The 1980s London was very different, there were fewer cars on the road and streets, fewer chain coffee bars and restaurants, less gentrification, and people were not busy on their phones while walking in the streets. People used to express their emotions through graffiti art. Back then some street artists used their artwork to turn a boring old brick wall into a masterpiece of art. Some people who did graffiti are just normal people trying to make a statement. It was an endless war of vandalism between artists and police officers in London. And, today the graffiti is illegal in London and it has been limited to few places. Photographer Peter Marshall captured the photographs of buildings, streets, and houses where Londoners expressed their feelings through graffiti. When people spoke, Marshall captivated their message in his photographs. He photographed the spots where Londoners lived, not the day trip hot spots and tourist mainstays.
Graffiti in 1980s London: Back when Londoners Expressed their Emotions through Vandalism
Some of those photos show London looking quite rundown, as well as its population being several million lower than now.
I remember playing a lot of “Smash H block!”. As well as “Wot no…” Chads.
Fewer cars because they were all in the canals