Banksy’s Graffiti Tunnel

@Ronrybs (19588)
London, England
October 16, 2024 2:13pm CST
Underneath the rail lines out of Waterloo Station is a 300 metre long tunnel, now known as Leake Street. In the 1960s it was used for storing wine, but today is London’s graffiti tunnel. It was born in May of 2008, when Banksy organised the cans festival and the street was closed at both ends to allow him to work. It is now pedestrianised and traffic free. Subject to certain rules, the tunnel is open, 24 hours, for anyone to paint and as such it is constantly in a state of artistic change. It is a ‘legal wall’, so you won’t be prosecuted for your art attempts. There is an art school as well as Polish restaurant and a ‘dive’ sports bar which brings the best of Philly to London! As usual, I brought my video camera along for the walk https://youtu.be/MG4FqmsyJKc
14 people like this
12 responses
A A
@anya12adwi (9838)
• India
16 Oct
Do people paint over other's graffitti as well?
3 people like this
Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (19588)
• London, England
16 Oct
Sadly yes, some are very artistic and have something scrawled over them. Pity, they must have taken ages to paint
3 people like this
Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (19588)
• London, England
17 Oct
@anya12adwi Yes, same here
1 person likes this
A A
@anya12adwi (9838)
• India
16 Oct
@Ronrybs Uhuh!! I would have had greatly irritated if someone painted over mine!
2 people like this
RasmaSandra
@RasmaSandra (80686)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
16 Oct
Sounds interesting and a place to be creative. have you added any art?
3 people like this
Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (19588)
• London, England
16 Oct
I forgot my spray cans!
3 people like this
Amber
@AmbiePam (93821)
• United States
16 Oct
It is cool that there is a legal place to express themselves this way.
3 people like this
Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (19588)
• London, England
16 Oct
Quite agree, a safe space. We were there around 11, so too early for the artist crowd!
3 people like this
snowy
@snowy22315 (182061)
• United States
16 Oct
That is really artsy!
2 people like this
Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (19588)
• London, England
17 Oct
Oh yes, far better than some awful tags, there is a quality to a lot of it
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341855)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Oct
It's good that there is somewhere legal for these people. Our son in Melbourne has photographed a lot of the graffiti in the city.
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341855)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Oct
@Ronrybs There is a book of Melbourne graffiti. Now I think it is more about street art.
1 person likes this
Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (19588)
• London, England
19 Oct
@JudyEv I have seen those giant coffee table books with tasteful graffiti
1 person likes this
Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (19588)
• London, England
17 Oct
Same here, my friend and I amble around town finding hot spots for graffiti. Most of it is nothing special, but some is real artwork
1 person likes this
Kandase
@Kandae11 (55133)
•
16 Oct
Wow! That sounds very interesting.
2 people like this
Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (19588)
• London, England
17 Oct
A bit off the usual touristy sights. I enjoyed it
OceanTiara
@RebeccasFarm (90339)
• Arvada, Colorado
17 Oct
Smashing Ron! Thanks for this as always. Always love your videos as you know.
1 person likes this
Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (19588)
• London, England
17 Oct
Thank you. I am working on another short video, just missing a few seconds for the final production.
Judy Story
@jstory07 (139855)
• Roseburg, Oregon
17 Oct
Here they paint graffiti where they should not. On fences and walls of business. It if there was a place to do graffiti here where it is legal I would think they would not be doing it on other's property.
1 person likes this
Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (19588)
• London, England
17 Oct
Despite these legal walls, there is still graffiti on just about any flat surface. Probably too embarrassed to mingle with skilled artists!
Anna
@LadyDuck (472024)
• Switzerland
17 Oct
At least those artists have a free legal place where to paint. Shame that some artistic paintings are covered by others, may be less artistic.
1 person likes this
Anna
@LadyDuck (472024)
• Switzerland
18 Oct
@Ronrybs It is a shame when graffiti of no values cover the works of artists that were interesting and well done.
1 person likes this
Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (19588)
• London, England
17 Oct
Yes, that got me. All that hard work ruined by an illiterate tag. I did like the take on American Gothic. That one wasn't too badly marked up
1 person likes this
Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (19588)
• London, England
18 Oct
@LadyDuck Desperate to leave a mark, but talent less!
1 person likes this
rakski
@rakski (125925)
• Philippines
16 Oct
So it's open for everyone? There are people who do artsy thing and really creative in their graffiti but there are those who just want to paint even if they are so bad at it. I hope all the graffiti there are pleasing to the eyes
1 person likes this
April
@thislittlepennyearns (62924)
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
17 Oct
I love Banksy! Just everything about him. LOL
1 person likes this
Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (19588)
• London, England
17 Oct
I don't think I've seen a genuine Banksy in the wild. Really must get around to it one day
Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (19588)
• London, England
18 Oct
@thislittlepennyearns There was an exhibition of his work, but I missed it
April
@thislittlepennyearns (62924)
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
18 Oct
@Ronrybs There is a hotel somewhere, I can't remember where that is centered around his art. I have to figure out where
1 person likes this
Greenery8
@grenery8 (11137)
• Zagreb, Croatia (Hrvatska)
20 Oct
i like it's a free wall so maybe there are less graffiti over the city
1 person likes this
Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (19588)
• London, England
20 Oct
Sadly no, it is ten minutes walk for some people!
1 person likes this
Greenery8
@grenery8 (11137)
• Zagreb, Croatia (Hrvatska)
22 Oct
@Ronrybs there went my hope