The definitive spot for all things streetart and more, hookedblog.co.uk is home to blog posts exploring such interests. Recently, they’ve launched East London Streetart Tours for fans and curious streetart tourists alike. Read our interview with blogger Mark Rigney to find out more.
Where did the idea for the blog come from?
I moved to East London from Ireland about 10/11 years ago and I stumbled across the street art movement that was starting to appear on the streets. Due to the ephemeral nature of the streetart, I began to document what I was seeing, and I started taking pictures of the pieces before were removed by the council or aged by the elements. I set up a website in 2001 to share tmy photos and with the growth of the street art movement took the decision in 2005 to start the Hookedblog (http://www.hookedblog.co.uk) to share streetart news I found interesting with my friends. To my surprise people started following the blog and as it began to grow, friends, artists and galleries started to sent me their news to post. It’s now six years later and I am still blogging almost everyday.
What street artists do you particularly admire, and why?
This is one of these questions that is a little difficult to answer as there are so many great artists doing fantastic work at the moment and to pick just one or even twenty is very difficult. But I guess right now some of the artists I am enjoying would be the works of Os Gemeos. The Brazilian twins’ work just brings a smile to my face . I love the vibrant colour palette they are using and there is often a great sense of fun to their work. Other artists work I like includes that of New York artist Swoon, whose work I have enjoyed seeing right from the get go when she was pasting up photos and now her elaborate paper cutout that she is known for. Adam Neate is another super talented artist and friend of ours whose work we always look forward to seeing. Elph, Dave Kinsey, Other, Faile, Blu, Dave The Chimp…. where does one stop we could go on…. so much talent around.
What inspired the idea of the Street Art Walking Tours?
I have had friends visiting London, also other artists from across the globe and have done walking tours for them over the last several years. Often they doubled up as recky missions to find some spots to hit up for the visiting street artists. Recently I had a group email me and ask if would show them around the East London streets, I agreed, they loved it and I decided to open it up to the public and see if anyone else was interested. I think I have done 5 or 6 tours now and it’s been great. We have got to meet some very interesting people from all backgrounds. Some tourists, some locals but all with an interest in seeing and finding out more about the movement.
What do you hope to achieve through the Tours?
I guess I hope to share with other what I get to see on an almost daily basis. Some wonderful art on the street created by street artists from around the globe. The tours will allow me to help open peoples eyes to another side of the city that they previously may not have noticed. From the smallest stickers on lamposts to the large paste-ups and wall pieces, once your eyes are open to it and you start to look around, you become hooked and the city never looks the same again.
Upcoming Tour dates:
http://www.hookedblog.co.uk
