Portsmouth’s street art scene differs from many towns and cities. There are very few sticker slappers or taggers, even less wanna-be Banksy stencils and only a handful of Graff writers yet there seems to be an ever growing group of artists taking a less intrusive step into the street art world by putting their work into the environment as art to be found and taken home. One of the pioneers of Portsmouth’s free art movement is Los Dave who’s work I first stumbled across 5 or 6 years ago now. Whether is be sculpture or drawing, landscape or character, Dave seems to put his hand own stamp on things and use his eye and hand to turn the unseen flotsam and jetsam of the shoreline and streets into beautiful acts of street kindness. A stunning example of this is his recent birds created from abandon BBQ grills left on the beach. If you’re not lucky enough to stumble across a piece of his and fancy owning something a little bit special he has a number of pieces exhibited at the Third Floor art Space in the City Library at the moment and a few exhibitions lined up too. He is also available for commissions.
Sebastien
7 May
i like it but personally i feel street art should be produced in the street to be enjoyed by people outside in the street hence the name. This ‘street art’ is more than likely produced at home and only lives in the street for no longer than an hour
Mydogsighs
7 May
Thanks for the comment Sebestian.
I cant say I agree when you say most street art is made on the street. With the exception of tags, graff and a few stencils, most street art is made at home and placed on the streets. Be it stickers, wheatpastes or installations. In fact even the majority of the work involved in making stencils is done at home with a printer and a sharp knife.
Funnily enough the artist in this feature Los Dave, produces nearly everything in situ. You’ll often find him sat on the seafront crushing up BBQ wire or scribbling on pebbles. You’re right that it often doesn’t stay there long. (its far too beautiful for people not to want to take it home) But then stickers and wheatpastes don’t last forever, the graff in fratton lasts less than a few months before getting painted over, few stencils on the street last before owners grey paint it out and not everyone feels it right to cause criminal damage in the name of art.
Los Dave
8 May
True. I do in fact work on the beach or the seafront quite a lot. My latest birdy – Sat sitting surrounded by coffee drinking mums and pensioners @ the Coffee Cup, bending rusty BBQ grills into birds. No one in the slightest bit interested, all perfectly normal and acceptable behaviour. Even taking photos and walking off leaving the bird there.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/t8gallery/6998196948/
Come and buy me a coffee Sebastien and I’ll send you home with a proper bit of street art 😉