Nathan Bowen

Can anything be done about the terrible ‘Street art’ by (I presume local ) ‘Street artist’ Nathan Bowen? They have cropped up all over Forest Hill and look dreadful.

Hi Lee

I think they look good & take up spare space.

Outside the Sylvan looks pretty terrible

At the end of the day art, like humour, is subjective; but I get the impression that a certain few on here have lead others to blindly fawn over chicken scratch that, frankly, doesn’t express any discernible talent.

There’s also a tricky point of law here. I think that there should be a vote held among those whose properties will be facing any street art. I feel sorry for some of the homeowners in East Dulwich whose properties have been devalued by some of the hideous street art off of Lordship Lane.

Talent too, it would seem, is subjective.

I get that this guy has a signature style but in my opinion talent means the ability to diversify. All of his pieces that I’ve come across are pretty much the same.

Maybe because that is what has been commissioned.

I agree I find them unpleasant and ugly. Emperors clothes?
And as everyone has different tastes maybe that is a good reason to say street art should stick to temporary locations like building site hoardings.

All things being equal why should building site hoardings be fair game? Don’t get me wrong, all street art should be restricted to temporary ‘canvases’ but think of it from the developer’s perspective. Would you want prospective customers to link your project to a guerilla artist whose work appears to be accepted as the norm in the postcode your site is situated? I know I wouldn’t.

That’s one valid definition, but I do think some street artists hit the big time and only then get the (often financial) freedom to diversify. For others having a signature style and making a name for themselves with it – albeit dividing opinion in the process, but isn’t that what art’s all about? – is what they have to work with.

Also street art is meant to be fleeting, responsive and provocative – there one minute to stir a reaction, then painted over and superceded the next.

I don’t LOVE his style, but I appreciate the sentiment behind much of the work he does. People here might not see value in it, but that doesn’t make it crap that “something should be done about.” His works make enough people, me included, stop and think. Walking past his NHS murals in Curtain Road EC2 near my workplace, they hold their own amid a timely and poignant array of visual tributes.

If it was literally just sh*t, we wouldn’t be having this debate, would we? So as far as he’s concerned, mission accomplished

TL:DR version, art is subjective, agree to disagree, each to their own, etc.

It’s better than a blank hoarding. As I understand the artist is employed to design hoardings by developers - often a requirement of Local Planning Authorities

I think I’d prefer a blank hoarding, personally. The Bowen piece on Perry Vale is particularly questionable.

I really like the piece on Perry Vale.
I’m a fan of all his stuff actually, and I like that most of his pieces carry a positive message. Not sure what’s questionable about that. He evidently has a strong commissioning partnership with the billboard companies and personally I think that’s a great thing in an environment where funding opportunities and patronage are increasingly hard to come by for any visual artist. I’d rather look at a piece of art than an advert for coca cola

Out of interest, what makes you so sure this piece was drawn with permission from the billboard company?

He always tags the company on Instagram when a piece is completed and they also post it/share it etc. So it appears to be a strong and mutually beneficial partnership.

If that’s the case, it seems this is the only piece where Bowen didn’t tag the company, and the company didn’t post/share it. Interesting…

Maybe he forgot to tag them and I can’t believe whoever is running the billboard account is actively monitoring his account to see if he posts on one of their sites. So they won’t reshare if they don’t get a notification prompt.

The pieces I’m referring to are street art graffiti

I love art but spraying ‘black d!cks matter’ on a pigeon poo covered discarded mattress is just grim

I understand you contacted both Network Rail and the billboard company about this piece. Did they ever respond?

Out of curiosity, what made you think I contacted NR? I can’t remember doing so.

I did contact Global via Twitter but didn’t get any concrete information out of them.

I’ve not seen this piece. Whereabouts is it?

Perry Vale, see some pics and previous discussion:

What do you mean by ‘particularly questionable’?

See the link in my comment. The issues with this piece have already been well discussed.

Yep, I know the Perry Vale piece and really like it. Was just wondering where the one that lee is referring to is - I haven’t come across it yet but would like to take a look and see what I think

That comment was flagged and hidden. I’m not sure if the mattress in question actually exists - doesn’t seem to be on his Instagram page.

If you want a pic I can supply!

That’s a polite no thank you from me.

He’s from Catford and anybody wanting to support him should check out his online shop. I actually bought a canvas from him last week https://nathanbowenartshop.com/

No problem with the murals and canvases , just the above!

I think that’s fair, although I’m personally more outraged by how long that mattress has been there to be soaked with poop and rain

Is there any evidence the mattress is actually by Bowen or just a copycat’s idea of a joke?