The Stories Behind The Words

“Do you see the story? Do you see anything? It seems to me I am trying to tell you a dream--making a vain attempt, because no relation of a dream can convey the dream-sensation, that commingling of absurdity, surprise, and bewilderment in a tremor of struggling revolt, that notion of being captured by the incredible which is the very essence of dreams...”


- Joseph Conrad Heart of Darkness

I won my copy of Heart of Darkness in a poker match along with a Guns N' Roses Zippo lighter. While having a cigarette and reading my new book this passage made me stop and take a long, quiet draw of my Lucky Strike. Maybe I had taken my thoughts too far into the existential realm but I was struck with the human ability to imagine and dream and weave words together to create something lucid and implant vivid images to play in our heads. Yeah, OK, I'd definitely entered into some philosophical realm and started looking at my hand and wondering whether I was real or not and what this life was all about but, you know, Conrad will do that to you. 


But, regardless of the meaning of life, I want to talk more about the art of storytelling and introduce some people who are amalgamating different forms of art, words and narrative and creating something to blow our wee little minds. 


First up is (my favourite) I Love Boxie


In my mind this is run by an artist in a dark basement somewhere in the depths of East London where the only apparatus is a typewriter, silk screen, and black and white paint. The concept behind this project is purely confessional. You're invited to go to the site and write a story about anything you like and your story could be selected to be translated into a slogan for a t-shirt, printed and (if it's your story) you get the t-shirt. Every t-shirt comes with it's own anecdote from heartache, travels, meeting strangers to more serious topics like death, illnesses and worries. It's an incredible way to convey stories about life and people as well as a great way to idle away some time reading all the stories. What's more, if there's something you want to get off your chest or you have something amazing that's happened and you want to tell someone about it you can weave your own little tale right here. Perhaps even wear it one day. I would be ecstatic with all but content with just one of their t-shirts but if i had to pick a fave it would be this one...


Next is the mighty EINE


Ben Flynn, tag-name EINE, used to be a writer which is perhaps why he can tell a great story with the fewest words. Flynn's writing career morphed into a job in street-artistry and thank the alphabet! he turned into a little bit of a vandal or we wouldn't have the pleasure of ogling his typographical work. His work can be defined as edgy and poignant - artistic street statements like 'vandals' and 'fucker' show us his rebel with a spraycan side. At the same time his signature style, reminiscent of toy alphabet blocks, which spell out inspiring taglines like 'amazing', 'happiness' and 'marvel' tell us that this artist has a bit of whimsy in him. Each of his works has a story behind it which is linked to the location, people and culture of the place. His work is iconic and promotes street-art not as vandalism but art. I'm not saying go write your name on the nearest wall but you know, kudos to the guys with skills, spraycans and street walls. 

Lastly, a storyteller with a difference, it's gum artist Ben Wilson. 

Technically Ben's work doesn't really use words to tell a story but what he does is rather incredible anyway. You know all the chewed up gum that gets masticated until the flavour runs out and then gets littered on our once pristine pavements to harden, blacken and upset local councils everywhere? Well, no longer are they unsightly signs of a culture that can't find a bin nearby. Ben Wilson turns these blobs of Hubba Bubba and Extra into miniature canvasses and tiny little paintings. His work is often dedicated to the people, monuments and events of his local area of Muswell Hill but the surrounding areas of famous landmarks are also home to his pavement art. He's painted everything from local postman, shopowners and even been asked to paint a proposal by a lovestruck boyfriend. It's a wonderful surprise stumbling across one of his works, a hell of a job trying to hunt one down and such a brilliant and original idea. 

So, what are you waiting for? Go tell a story. Perhaps leave out the interpretative dance though, that's always a dead giveaway that you're a bit of a loon. 


- Pea.