tours of the area are available from Camden Street Tours in conjunction with Global Street Art – joining a tour will give you an opportunity to see more than one hundred pieces of authentic street art. You’ll even see some of the most famous works by Bambi, thought of as ‘the female Banksy’. Her portrait of Amy Winehouse on a door in the heart of Camden is perhaps her most famous piece.
Southbank
Taking a stroll along the Southbank is a great way to spend your afternoon in the capital, especially if you’re staying locally in one of our Park Lane hotels London. The Southbank Centre’s skate park located at the Queen Elizabeth Hall Undercroft is covered wall-to-wall with urban artwork – and you can check out the amazing skills of the local skaters while you’re there. Global Street Art regularly hold festivals here to celebrate the amazing work on show.
Howard Griffin Gallery
Mayfair, London W1K 3QD
The heart of Mayfair is the last place you might expect to find an urban art gallery – but the Howard Griffin Gallery has gone from strength to strength in the last few years. Created by Richard Howard-Griffin, also the founder of Street Art London, this impressive gallery space has collections by Mehdi Ghadyanloo and Thierry Noir, with prints available to purchase directly from the gallery.
1963 Gallery
Various locations
The most exciting thing about the 1963 Gallery is that you never know where it’s going to pop up. This roving gallery uses different spots around London, with the organisers constantly searching for innovative new venues to suit each collection they showcase.
