David Gray's pictures of the week 23-10-2006

DAVID GRAY photography
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This week's pictures look at graffiti in Brighton's North Laine, the same charismatic district whose windows featured in last week's photo set. Graffiti is all over urban Britain (Manchester, Bristol and London particularly) but this small part of Brighton has street art and writing as varied and lively as anywhere. A recent clean-up by the local council has painted over many of the area's graffiti walls and there is no denying that the worst scribbling and tagging is an eyesore. But imaginative graffiti, especially if it has humour, is an attractive feature of modern street life and it would be a shame if it were completely wiped away from the North Laine. Putting art and words on walls is also a freedom for people who have something to say but nowhere else to say it. Interestingly, the first picture in this set (all photographed in October 2006) shows a piece by the celebrated Banksy that's been painted over not by the council but by another street artist. Most likely this was prompted by the recent news that Banksy is now selling his work in fashionable art galleries for huge amounts of money. It looks like his bankability could cost him his credibility.

Two kissing policemen by Banksy have been painted over by someone else (image 2701-12)

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