Croydon Stands Tall

Croydon Stands Tall

Homelessness is not a choice, but rather a journey that many find themselves in.

Art Trail and Alec’s Artwork:

Croydon Business Improvement District (BID), in partnership with creative producers Wild in Art, proudly presents the captivating ‘Croydon Stands Tall’ art trail, an unmissable 10-week experience from August 21st to October 27th. Transforming the streets of Croydon into an open-air gallery, the trail features over 30 majestic giant giraffe sculptures, each a unique canvas reflecting the creativity of local artists, schools, and communities. Among these remarkable creations, stands Alec’s giraffe sculpture for the charity Crisis & @centralewhitgift.

This @wildinart Croydon Stands Tall art trail will see dozens of giraffes hit the Croydon streets in August. The piece is called ‘Concrete Jungle’ takes inspiration from the town centre and Croydon’s green spaces. “The thing I love about Croydon most is its complex diversity, not just in its cultures, styles, food, music & ethnicities, but in its landscape & rich heritage, I wanted to represent the borough through a blend of the green of a jungle (as Croydon is one of London’s greenest boroughs) with the more commonly known citified, concrete landscape that dominates the centre. At the same time, it is a mixed-media, abstract eruption of vibrant colour and patterns celebrating the distinctive blend of people in Croydon”. All the money raised from the auctions of the giraffes will go to @crisis_uk to help combat homelessness in Croydon. This art trail is part of London’s borough of culture 2023.

Supporting a Worthy Cause

More than an artistic showcase, the ‘Croydon Stands Tall’ trail serves a greater purpose. Following weeks of admiration, exploration, and engagement, these stunning giraffe sculptures unite for a farewell weekend before embarking on a new journey. Through a special auction event, these artworks will find new homes while raising essential funds for Crisis Skylight Croydon. Crisis Skylight Croydon is dedicated to tackling homelessness and its underlying causes, providing vital support to those in need. By joining the ‘Croydon Stands Tall’ experience, you’re not only embracing the beauty of art but also contributing to meaningful change in the community.

Concrete Jungle has had some great coverage in the press. Being shown on The BBC and ITV as well as many newspapers.

 

Creating a Legacy

After being selected as one of the professional artists to represent the trail I wanted my students to have the experience to exhibit their art in a public space whilst also contributing to their community. A whole school inclusive project where every child submitted at-least one entry to represent our school in design and name. I chose the winner ‘Puzzle’ for the children to paint.

Over 500 fingerprints are represented on Puzzle’s base from all pupils and adults that attend the school 

I have teamed up with some young people to create their own giraffe.

 

After the success of our first Giraffe ‘Puzzle’ we are asked by Croydon Bid to create a second which we named ‘Tropicanta’ Please check out the Croydon Stands Tall App to find out more.

I look forward to working with Wild in Art again soon.

 

Meet Alec

Meet Alec

A short film by Roon Sharma on how I’m trying to harness my platform to promote diversity and inspire the next generation.

A huge thanks to Roon for producing this film and the new Matthews Yard art hub in West Croydon for letting us film there. You can see more of my work on display and even purchase a piece when they re-open on the 26th August.

Wash your hands you DETTY pig

Wash your hands you DETTY pig

“Wash your hands you DETTY pig”

Yes please do.

 

Mixed Media Potrait in spray-paint, acrylic, paper, gold leaf & pencil.

SOLD

 

No one is illegal on stolen land

No one is illegal on stolen land

‘The First People’ has just popped up on Park Street in Croydon opposite The Slug & lettuce.

Mixed media collage With spray paint, 24K Gold leaf, acrylic, ink & dollars (not real).

“I was born upon the prairie, where the wind blew free, and there was nothing to break the light of the sun. I was born where there were no enclosures, and where everything drew a free breath…I know every stream and every wood between the Rio Grande and the Arkansas. I have hunted over that country. I lived like my fathers before me, and like them, I lived happily.”

Ten Bears

WIP

Process of creating the original canvas.

Scribble NFT

Canvas available

Mixed media collage With spray paint, 24K Gold leaf, acrylic, ink & real American dollars.

£1500 

 

Canvas available starting from £1500

成长 – Growth

成长 – Growth

Mix media mural on Park Street in central Croydon by Five Guys

Made up of Hundreds of hand cut red & gold Ang Pao envelopes pasted on the wall with spray paint, 24K gold leaf & acrylic paint. Hidden meanings behind the piece.

Thanks Rise Gallery & KZM Studio for the space.

Intrested?

Bespoke Canvas 

Available prices starting at £1,495

Mural 

Due to the destruction of this public mural it can be replicated for your business or home. Prices start at £3000

 

The Joker

The Joker

If “Joker” can use the main character’s mental illness as a way of humanising him, and clearly establishes that his path to villainy is in no way connected to that illness, then it could ultimately play a positive role in our culture.

At the same time, even if “Joker” does plan on making Phoenix’s character sympathetic in his mental illness, it will be difficult to avoid at least sub-textually linking that illness to violence when the man who becomes one of the most infamous villains is branded that way. The danger being influential films like this leads to real-life stigmas that affect people with mental illness — and it’s one that really, really needs to go away.

Did you know some of the Dark Knight films were filmed Croydon?

Mixed Media Collage on canvas, spray paint, acrylic & ink NOW SOLD