BEN EINE

Ben Eine was born in London, England, in 1970 and has been one of London’s most prolific street artists. Specializing in the central element of all graffiti – especially the form of letters. Originally a writer, Ben Eine started his career over twenty five years ago leaving his first tag all over London before developing the distinct typographic style we know him for today.

Originally specialising in painting huge single letters on shop fronts. Ben Eine’s bright, colourful letters have transformed streets around the world. Most famously ‘Alphabet Street’ – the shutters and murals he painted in Middlesex Street, London.
Ben Eine shot to international fame when the British Prime Minister David Cameron presented one of his works to President Obama. As a gift on their first official state visit. His subsequent San Francisco solo show sold out prior to opening. Ben was also included in the biggest exhibition of street art to date “Art in the Streets”. Held at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA), Los Angeles.

BARACK OBAMA

A painting by a graffiti artist was among the official gifts to Barack Obama from David Cameron on his first trip to Washington as prime minister.
The work, Twenty First Century City, is by Ben Eine. Said to be one of the PM’s wife Samantha’s favourite artists.

Writing on his website, Ben Eine said it had been a “weird day”. Because “David Cameron has given one of my paintings to President Obama in an art swap”.
The artist, who has worked with Banksy, began his career by “tagging” his name on buildings and trains around east London, examples of which are featured on his website under the heading “vandalism”.
In recent years he has been asked to decorate shutters in cities as far afield as Tokyo and New York.