For most people, 'street art' brings one name to mind: Banksy. A household name for well over a decade, this famously camera-shy artist is known for darkly humorous, politically charged graffiti, and for large satirical projects such as Dismaland in 2015.
Banksy, whose identity is still debated, began making graffiti in the 1990s, and his black and white stencil pieces won wide recognition in the 2000s. His best-known works include the 'Flower Thrower', which appeared on a wall in the West Bank in 2003, 'Girl with Balloon' and 'Kissing Coppers'. In 2010 he got people talking again with the documentary 'Exit Through the Gift Shop', about his dealings with the newcomer Thierry Guetta, known as Mr Brainwash. Critics and audiences puzzled over whether the whole film was a hoax.
Banksy is the best known street artist in the world, partly because of his anonymity, but he is not the only one. In the UK alone there are plenty making work worth talking about. Here are a few.
Stewy
Stewy works in a similar style to Banksy. Based in East London, he uses stencils and black paint, and is known for life-size figures of British icons and animals. He famously began by spraying pigeon stencils on walls at the Cannes Film Festival, and then set out on a larger wildlife project. Urban wildlife is still one of his themes, part of what he describes as nature 'reclaiming the city'.
Replete
Some of the most inventive street art in the UK comes from Replete, originally from Whitby. He paints in several ways, but his most intriguing work is done on cling film. He stretches the film across an open space and paints on it, so that the image seems to hover in the air and, from some angles, looks three-dimensional. He also makes remarkable trick-of-the-eye murals that cross several surfaces, giving an illusion of depth and perspective.
Phlegm
He does not work under the most pleasant of names, but the Sheffield-based artist Phlegm makes stunning work. He is best known for large black and white murals that look like something from a dark book of fairy tales. He mostly paints in run-down or disused places. His figures are distinctive for their distorted shapes, with long thin arms and legs and small domed heads. Other favourite motifs are detailed cityscapes, steampunk machines and giant, wide-eyed creatures, some real and some imaginary.
Snub 23
For big, colourful, comic-book street art, look for Snub 23. Based in Brighton, he works with stencils and freehand painting, and repeats one or two images in different poses and colours. His favourite seems to be a colossal robot with a zigzag mouth of metal teeth, inspired, he has said, by the comic-book robot Hammerstein. Less common, but just as striking, are his female figures with long flowing hair. In 2013 he took part in a project painting the sides of the abandoned ship the Duke of Lancaster, and yes, the robot made an appearance.
Irony and Boe
If you like urban wildlife, look up the graffiti duo known as Irony and Boe. They are known for huge paintings on the sides of buildings showing creatures usually thought of as pests, such as foxes, pigeons, rats and squirrels. One of their largest and best loved, though, is the gigantic chihuahua in a pink collar that appeared on a wall in East London in 2014. They work at night to stay anonymous, and use only spray paint.
ATM
Another artist known for wildlife is ATM. He grew up in rural northern England and is now based in London, and his work has a message: the plight of Britain's endangered birds. He has spoken of a childhood love of birds, and of the 19th-century illustrators who inspire him. Since 2014 he has painted on run-down estate walls and railway arches in East London. Each piece is a detailed portrait of a threatened bird against a block of plain colour. His subjects have included the barn owl, the goldfinch and the heron.
Street art is thriving
All over the UK, new graffiti, stencils and murals keep appearing, many by artists of real talent. You do not have to visit a museum to see a masterpiece.
If you would like to add an artistic edge to your home, EasyFrame can lend a hand, with made-to-measure picture frames and mounts in a wide choice of colours and finishes. Many street artists sell prints of their work, which is a good way to support them.