New gallery for contemporary urban artists launching! Hang-Up is an ever changing virtual gallery selling highly collectable limited editions and originals from some of today’s most exciting contemporary urban artists, some already very established, some less so, but all with one thing in common: the quality of their work is exceptional. Dealing in rare works from a range of the hottest urban artists including Antony Micallef, Adam Neate, Banksy, Michael de Feo, Bast, JR, Dain, Faile, Blu, and SPQR; Hang-Up will also be releasing fresh new art from a selection of young and talented emerging artists whose works will be exclusive to Hang-Up. There are some exciting names already in the mix including uber talented Bristol artist and illustrator Tom Hine.

By definition urban art is an ephemeral art form, often vanishing from the streets as fast as it appears. In keeping with this culture Hang-Up will be organising guerrilla exhibitions popping up around London in a variety of spaces where selected works will be displayed for live viewing for limited periods. Signing up to Hang-Up alerts will keep you informed.

Hang–Up will be opening its virtual doors and going live on Tuesday 24th June 2008.

Cool tile work. You’ve got to love the creative use of mosaic tiles in the restrooms of Tranan Restaurant, designed by Karl Grandin. 300,000 mosaic tiles make up the artwork, featuring portraits of figures such as Tom Waits, Biggie, and Peter Tosh. Artists whose music Grandin associated with late nights at Tranan.

See more work by Karl Grandin.

You can’t handle the truth! The Polish artist Truth, creates strange and beautiful cubist/constructivist street installations using coloured polystyrene blocks. Some of the street art works with its surroundings, whilst others stand out strackly from their backdrop; either way, they’re great.

See more work by Truth.

I’ve never wanted a pet snail more! Just when I thought street art was starting to repeat itself, something truly bizarre and beautiful somes along. Inner City Snail – a “slow moving street art project” by Slinkachu has to be seen to be appreciated, nothing I can say can convey it’s coolness. In the future, I’ll be keen to keep an eye out for beautifully vandalised snails!

See more at Inner City Snail.

Don’t be S.A.D, be happy! Graphic designer Keith Hancox has created some clever t-shirts for a friend who suffers from Seasonal Affective Disorder. The first S.A.D T-Shirt is over printed with black heat sensitive ink which turns transparent at 32ºc. So when the sun comes out, and the heat rises, the black clouds on the t-shirt fade away and the sun shines! The second S.A.D T-Shirt is screen-printed with the statement, “The Sun is nature’s Prozac”, in uv sensitive ink which only appears under sunlight. Clever stuff!

See more work by Keith Hancox.