Many Dalston residents are less than happy about plans for regeneration (or gentrification, depending on your politics and focus) of the Dalston Junction area. Regardless of local opposition, development seems to be powering ahead.
For the past couple of months, the banners and signs of the protesters have been fighting a propaganda war with official posters portraying the brave new world planned by London Transport, Mayors Pipe and Livingston, and a consortium of developers.
The battle for hearts and minds escalated over the Easter break: the blandly cut-and-paste architectural renderings of the happy happy ‘Dalston to be’ riveted to the hoardings at the 38 bus stop on Dalston Lane have accumulated some creative amends at the hands of anti-development activists.
Note the sinister concentration-camp motto over the razor wire penning in the citizens of the gated community: SHOPPING MACHT FREI.
We’ve uploaded more high resolution images on Flickr. As in Hogarth, there is much detail worthy of attention: ASBO-branded shopping bags, anyone?
If you want to visit, go soon before the Powers That Be erase all sign of it. Map here. The site is just across the road from the Dalston Peace Mural – a 1985 celebration of Hackney’s collective anti-nuclear action during the Cold War.
Featuring 120 pages of the freshest urban talent from: Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, i-jusi, Sputn*kk, A1one Writer from Iran, Helen Lyon, mattblack, ASK! ELLiS, Szutka Fabryka, Blend, Paul Hartnett and shit-loads more… plus a FREE DVD offer featuring all video content from Issues 1 & 2 plus exclusive episode of the legendary '100proofMIXTAPE'…
What more could you want? With thanks to King Adz.
Friends of BST, 100proof, have just sent us the latest version of their nifty online mag. They say:
100proofTRUTH is a PDF journal, a magazine, a DVD, a website, a TV show that has grown organically out of 100proof’s work in film/tv/video, journalism, art direction, and digital/media/design.
‘Original stencil pioneer’ Blek Le Rat has come to collect his dues. A documentary about the French street artist and his work is currently touring and includes a slide show of his work from 1981 to 2005. It would seem that Banksy’s a mere toddler compared to this street art veteran – hence his quote on the front of the DVD.
The DVD is available to buy on 100 Proof’s site and snippets of the footage are, of course, on YouTube. Any requests for interviews/usage should be directed at the director, Kingadz@gmail.com.
This is nicely positioned on the side of the White Cube gallery and directly in front of our favourite posh eatery, Cru. It’s one of a pair commissioned from Banksy by Bono for his editorship of The Independent but we like it anyway.
Three years ago, Docteur Gecko found a new way for ‘hacking’ advertising that you find in bus shelters and his modifications can only be seen during the night when the signs become illuminated. Dark.
Ryan Frank flogs ‘repurposed’ graffiti as yuppie furniture. The blurb reads:
Now this is an innovative little idea. Ryan Frank’s distinctly urban shelving systems are constructed from white-painted boards that he leaves around graffiti hot spots in east London for a few weeks to 'mature’ (ie get sprayed, tagged and doodled on). The designer then retrieves them and turns them into mobile shelving.
We especially like the 'street’ styling in this Sunday Times spread. What we find particularly dubious about this is that the 'Hackney Shelf’ (shown) is yours for a mere £1,480… if you recognise one of the stencils on it maybe you should get in touch with Mr Frank.
were attacked by a gang of Chavs (UK Youth Sub Culture) (
sic) as Blek was pasting up a poster of David and an AK47, in Batley UK last night.
5th April 2006 at 6pm, Blek, Adz, Princess Kaiya and Prince Casius (Adz’ 2 kids) were in an abandoned housing estate near the 100proof Studio, when a gang of around 15 Chavs attacked with a volley of stones, and then moved in to fight Blek and Adz.
A swift exit was orchestrated and the four escaped unharmed.
Now. We’re glad that Blek and Adz (and their kids!) escaped: they also managed to get their work up. But. The labelling of their attackers as belonging to a perceived criminal underclass suggests a tribalism that helps the government divide and conquer. Just today more laws in the UK were pushed to target both the so-called ASBO generation and graffiti artists:
Home Office Minister Hazel Blears said of the measures:
Graffiti is a depressing and unsightly menace in many communities.
It affects people’s quality of life, increases fear of crime and reduces pride in a community. It also costs us all millions of pounds a year to clean up – money which could be better spent on other valuable services.
Adz, Blek and their attackers may have more common ground than they think…
UPDATE: Wooster have had to take down their reporting of the incident due to complaints about the word ‘chav’ in a nice bit of US/UK cultural dissonance. We think we’ll just defer to John Lennon:
Keep you doped with religion and sex and TVAnd you think you’re so clever and class less and freeBut you’re still fucking peasants as far as I can see
‘Original stencil pioneer’ Blek Le Rat has come to collect his dues. A documentary about the French street artist and his work is currently touring and includes a slide show of his work from 1981 to 2005. It would seem that Banksy’s a mere toddler compared to this street art veteran – hence his quote on the front of the DVD. 
Three years ago, Docteur Gecko found a new way for ‘hacking’ advertising that you find in bus shelters and his modifications can only be seen during the night when the signs become illuminated. Dark. 
Ryan Frank flogs ‘repurposed’ graffiti as yuppie furniture. The blurb reads: 