City as Treasure Trove

It takes self-awareness and courage for someone to call themselves an artist — perhaps even more so to be a street artist. For those who rarely go to museums or seek out the arts on television or social media, street art might be one of the most direct means of seeing original artwork. The first time I experienced street art myself was during a meander around Brick Lane in East London. What impressed me was the variety of subject matter and styles, but also the high quality of painted pieces. And whereas East London , Camden Town, Southbank and Croydon are meccas for street art, there is very little of this remarkable art form in my patch of Southwest London.

However, there are now a few corners of Richmond-upon-Thames that have become home to the work of Paul Don Smith, Serkan OzKaya, Megan White and John Cormican. I only hope that more shop owners allow their exterior walls to be adorned and that the council provides support. If you’re lucky enough to live near some, you may pass by street art everyday, but this form of expression is anything but quotidien.