CLINICAL LONDON FOR 2012

IMG- From Monorex

CLINICAL LONDON FOR 2012.

Here was my competition entry for a brief to be a columnist for Ideastap. ( Submitted in July)  We had to explain a little bit about ourselves and write around 500 words on any current topic ( supposedly with a creative outlook.) I chose to  write a short study on the recent carnage of arrests from the British Transport Police in relation to past and current graffiti artists who may or may not have received criminal offences for their crimes over the years. This was due to London 'cleaning up' the city for this years 2012 Olympics. Recent reports of renown artists being arrested for no reason, angered the writing communities which have not only supported the games this year ( many providing artistic endorsements for sporting giants such as Adidas) but questioned the lack able trust and money wasting efforts of the authorities for the sake of sanitising our capital for 2 weeks.

Clinical London for 2012

The street art community has been shaken by allegations of the authorities pressing down on any ‘future’ activity involving graffiti around the Olympics games in the Big Smoke this summer. When the reports of a number of arrests of renowned and entrepreneurial graffiti artists emerged, we have to ask ourselves, are we making London something it isn’t to provide a “respectable” face for the Olympic Games?

The city over the last 18 months has had its’ fair share of attentive events and celebrations. From the Royal Wedding to Her Majesty’s Jubilee, it’s clear to see our capital’s recognition for nostalgic tea parties and patriotic celebrations. London has been portrayed as liberal yet traditional, a ploy to show off to the other capitals our kingdoms culture through the monarchy and our expanding skyline through this grey summer season. Like many cities in the spotlight however, we have sugarcoated the strong elements that make up our communities and the growing popularity in street art being one of them.

Since Bristol’s Banksy and his balloon girl went global, stencilling and live graffiti art has emerged from the underground and is no longer being trumpeted as youthful crimes, but the innovation of modern art. Crews from all around the Kingdom and the main city neighborhoods have dismissed the culture being mainstreamed, keeping the art true to its roots and staying out of the media and spotlight that artists such as Banksy are creating. Intentionally or not, many renowned and represented graffiti writers have brought the level of art into the public with council perspex, framing the art which to some attract interest and appraisal, however, many still believe it’s a criminal offence. With London sanitizing and cleaning up its act, adding dedicated Olympic traffic lanes and managing to annoy every M4 commuter whether on a temporary basis or not, we are welcoming the rest of our world into our city with a clouded coat. A cover of hidden creativity, our guests will come and go, recommend to their friends and post rave reviews on our beautiful city, oblivious to the obstacles and special treatment.

Custom London Olympic cab created by Darren Cullen's company Graffiti Kings- www.graffitikings.co.uk

Sure, London is a cultural, historical and fun city however the UK authorities and Metropolitan Police are securing our city from potential terrorism and Foot Locker looters who are hell-bent on disrupting and protesting at this rare event. It’s a fair that we want to present our kingdom at its best and banish all obstructions but how can we overcome the street art arrests that are supposedly for our own good?

Darren Cullen made the papers this week for being arrested for having strong links to a graffiti background (despite having commissioned work for Adidas and Microsoft to name a few) and is now banned from using public transport and being in possession of any art equipment, even though he has never been prosecuted with any other graffiti activity. British Transport Police have come clean in the arrests of several other graffiti artists within the professional industry in relation to any potential crimes.

‘Metropolitan police's strategy of halting potential disruptive action in advance of major public events was given high court endorsement.’

Should we be cleaning up our city or should we embrace our culture and communities? Do we want London to look sterile to the rest of the world? These are questions that should have been considered when our name was called out in 2005. The authorities are sweeping away concepts of our colourful city and the corporate king is coming to town. World’s largest McDonalds in Hackney anybody?