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Did you know that London is full of legal graffiti spots? These designated spaces, which are referred to as ‘halls of fame’, are outdoor galleries that give writers the opportunity to produce more detailed pieces than they would typically be able to in more illicit locations.
In Stockwell, just a short walk from Brixton’s high street, is a hall of fame managed by Boyd Hill, a graffiti writer known as Solo One. Hill took on the caretaking role around ten years ago. ‘I’d finish my piece [there], and then pick up the litter and stuff,’ he explains. But when housing association Network Homes took over the site, the hall of fame came under threat. Hill lobbied for the space, convincing developers of its cultural value.
In the end, Network Homes invested £1million in the makeover. ‘I’ve never come into a situation where a housing authority is actually quite open,’ Hill says. ‘Usually you’re either fighting against residents or people in positions of power who are overwhelming you.’ It’s a rare case of gentrification embracing existing culture and working with residents to maintain local harmony.
At Stockwell you’ll find a variety of graffiti styles, from complex letter-based pieces, to unified ‘productions’ (where several artists work together to use the same colour scheme and background). Graffiti writers paint there all through the week. At weekends, you might find 15 or 20 in action at one time.
Hill’s commitment to his hall of fame involves regular deep cleans, liaising with the housing authority and organising events to showcase the space, as well as maintaining the site’s Facebook page. ‘We’ve had a hip hop jam there; we’ve had Brixton Chamber Orchestra down,’ he says. ‘My vision is for it to be on the list of top ten places you’d visit in London. You go see Big Ben, you go to Leake Street [another hall of fame] and you come to a housing estate in south London to visit this amazing open-air gallery.’