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Official Artist
Simon Birch
Painter
556,287 views| 168  Posts

old skool

many years ago, before i became a respectable artist, i was a very naughty artist as well as being a DJ and rave promoter (Way Out East). Over Xmas I found all these old shots I took of graffiti I'd done around Hong Kong. I've never shown them before and always did the work anonymously but it's probably too late for them to lock me up for being a naughty monkey so I may as well share with the AND community...

I got my friend to photograph me with my face made up to look like the monkey from cantonese opera, then output these shots on a huge printer and cut out stencils from them. easy! I wish I'd taken more shots but quite often I'd go back a week later with a camera and they'd be gone. I only got chased by the cops once but always had a good escape plan and i can run like a motherfucker. I'm pretty sure I could've taken the boys down if it came to a brawl, I'm 6'3" and they're like 5'2", but I figured they would love to pull their magnums to bag a white guy so running for it made more sense...ha ha.

I used to go out at night, usually with girlfriend acting as lookout. at the time, a few years ago now, there wasn't really much graffiti in HK so I thought someone should get the ball rolling!

Most of it got covered up very quickly but some lasted a couple of years. I don't think there are any left now. Which is a shame because the way my painting prices are going, this shit's worth some dollars now!!!! : )

happy new year to all at AND. hope we all have a very productive and creative 2008.

sb

causway bay

tst

causeway bay

admiralty

lan kwai fong

wanchai near immigration tower

central mtr

potttinger street central, near yumla, 2nd version, some dick graffitied over my original one (not cool, even graffiti has some etiquette!)

yau ma tei

hung hom

tst

mid levels

central at peak tram

causway bay

escalator

wanchai

admiralty outside the police HQ

this was the first one i ever did, outside Yumla

i pulled the stencils out for one last time to use at an exhibition i put together in Chai Wan in 2005. This was outside Six Keys, the skate ramp which I used for the show too.

The corridor leading into the exhibition, this was a new stencil project  but I only had time to do a few on the street.

almost 17 years ago 0 likes  25 comments  0 shares
Phatchan
nice one man! happy new year.
almost 17 years ago
01 04 andrew
that is awesome!!
almost 17 years ago
Photo 45507
wow......impressive.......
almost 17 years ago
Photo 23522
Oh, that's you! Simon. I saw you once printing that live in the colum next to Wan Chai Sun Hung Kei Center. I was skating and you did that real quick!
almost 17 years ago
Photo 34128
When I first came to China nearly three years ago, I spent two weeks in Hong Kong and I saw one of your pieces in Central, near the escalators I think. Being a photographer, I took a shot of it and always wondered what the story was behind it. Unfortunately, I only had a cell phone camera with me at the time. Glad to know the back story.
almost 17 years ago
Ryanhui 26 ryanhui
Hey man, thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you dig it. I'm always to stoked to see the stuff you post too. I've actually seen some of those street pieces around town but didn't know it was you. Anyway, I think Murakami rocks too but I'm just bummed I can't see his exhibit at the Los Angeles MOCA right now. Aaahh!
over 16 years ago
Photo 58618
Damn, those are hilarious! Good thing you posted these, I wasn't around at the time and always nice to see some street graphics with some brains.
over 16 years ago
Warrenstuart 51 photo165207785807652946
Dude, these are so Cool, I remember them!! I used to think, "where the hell did these come from" I remember Daryll telling me about the stencils & you back then. It was funny to see where these stencils popped up.... DOPE!!
over 16 years ago
Djbam f8 djbam
love these
over 16 years ago
Photo 84761
I like these rocketeers, reminds me very much of 2000AD's zenith, y'know. And that's no bad thing.
over 16 years ago

About

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Languages Spoken
english
Location (City, Country)
Hong Kong
Gender
male
Member Since
September 27, 2007