An Urban Abstract...

I haven't used my camera since July last year, I kind of lost interest mainly amongst other things.
Today though, I picked it up for the first time in a long time and shot this in the east end of London this morning.

I see a great deal of urban graffiti in and around the east end of London and it changes from day to day. Some of it is quite unique, ranging from the smaller pieces of mixed media images/ motifs and texts, bills and they’re images, to the larger papered over brick walls that are adorned with larger images.

It’s the smaller pieces of layered, fractured and degraded mixed media type graffiti and such that interest me mostly. I like to look harder at what is on offer by way of the shapes, colours and imagery and compose these elements in such a way as to obtain an abstract image. The weather has it’s part to play on these surfaces too.

I know that some photographers frown upon this but for me, the pursuit of photographing this subject like this is perfectly valid and relative to all other subjects in photography. It’s still a rare thing in obtaining a pleasing image to the eye.

So long live the act of graffitiing...

Interesting concept and I like it. I did find the upper portion (1/3? 1/4?) distracting. The straight horizontal division of the "canvas" drew my eye and interrupted the flow of the image.

Paul

nice to see you back!
I rather like this abstract as I am one that does some abstract oils in the past
the abstract you made a choice of is like a Paul Gauguin for me
bold and lively jungleish feel to it-
nice work-I have no complaints-

Charlotte-

Thanks Rachel, thanks Charlotte.

Rachel, that disparate and opposing division at the top of the image I thought worked really nicely in my view. I'm sorry to hear your at odds with it. I appreciate and take onboard what you've said though.

Charlotte, bold and primitive eh?

Paul

yes, very!

Charlotte-

Paul, naturally any response is idiosyncratic and it may be just me. (I'm not overly fond of Van Gogh's Starry Night, either.) I'd interested in hearing how others respond to it.

Paul Abbott said:

Thanks Rachel, thanks Charlotte.

Rachel, that disparate and opposing division at the top of the image I thought worked really nicely in my view. I'm sorry to hear your at odds with it. I appreciate and take onboard what you've said though.

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Hi Paul,

Bless you for seeking, and finding, inspiration. IMHO, a job well done.

Maybe the disturbing part is it's strong point (UK) / suit (US).
FWIW, I like it as it is, I like your vision.

Cheers,
Bart

Paul Abbott said:

I haven't used my camera since July last year, I kind of lost interest mainly amongst other things.
Today though, I picked it up for the first time in a long time and shot this in the east end of London this morning.

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Glad to have to back on track!


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Paul,

This is exceptionally important as it captures the bold egos of the graffiti artists as well as the realty that we have periods of expression and then depressive times and tragedies we have ride out. In one picture, there's many folks efforts and footprints. Think of Japan, industrial giant without enough electricity to keep the advertising sign lit at night or fuel for folk to escape the 19 mile zone around Fukoshima.

We humans show great achievements in what we do, but hardly any are sustainable. Museums, just keep precious examples for future generations but mostly everything has to give way to new things.

Your time off photography and the more difficult economy may have influenced your choice of subject. I hope that you can get much more like examples of this layering of graffti before you change your mind and get to be looking at the rest of the city again!

Asher

Thanks very much, Bart.

Your right Asher, thanks. Examples like this are fleeting and transient too, and the public are oblivious to it all.
The economy has influenced me in doing a lot of things Asher, not to mention smashing the windows in of the RBS offices (Royal Bank of Scotland), on Broadgate.

Paul Abbott said:

Thanks very much, Bart.

Your right Asher, thanks. Examples like this are fleeting and transient too, and the public are oblivious to it all.
The economy has influenced me in doing a lot of things Asher, not to mention smashing the windows in of the RBS offices (Royal Bank of Scotland), on Broadgate.

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I hope you photographed that too!, LOL