Digbeth street art on Fazeley Street from the High Vis Street Culture Festival in 2023

The 2023 High Vis Street Culture Festival was held in Digbeth around Fazeley Street during the weekend of the 12th and 13th August. Although after those dates, other artists such as Annatomix added pieces a few weeks after the event. There is the street art house at 82 Fazeley Street, and the buildings behind towards New Canal Street. This was the 50th Hip Hop anniversary.

High Vis Street Culture Festival during the weekend of the 12th and 13th August 2023 celebrated the 50th annivesary of Hip Hop.

Here are some the great street art found in Digbeth on the 15th and 22nd August 2023.

 

Don't Sleep by Poser on Floodgate Street, Digbeth

dndimg alt="High Vis Festival" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Poser%20HVF%20Floodgate%20St%2015082023.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

In the Ether by Rude Brown Dude on Little Ann Street, Digbeth

dndimg alt="High Vis Festival" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/RBD%20Little%20Ann%20St%2015082023.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

A starfield with a planet on Bordesley Street in Digbeth

dndimg alt="High Vis Festival" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hi%20Viz%20Fest%20Bordesley%20St%2015082023.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

The street art house at 82 Fazeley Street, corner of Andover Street, had been completely repainted, for the first time since 2015.

This is now called The Printmaker's Arms according to the High Vis Street Culture Festival.

dndimg alt="82 Fazeley Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/50%20Hip%20Hop%20HVF%20Fazeley%20St%2015082023%20(1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="82 Fazeley Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/50%20Hip%20Hop%20HVF%20Fazeley%20St%2015082023%20(2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="82 Fazeley Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/50%20Hip%20Hop%20HVF%20Fazeley%20St%2015082023%20(3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="82 Fazeley Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/50%20Hip%20Hop%20HVF%20Fazeley%20St%2015082023%20(4).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

About a week later the Andover Street side of The Printmaker's Arms was looking finished.  You could even see it from the Digbeth Branch Canal!

dndimg alt="82 Fazeley Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Graf%20House%20Digbeth%2022082023%20(1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="82 Fazeley Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Graf%20House%20Digbeth%2022082023%20(2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Most of the street art was to be seen on Fazeley Street in Digbeth.

The main piece was the Tempo 33 face that he normally paints all over Birmingham.

dndimg alt="High Vis Festival" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hi%20Viz%20Fest%20Fazeley%20St%2015082023%20(2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

A week later, Annatomix had added some art.

dndimg alt="High Vis Festival" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/HVF%20Digbeth%20Fazeley%20St%2022082023%20(1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

The Annatomix crab.

dndimg alt="High Vis Festival" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/HVF%20Digbeth%20Fazeley%20St%2022082023%20(2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Woman by Crysista Sim Simma.

dndimg alt="High Vis Festival" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hi%20Viz%20Fest%20Fazeley%20St%2015082023%20(6).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

A week later, the space had been filled below NFAZ and High Vis 50 years of Hip-Hop! Annatomix to the right.

dndimg alt="High Vis Festival" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/HVF%20Digbeth%20Fazeley%20St%2022082023%20(7).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Container with eyes and rep lips with lipstick?

dndimg alt="High Vis Festival" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hi%20Viz%20Fest%20Fazeley%20St%2015082023%20(4).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Caravan painted by Scotford Wilds.

dndimg alt="High Vis Festival" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hi%20Viz%20Fest%20Fazeley%20St%2015082023%20(3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

The Print Makers. The caravan from the week before had now moved.

dndimg alt="High Vis Festival" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/HVF%20Digbeth%20Fazeley%20St%2022082023%20(3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

A cartoon cat with a mask on by Pojek.

dndimg alt="High Vis Festival" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/HVF%20Digbeth%20Fazeley%20St%2022082023%20(6).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

First look at Miscfit on the shutter.

dndimg alt="High Vis Festival" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hi%20Viz%20Fest%20Fazeley%20St%2015082023%20(5).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Miscfit again, one week later.

dndimg alt="High Vis Festival" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/HVF%20Digbeth%20Fazeley%20St%2022082023%20(5).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

 

On the shutters of William Marston Ltd on Fazeley Street was a ghost with a torch.

dndimg alt="High Vis Festival" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/HVF%20Digbeth%20Fazeley%20St%2022082023%20(8).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

On the William Marston Ltd building on Fazeley Street as a green headed figure with purple top by VCT.

dndimg alt="High Vis Festival" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hi%20Viz%20Fest%20Fazeley%20St%2015082023%20(7).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Purple grapes and more art on William Marston Ltd, corner of Fazeley Street and New Canal Street.

dndimg alt="High Vis Festival" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hi%20Viz%20Fest%20Fazeley%20St%2015082023%20(9).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Purple grapes on William Marston Ltd again a week later, this time from New Bartholomew Street.

dndimg alt="High Vis Festival" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/HVF%20Digbeth%20Fazeley%20St%2022082023%20(9).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Rude Brown Dude on the railway viaduct between New Canal Street and New Bartholomew Street. HS2 has now fenced off the road towards Curzon Street.

dndimg alt="High Vis Festival" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hi%20Viz%20Fest%20Fazeley%20St%2015082023%20(8).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Photography courtesy Elliott Brown

The distinctive street art of Mohammed "Aerosol" Ali around Birmingham

Mohammed "Aerosol" Ali is known in Birmingham for his stencil sprayed on artwork around the City. Such as in Kings Heath, Moseley or Digbeth. Most famous for doing pieces on the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali (who died in 2016). More recently he has done a Malcolm X piece outside The Art Rooms Kings Heath. Plus "I Can't Breathe" Black Lives Matter pieces in 2020.

The art of Mohammed Ali aka Aerosol Ali seen around Birmingham from 2016 until 2021. Note that not all of his pieces displayed here are still visible to see. Some of his art is politcal. Connect with Mohammed on Twitter (click the link above).

 

Digbeth

Location: Bradford Street

Date: June 2018

"The fish, even in the fishermans net, still carries the smell of the sea."

This piece has been painted over, and part of the hoarding is missing as of June 2021.

dndimg alt="Aerosol Ali Digbeth" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Bradford St Digbeth MA (Jun 2018).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Location: Bradford Street

Date: August 2020

"I Can't Breathe" - Black Lives Matter.

These posters have probably been removed, and other taggers kept writing over it.

dndimg alt="Aerosol Ali Digbeth" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Bradford St Digbeth MA (Aug 2020).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Moseley

Location: Moseley Central - Alcester Road

Date: February 2017.

Deaths in 2016, including Muhammad Ali, Alex Keogh, USA  (Trump election) and Jo Cox.

These hoardings have gone, and Moseley Central was completed in 2018.

dndimg alt="Aerosol Ali Moseley" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Moseley V Alcester Rd MA (Feb 2017) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Muhammad Ali (1942-2016). Famous boxer. His namesake Mohammed Ali (no relation), sprayed pieces like this all around the City after Ali died aged 74.

dndimg alt="Aerosol Ali Moseley" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Moseley V Alcester Rd MA (Feb 2017) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

USA (1776-2016). The election of Donald Trump in November 2016. Served one term as the 45th President of the United States (20th January 2017 to 20th January 2021). Succeeded by Joe Biden (as 46th President of the United States), after Trump lost the 2020 election. Trump was banned from all social media platforms early in 2021.

dndimg alt="Aerosol Ali Moseley" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Moseley V Alcester Rd MA (Feb 2017) (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Alex Keogh (1988-2016). Not sure about him, other than a young man that died young, at 28. He was a teaching assistant according to the Birmingham Mail. He died of a alcohol and drug overdose at Christmas Eve 2016.

dndimg alt="Aerosol Ali Moseley" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Moseley V Alcester Rd MA (Feb 2017) (4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Jo Cox (1974-2016). She was MP for Batley and Spen from the 7th May 2015, until she was murdered on the 16th June 2016, in Birstall, West Yorkshire of gun shot wounds, and she was stabbed. She was 41 years old.

dndimg alt="Aerosol Ali Moseley" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Moseley V Alcester Rd MA (Feb 2017) (5).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Kings Heath

Location: Acorns - Silver Street

Date: June 2016

Muhammad Ali (1942 - 2016). This was one of the first pieces I found of Mohammed Ali. He also did similar pieces in Sparkbrook and elsewhere in the City at the time.

dndimg alt="Aerosol Ali Kings Heath" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Silver St KH MA (Jun 2016).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Location: Acorns - Silver Street

Date: October 2019

Greta Thunberg. A teenage environmental activist. She was born in Sweden in 2003. She is now 18 years old. But was 16 when Mohammed Ali sprayed this on the wall.

dndimg alt="Aerosol Ali Kings Heath" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Silver St KH MA (Oct 2019).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Location: Acorns - Silver Street

Date: July 2020

"I Can't Breathe" - Black Lives Matter. This piece had perspex put over it by the Council.

dndimg alt="Aerosol Ali Kings Heath" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Silver St KH MA (Jul 2020).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Location: Acorns - Silver Street

Date: January 2021

2021 - Coronavirus Pandemic, the new year after the disaster that was 2020. The year of vaccines in 2021. This piece is still on the wall.

dndimg alt="Aerosol Ali Kings Heath" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Silver St KH MA (Jan 2021).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Location: The Art Rooms - High Street

Date: June 2021

Malcolm X on Marshall Street, Smethwick, early February 1965. A few weeks after his return to the US, he was shot dead in New York. Mohammed Ali also painted a Palestine flag on it, during the "Free Palestine" movement. After the bombings in Israel and continuing issues with the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

dndimg alt="Aerosol Ali Kings Heath" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Art Rooms KH MA (Jun 2021).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Photos taken by Elliott Brown. Can be found on Twitter: ellrbrown

Forward in Unity by Gent 48 on Meriden Street, Digbeth

While I've been aware of this Gent 48 street art in Digbeth, I wasn't able to travel into the City Centre until I could go on the bus again. With my pass sorted for a 4 week period, I got the bus up to Digbeth, and made my way to Meriden Street. Initally thought it was on Allison Street but couldn't see it there. Behind an old snooker club. Gates locked so took from pavement.

Forward in Unity by Gent 48

It has been around 4 months since I was last able to travel to Digbeth. And many things have changed since then. The street art is mostly the same.

Foka Wolf has done a Love NHS heart at the Custard Factory.

dndimg alt="Love NHS" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Love NHS Custard Factory (July 2020).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Meanwhile famed Birmingham street artist Gent 48 (known for his murals all over Digbeth and Southside) was commissioned to paint Forward in Unity.

It is located on Meriden Street, and an open area just behind a snooker club. Never noticed it before as there used to be billboards on this side.

The gates were locked on Saturday 18th July 2020, so I got these 7 photos (below) from the pavement. I will leave the photos to do the talking.

Thank you NHS and thank you to all keyworkers. Stay alert. Wear a face covering on public transport (and shops from the 24th July 2020).

dndimg alt="Forward in Unity" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Gent48 Forward in Unity (July 2020) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Forward in Unity" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Gent48 Forward in Unity (July 2020) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Forward in Unity" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Gent48 Forward in Unity (July 2020) (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Forward in Unity" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Gent48 Forward in Unity (July 2020) (4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Forward in Unity" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Gent48 Forward in Unity (July 2020) (5).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Forward in Unity" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Gent48 Forward in Unity (July 2020) (6).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Forward in Unity" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Gent48 Forward in Unity (July 2020) (7).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Also check out Gent 48's murals around the Chinese Quarter and Southside including a recent one in Bath Passage.

 

Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

Follow me on Twitter here ellrbrown. Thanks for all the followers.