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Oct 17 2018 11 Comments

Tokyo street art scowl

My favourite bit of street art in Tokyo is this, although not for the actual work itself, but for the photograph I managed to take of it almost a year ago. The juxtaposition of the peculiar face and the passing old lady worked particularly well for me. Plus, to make it even more special, there’ll never be any future opportunities as it has since been painted over.

The artwork below, on the other hand, I genuinely like due to its incredibly striking nature. However, situated in a quiet side street, I always struggled to photograph someone alongside it. Well, at least someone interesting anyway, or failing that, any kind of interaction with the scowling face, or indeed the camera.

Until now that is, as happily my rather limited patience has finally paid off, meaning I don’t have to take that particular detour each and every time I’m in the area, although more than likely I probably still will.

striking Tokyo urban art face

Categorized: Photography

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Alex says

    10/17/2018 at 1:34 pm

    Kinda how I look most morning! 🙂

    Reply
    • Lee says

      10/17/2018 at 9:04 pm

      Haha, I think we all have those mornings!

      Reply
  2. cdilla says

    10/17/2018 at 5:47 pm

    “old lady” ? Perhaps I’m showing my age but I see no old lady there 🙂
    It is great that you managed to get a photograph incorporating the art before it’s demise. The transient nature of street art is part of what appeals to me and makes me search it out and photograph it – sometimes to the frustration of my good lady wife. What is down the alleys, above the shopfronts and on the rooftops is often more interesting than the world we are presented with at eye level.
    Hopefully a new piece will spring up in it’s place.
    I like the placement of the cones; as if to warn you to keep back from the dangerous artwork.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      10/17/2018 at 9:09 pm

      Yes, I agree, although it’s always rather sad when it does disappear. The one I linked to was especially disappointing. While it wasn’t exactly pretty, it did make for an interesting sight. One I always used to look out for.

      This one, however, has been there for a long while now, so all being well it’ll be around for a good bit longer, but cones or not you never know…

      Reply
      • cdilla says

        10/18/2018 at 12:21 am

        Ah – the old lady is in the linked photograph. That explains it. 🙂

        Reply
        • Lee says

          10/18/2018 at 4:13 pm

          Thought that might be the case. Re-reading it my write-up could have been a lot clearer, but at least it was cleared up!

          Reply
  3. Anonymous says

    10/17/2018 at 9:03 pm

    And the two passersby appear totally oblivious.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      10/17/2018 at 9:11 pm

      The woman on the left actually noticed it. Hence her somewhat sideways glance. Her mate on the other hand didn’t notice me or the artwork. Oblivious to everything but her phone.

      Reply
  4. Leo says

    10/18/2018 at 2:04 am

    Cool cacth! I also like a lot the linked pic. That graffiti was intense.
    Any thoughts on who may be the artist(s)?

    Reply
    • Lee says

      10/18/2018 at 4:19 pm

      Cheers!

      Yeah, it’s a real shame that’s gone. Whoever the artist is, I presume they live in Tokyo ‘cos I’ve seen that same work in a lot of places. Not on the same scale as the one I photographed though, so none of the others are anywhere near as striking.

      The painting above, however, I haven’t seen anywhere else. Nothing resembling it either.

      That’s all I know about the artwork, and unfortunately I know even about the artists…

      Reply
      • Leo says

        10/30/2018 at 5:05 am

        I see. Good to know those works were captured in two nice pics ;D

        Reply

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