Cartrain: Not for Sale, Imitate Modern

You’ll have heard of guerrilla graffiti artist Banksy, but less known and equally provocative is Cartrain who has made an enemy for life in YBA megastar Damien Hirst. Spraying walls on the back streets of Brick Lane and Leytonstone from the age of 12, Cartrain has graduated to the Houses of Parliament and was even invited by Major Boris Jonson to display his work at City Hall in 2008.
Now Cartrain is back at Imitate Modern gallery for his second solo exhibition which promises to be an entirely immersive experience that transports the audience to the streets of East London.
What’s all the fuss about?
You might remember the furore Cartrain caused with Damien Hirst after he used the famous Hirst diamond skull, For the Love of God in his own work. Threatening to take legal action against the then 16 year-old, the drama continued when Cartrain stole a packet of Faber Castell pencils from the Damien Hirst Tate Britain exhibition in the iconic Pharmacy installation. Unbelievably Cartrain then posted fake ‘Wanted’ posters all over town with a statement demanding the money for his work from DACS (the fund that protects artists’ royalties) or else the pencils would be sharpened. They were warned. After the hubbub died down Cartrain was nearly arrested by the Metropolitan police for £500,000 worth of theft, but the charges were soon dropped.
Other outrageous behaviour that has got Cartrain noticed is putting his own art on the walls of the National Portrait Gallery and Tate Modern, before they were removed as fakes.
Even East End boys Gilbert & George have shown their approval, using young street artist Cartrain’s collages in the 2013 Double Doors stained glass piece that appeared recently in the duo’s White Cube 2014 retrospective.
In typical Cartrain style, this new street art exhibition in London is sure to push the legal boundaries of contemporary art. This young artist is definitely one to watch.