Here we are taking a look at a series of four fantastic works placed up over the last month around Shoreditch by visiting Japanese artist Enigm who is proving to be one of the most active Street Artists currently on London’s scene, as well as making for one of the most exciting artists to land in our city for some time. Taking a rich illustrative style heavily influenced by cross-hatching approach Enigm’s work has a very historically old-fashioned quality, the technique and colour-scheme brings to mind anatomical drawings from the Victorian era. This combined with the surreal subjects Enigm depicts in his artistic output makes Enigm one of the most original artists to currently be painting London’s streets. Few artists at the moment are offering such intriguing and captivating works in London. We look forward very much to seeing what else Enigm leaves on London’s streets over the coming months on his stay in London, but for now our favourite piece from this recent spate of fresh drops about Shoreditch is the work in Corbet Place.
Work on Bethnal Green Road, Brick Lane. Certainly a thought-provoking scene, one that for us offers an insight into the artists individual input in to his body of works. This is brought to mind through the inclusion of the hand wielding a paint brush appearing at the centre of the dissected horse. The additional flash of green also compliments the hanging foliage one can’t afford when viewing this work superbly, demonstrating this artist’s ability to tie his creations in with the immediate environment. Something which is at the heart of what excites us about Street Art.
Work in Shoreditch High Street, Shoreditch. This piece is part of a series of works the artist has been creating focused on shadow puppetry. This work is particularly fun as it subverts the standard and most universal shadow puppet concept in the form of using ones hands to form a shadow bunny and spins this on its head with the bunny crafting a shadow hand.
Work in Corbet Place, Spitalfields. Of the recent body of works this artist has blessed London’s East End with of late, this is very much our favourite. The work depicts a Sperm Whale in motion, a whale featuring 12 individual eyes running along the course of this side of its body, inferring a chilling look at how ocean life has to watch out for all the constant changing factors in its environment through the negative impact of mankind on the world’s lifesource, namely it’s oceans. The gentle and graceful nature of these gigantic creatures is hinted at nicely through the bowler accompanying this surreal depiction of such a magnificent beast.
Work in Shoreditch High Street, Shoreditch. This piece offers a seasonal subject wit the inherently surreal dynamic prevalent in Enigm’s work with the fish head – a popular subject of his – peering out from Father Christmas’s sack of presents. Exceptionally Enigm through and through, offering a thoughtful look on the value of such a commercially driven time of the year.