The London Police

More than 20 years ago, a few artists from England relocated to Amsterdam, and on the bare, derelict walls across the city, they saw opportunities. The London Police since emerged as one of the most beloved names inside both the street art and gallery spheres, leaving their sardonic, instantly recognizable marks across the globe. As a burgeoning city of murals, The London Police’s two works at Camp North End are a seismic step forward. Where The London Police were going to pop up next in the world remained to be seen. But during the weekend, the group was also able to reflect on their history and what keeps them interested in projects such as END-to-END. Member Bob Gibson reached back to the team’s earliest days to explain their continued trajectory: “I remember when we were starting out,” Gibson said, “and [partner] Chaz was making drawings around the streets of Amsterdam, and his friend said, ‘Make a couple canvases and stick them in a cafe.’ I wasn’t too interested … I looked and what he was doing was actually quite cool, and I reckon he sold about 8 paintings. I’ve never painted canvases so quickly in my life. The ultimate bandwagon. But that’s life, you see an opportunity, a happy accident, and you jump on it. We’ve been ping-ponging like that for 20 years. ‘What’s the next project?’ Jump on it. A series of happy accidents.”

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