Street art in Bethnal Green
There’s no need to travel to an art gallery to take in amazing art. Go for a walk in Bethnal Green and you can admire an amazing range of street art unique to our area.
Neighbouring Shoreditch may be the area of East London most famed for its street art; however, Bethnal Green still has plenty to offer in terms of eye-catching graffiti and murals. While tour groups frequent Brick Lane to admire the street art there, we know there are lots of hidden artistic gems across Bethnal Green- if you know where to look!
Winking Cat on Clare Street
This winking feline is painted onto the side of a converted railway arch in Clare Street. The area is full of street art and this is one particularly eye-catching example. The multi-coloured cat was painted by street artist Irony. It can be spotted if you walk from the direction of Hackney Road towards Bethnal Green Road.
Rainbow Bethnal Green mural
Clare Street is lined with railway arches converted into shops, garages and restaurants. The area is also filled with eye-catching street art. One recent addition to the road is a bright, rainbow-coloured mural which simply reads “Bethnal Green”. The mural was painted in July 2020 by Angry Dan, an artist who specialises in bright, bold murals like this.
Hidden Bansky on Pollard Row
Banksy is probably the most famous street artist in the world. His identity remains a well-kept secret, something it shares in common with this well-hidden piece of Bansky art on the side of Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club on Pollard Street. The authentic Bansky is a simple outline of a yellow flower that reaches out to the top of the building. Other artworks by Banksy have gone for millions of pounds to private collectors at auction, but you can see this work for free, right on our doorstep.
David David mural on the corner of Squirries Street
Walking down Bethnal Green Road towards Shoreditch, it’s hard to miss this large piece of street art, on the corner of Squirries Street. The art is by David David, a French street artist. The piece of art is in his signature style, a man with a paint bucket on his head. This represents an artist who is so in love with art that he cannot stop thinking about it. Perhaps you will be equally artistically inspired when you take in this piece of art on your walk.
Save the Bees, just off Bethnal Green Road
This mural with an environmental message was painted as part of the “Save the Bees” project. The swarm of bees were painted by street art Jim Vision and aim to raise awareness of the importance of the winged insects for our environment. The artwork lies just off Bethnal Green Road, down Vallance Road.
Black Lives Matter mural on Bethnal Green Road
The death of George Floyd in May 2020 brought the Black Lives Matter movement to the attention of the world, with protests across continents. London saw thousands attend protests in June; however, it’s not the first time the Black Lives Matter movement has brought people to the streets of the city. This image is from a 2016 protest and depicts a protestor carrying a placard that reads “stop killing the mandem” (mandem is a slang word originally from Jamaica which means a group of men). This poignant piece of street art serves as a reminder of the anti-racist movement in our area.
Woman’s face on St Matthew’s Row
Women’s faces are a popular subject matter for street artists, with many murals depicting beautiful women. This colourful, purple-haired lady is on the junction between St Matthew’s Row and Bethnal Green Road. She is surrounded by clownfish, appropriate as a tropical fish shop is just around the corner.
Rainbow Brain at the Shoreditch end of Bethnal Green Road
This 3D artwork is at the very end of Bethnal Green Road in Shoreditch, tucked away in the arch of a railway bridge. The rainbow brain is a piece of street art by One Shot Gold. It shows what looks like WIFI bars coming out of a rainbow-coloured brain. This piece of art is certainly thought-provoking!
If you enjoyed this piece, read our guide to Bethnal Green’s arches
