Toto, I don't think we're in Kensington anymore.

Tuesday 10th February I've taken a stroll to Brick Lane.  There is a new development of apartments being build on Cheshire Street.  I wonder how these new buildings will sit alongside the perfectly degenerated area of Brick Lane.  How long will it take the street artists to leave their tags.

It's a cold, windy day.  I've been deceived by the sunshine.  The light lends itself to the detail of the street art which I begin to photograph.  I detest seeing Banksy's art works captured and sold in markets or cheap souvenir shops, or even worse at auction houses.  There is something pitiful about the way in which it has been photographed and mounted onto a cheap canvas for wholesale consumption.  I'd rather is be left in its natural setting.  At this point I'd like to see myself as a documenter.  To me it seems reasonable to record what has been made.  I'm am not the artist, merely the reporter of these street markings.

It's hardly fair to take credit for somebody else's imagination simply because their format does not allow authorship.  Are we to believe that Patrick is responsible for the image above?  I notice there is a lot of repetition throughout the area.  The image below appears more than once on Brick Lane and the surrounding areas.  It has been created in a few different colours.  I'm drawn to the red one.

Most of the doorways have been claimed by graffiti artists.  My favourite has to be 91 Brick Lane.  Truman Hanbury Buxton & Co, Licensed Common Brewers, Registered Office.  I've no idea if this building still houses Truman & Co (my guess is not).  

I am rather jealous of Jessie.  Is Jessie a boy or a girl?  I'm going to say boy.  I'm jealous that his lover has gone to the trouble of creating a stencil to declare their love. 

Cheshire Street offers me the best quote of my day: "Toto, I don't think we're in Kensington anymore".  There is a certain malice in the air today.  I have already been shouted at whilst taking my shots by somebody clearly not wanting a camera around.  Alarmingly one passer by spoke the words "excuse me" with deep malevolence.  Like the character Gollum from Lord of the Rings, he was pitiful yet evil sounding.  I headed home after my bagel from the infamous 24 hour Brick Lane Bagel shop where the assistants never want you to feel welcome.