Yesterday was a great day one that included a visit to the Newport Street Gallery Triple Trouble exhibition in London.”
It had been planned for a while, but ended up being even better than expected.
When Online Connections Become Real
As an artist, I have a lot of “friends” on social media.
I use the term loosely, because many of them I’ve never met in person — and yet we talk regularly, share work, exchange thoughts. It’s one of the more unusual but rewarding parts of working in the art world now.
Some of those connections stay online.
Others don’t.
One of those people is Anna Schellberg, an artist based in Germany. Through Anna, I was introduced to her husband Axel, who runs the Antikult gallery in Hamburg, and that connection led to an opportunity to show my work there.
What starts as a conversation can quickly become something more.
So when Anna and Axel mentioned they were visiting the UK and asked if I’d like to meet in London, it didn’t take much thought.
A Day That Builds Itself
I invited my friend Nathan Jones to join, and we arranged to meet near the London Eye.
Nathan, along with his son Noah, was behind the Background Bob project — something both Anna and I had been involved in — so it felt like a natural crossover.
As the day approached, I did what I always do before heading into London: had a quick look to see what exhibitions were on.
That’s when I came across Triple Trouble at Newport Street Gallery, featuring Damien Hirst, Shepard Fairey and Invader.
That decided it.
From Liverpool Street to Waterloo
I met Nathan at Liverpool Street Station, then headed over to meet Anna and Axel.
And from there, naturally, we went to the pub first.
It was one of those easy meetings — no awkwardness, no catching up required. It just felt like continuing a conversation that had already been going on for years.
The Graffiti Tunnel at Waterloo
Before heading to the gallery, we made a stop at the graffiti tunnel at Waterloo.
It’s one of those places that never feels the same twice. The smell of spray paint hangs in the air, artists are always working, and the walls constantly shift as new pieces replace old ones.
There’s no permanence there.
And that’s part of what makes it feel so alive.
The Queue That Nearly Broke Us
From there, we made our way to Newport Street Gallery Triple Trouble exhibition.
The queue was… long.
Long enough to make us question our decision, but not quite long enough to make us leave. Eventually, we made it inside, where the first stop was the free bar.
(Equally important.)
Triple Trouble — A Different Kind of Show
Going in, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect.
I rate Shepard Fairey highly, I enjoy Invader’s work, but I’ve never been particularly drawn to Damien Hirst. I couldn’t quite see how it would all sit together.
But that wasn’t really the point of the exhibition.
What I hadn’t realised was that this wasn’t about three separate bodies of work — it was about collaboration. The artists had created pieces together, and that changed everything.
Instead of competing styles, it felt like a conversation.
The result was cohesive, playful, and far more engaging than I expected. It worked because it wasn’t trying to separate the artists — it was showing what happens when their approaches overlap.
Familiar Faces in Unexpected Places
One of the things I enjoy most about days like this is how small the art world can feel.
We bumped into artists I knew, including Tim Fowler and Mason Storm. Those moments always stand out, because they remind you that even though so much of the work happens alone, there’s still a shared space running underneath it all.
An Unexpected Highlight
At one point, I found myself face to face with Shepard Fairey.
I hadn’t expected him to be there at all, so getting the chance to meet him — and grab a quick photo — was one of those moments you don’t plan, but don’t forget.
What Stayed With Me
Looking back, the exhibition itself was great.
But that’s not really what stayed with me.
It was the conversations. The shared energy. The feeling of being around people who care about the same things in the same way.
Art doesn’t just exist on walls.
It exists in those moments — the ones that sit in between everything else.
Where It Leads
Days like that don’t just end when you get home.
They carry through.
They shift how you think, how you approach the work, how you see what you’re doing in a wider context. And more often than not, they send you back into the studio with a little more clarity than you had before.
A Small Introduction
If you’ve landed here for the first time, I’m Paul Kneen — a contemporary abstract portrait artist.
I make acrylic paintings that explore modern life, inner pressure, and the experience of navigating it. If you’re curious, you can explore the work in your own time — no rush, no hard sell.
