Ben Eine started as a graffiti writer in the underground street art scene of London in the late 80´s and 90´s, and is a friend of Banksy. Both are now superstars in the street art movement. Art curators is of course part of their commercial success, organising street art shows in combination with gallery exhibitions in major cities world wide. Ben Eine is lives in London and his works is very present and visible in East London (Shoreditch), and when I´m in town it´s a pleasure to visit and photograph in the street art areas of East London. It´s like having the biggest open air art gallery in the world!
Ben Eine and his works are frequently featured in major trend magazines and music videos by big bands. In July 2010, President Barack Obama was presented with a screen print by Eine, Twenty First Century City, as an official gift from the British Prime Minister David Cameron. I'm not sure if Cameron knew about Eine´s criminal record from his graffiti years when he was arrested numerous times.
Ben Eine is present in my hometown Bergen too: On a wall at NHH (Norwegian school of Economics). Visible from the highway were thousands of cars passes every day, and hundreds of students walk by into the campus. I think many do not recognise this as a piece of art at all.
At first glance it looks like a collection of letters. A commercial of some kind? A big board announcing something? The letters are bright, clear and colourful. The letters make three words: «controversial» «calculate» and «cash».
The wall was spray painted by Ben Eine during a few summer days in 2011 as a part of a festival on Capitalism by NHH.
Please visit the Eine Diary (One of the coolest web pages on this planet).
