Photo by Viktor Vauthier

Sickboy has rightfully earned his place alongside the likes of Banksy and Ben Eine as one of the most high profile UK street artists at work in the world today. From his iconic temple shrines that are dotted around London to his groundbreaking installations at the likes of Tate Modern, Sickboy’s work is appreciated by everyone from hardcore graf heads to famous art collectors. Ahead of his new Heaven and Earth show at the Truman Brewery, Sickboy put down his canister and put this piece together for us…

Sickboy on Bow

I went through a spate of exploring Canary Wharf and its surrounding areas like Bow and Canning Town. They were a short step from my old studio in Hackney Wick which sat among some of Bow's brutalist masterpieces by architect Emő Goldfinger (who made a lesser known sister to the highly-revered Trellick Towers. There are some interesting spots to paint among them including a roof of an abandoned block of flats that was completely occupied by squatters. I painted this at night - the vision of an illuminated Canary Wharf in the distance highlighted how I needed to get out more. The experience of painting some spots is unforgettable.

Sickboy on Tattoos

A friend who moved down from Bristol around the same time as me works at the Happy Sailors tattoo shop on Hackney Road in Shoreditch. The shop’s been running for 11 years now and they do a lot of amazing work down there. Tota, the owner, rocked some work of mine on people recently.

Sickboy on Cross Bones Graveyard

I’d dropped by the Tate to look at some art one day, and on wandering back to London Bridge via the Market Porter, I stumbled across the Cross Bones graveyard. It’s a little nugget of folklore history that dates back to the medieval times and seems to be mostly dictated by the people. The fence in this picture is a shrine that pays homage to the 'paupers of London'. It was an unconsecrated burial ground for social outcasts at one time. There’s a bronze epitaph on the gate that reads 'R.I.P. The Outcast Dead'. This spoke to me, so I paid some respect.

Sickboy on Dalston

There’s been an uprising in the fashion stakes in Dalston. London’s ever culturally-shifting scenesters have changed this area rapidly, but this mosque in the background is something that will never change. I love how it looks, and the Halal food sold from it is amazing. It sits next to a church. I’ve lived in many parts of London, but the community vibe and diversity round here seems pretty special.

Sickboy on David Mancuso @ The Loft

I haven’t had much time to spare with a big show coming up this November, so apart from grabbing the odd pint or extending a meeting into an unsatisfactory party, I’ve been making sure I keep up my tradition of going to see New York disco legend, David Mancuso. He’s the founder of the infamous loft parties over there and he plays every new season at the Light Bar in Shoreditch. It’s a bit of an unassuming venue, but upstairs on these nights is always a psychedelic experience to a deep set of music spanning from the ‘70s to the present.

Sickboy’s new Heaven and Earth exhibition takes place at the Truman Brewery Friday 4th – Sunday 6th November. Doors are open 12-7pm. Entry is free. www.thesickboy.com

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