Graffiti proves an attraction for Brighton tourists (From The Argus)

Graffiti proves an attraction for Brighton tourists

11:17am Wednesday 8th August 2012 in News By Neil Vowles

To some it might be antisocial behaviour but to others Brighton’s street graffiti is the reason to come and visit the city.

A travel website has just produced a photo tour of what it calls the area’s stunning graffiti.

The blog recommends that visitors take in a tour of the large street murals including The Hair Cutter which completely covers a wall in St George’s Mews and was created by artist Snug.

The site also recommended visiting the Run DMC mural in Kensington Street which features a giant chessboard created by well-|known British street artists Odisy and Aroe.

The reproduction of Banksy’s famous Kissing Coppers in Trafalgar Street, which sold for £1 million at a New York gallery, last year is also listed as a must-see.

Blogger Simon Falvo said: “The graffiti scene is so rich in Brighton that one could spend days and probably wouldn’t be able to see it all.

“Bright colours, catchy themes, references to people who influenced modern culture, music or politics, paintings that tell a story and others that seem more abstract.”

Odisy has returned to the city this week to create his first large scale graffiti piece in the city for three years.

Over three days he will transform the corner of North Road and Robert Street into a giant blue fire-breathing dragon for the Blue Dragon Tattoo Shop.

Speaking about his Kensington Street work, he said: “The street before was a real dump with people doing drugs behind the old boarded-up parking bays.

“The council were really forward thinking to give us the opportunity. No other council has done something like that.

“I’m really proud we transformed a rundown street to one people take a detour to walk down.

“More than four years on I still see people taking photos of the wall every day and I like to eavesdrop on what they are saying.”

The city’s own tourism team, Visit Brighton, has given its backing to street art with the Visit Brighton logo and Brighton Festival mural featuring Burmese democracy protestor Aung San Suu Kyi painted on walls in Kensington Street.

Head of tourism and leisure Adam Bates said: “I think street art is one of those things that people find really compelling once they are here that you don’t get in other places.

“Whether it’s enough as a driver in itself I’m not sure but it’s absolutely part of the mix that people like to do here.

“It might not be a huge number who come just to see the street art but we know there are an awful lot of people who really enjoy the street art in North Laine.”