London Street Art: Travel Guide and Art Photography Collection
My London Street Art Book As Seen on the Streets of London is finally here 🎉
When I first ventured into self-publishing with my Paris Street Art Book last year, I carried little more than ambition, a DIY spirit, and an overly optimistic to-do list. The gap between vision and reality turned out to be humbling, but also the best teacher. This grassroots approach of learning, experimenting, listening, and adjusting has now led to a new chapter in the As Seen on the Streets of… series.
An independent, self-published project, my London Street Art Book brings together the voices of London street artists, my own explorations, and nearly 300 pages of stunning fine art photography by Paolo Giannotti.
👉 Order your copy here: [Hardcover] | [Paperback]
- London Street Art: Travel Guide and Art Photography Collection
- The Story Behind The Book
- Inside As Seen on the Streets of London
- Two Format, Same Content
- How to Get Your Copy
- What they’re saying about As Seen on the Streets of London
- Get Your Copy of As Seen on the Streets of London
- About the As Seen on the Streets of… Series
The Story Behind The Book
This book was born in the streets.
One year ago, I guided a small group of readers of this blog through five walks across London, exploring hidden corners, meeting artists in their studios, talking about graffiti history, and sharing ideas. Those walks became more than just memories: they were the grassroots support that allowed me to bring this project to life.
No publisher, no marketing team, just an independent, DIY series made possible by readers who join my trips and those who bring the books into their homes.
👉 Bring the book into your home: [Hardcover] | [Paperback]
Inside As Seen on the Streets of London
As Seen on the Streets of London gathers the voices of 11 London-based street artists, each sharing their personal view of the city: the neighborhoods where they live and work, the places that inspire them, and their relationship with London’s streets.
Unlike the Paris book, this edition also features shorter contributions from many other artists, creating a rich mosaic of perspectives.
Alongside these stories, you’ll also find:
- A historical introduction to London’s graffiti and street art movement;
- My own recommendations for must-see murals, spots, and neighborhoods;
- A detailed Google map to help you navigate the city;
- Artwork stories that reveal the inspirations and intentions behind key murals;
- Practical info: from street art spots to cultural hangouts, helpful details to guide your trip;
- Off the beaten path suggestions for discovering hidden gems and lesser-known areas;
- Nearly 300 pages of fine art photography by Paolo Giannotti, capturing London’s urban creativity in striking detail.
Two Format, Same Content
This isn’t only a travel guide, it’s also an art book.
Through Paolo Giannotti’s lens, London’s walls become portraits of the city itself. His photography captures both the monumental murals and the fleeting details that make London one of the world’s most influential street art capitals.
To make the book accessible while still honoring Paolo’s photography, I created two editions:
As Seen on the Streets of London: Hardcover / Art Photography Book
Large format, printed on the highest quality paper. A coffee-table book for art lovers. Measuring 254mm x 178mm, it’s ideal for showcasing the vibrant details of the photos. 👉 ISBN 9791221064056
As Seen on the Streets of London: Paperback / Travel Guide
Portable A5 format (210mm x 148mm), lighter paper, easy to carry with you while exploring London. 👉 ISBN 9791221064063
Both editions include the same texts and photos, the only difference is size and paper quality. By creating two formats, I hoped to offer something for everyone—whether you’re looking for an elegant art book or a practical guide to take with you on your adventures.
How to Get Your Copy
For now, the London book is only available through me (via this website and my newsletter).
I’m not sure when it will reach bookshops, so the best way to secure your copy is here👇
What they’re saying about As Seen on the Streets of London
I’ve been so touched by the kind words and thoughtful reviews that As Seen on the Streets of London has already received.
Here are a few highlights:
“I’ve met, curated, and worked with literally hundreds of street artists over the last 25 years. And for every artist, there’s been a handful of supporting actors, bloggers, photographers, writers, academics, journalists, filmmakers, vloggers, the list goes on. People caught up in the passion and revolutionary potential of a democratised public art form, where individuals from all walks of life have the opportunity to stake their place in a movement that offers alternatives to the traditional networks of power that define and shape a city, and, by extension, the people who inhabit and move through it.
The same can be said of specialised fields, including publishing, hence the surfeit of cash-grab “street art” books, often produced with little knowledge of the scene, designed as city guides offering tourists a “splash of colour.”
But this, this book, is different. This is a book with heart, from the soul, written by an author who recognises the core tenets of what makes “street art” such a powerful movement and medium. It wrestles back that which is in constant danger of being lost. Giulia has been a mainstay in the culture for over a decade, and it’s been an honour to witness how the culture has shaped her as much as her research and writing, in turn, have helped shape us.
Buy it, read it, reflect on it. This is street art.”
Martyn Reed, Founder Nuart Festival
“This well-written and thoughtfully designed book, featuring numerous high-quality photographs, offers a comprehensive study of contemporary graffiti and street art in London. Written by a respected subject matter expert, “As Seen on the Streets of London” is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in this vibrant urban visual art form.”
Jeffrey Ian Ross, Ph.D., Editor of Routledge Handbook of Graffiti and Street Art.
“In this enchanting book, Giulia Blocal Riva offers a detailed guide to the art on the streets of London, veering off the tourist track to reveal lesser-known gems. She interviews key figures, including Remi Rough, Dotmaster, and Carrie Reichardt, and brings her urban adventures to life with arresting in situ photographs.”
Susan Hansen, Professor Middlesex University London, Editor Nuart Journal.
“Meticulously researched, Giulia Riva’s “As Seen on the Streets of London” reaches across the city. She ventures into places where not even most Londoners have been. As a result, she has created a guide to London street art that is as informative as it is indispensable. Each area receives intimate attention, interspersed with stories from the artists who call it home.
Giulia’s writing brings London to life alongside the photographs of Paolo Giannotti, which capture the art and the context—so vital in the world of the street. Every image is intentional, each telling its part in a story that leads us into London’s streets, inviting the reader to join them alongside canals, into studios, under bridges, and through the varied spaces of the city.”
Stuart Holdsworth, Editor Inspiring City.
“Giulia embraces the diverse contradictions of street art ideology and practice in London. Her passion for street art, combined with a flair for the written word, results in a compelling survey of the city’s street art scene—its origins, locations, and ongoing evolution.”
Dave Stuart, Founder Shoreditch Street Art Tours.
“A photo-guide–street art book that reaffirms the relevance of the genre, from one of Europe’s most well-informed and keenest observers of the scene. As exciting as the city it lovingly portrays.”
Sabina Andron, Postdoc Fellow in Cities and Urbanism, University of Melbourne.
And this is only the beginning! I can’t wait to share more reviews and press features with you as they come in.
📝 Press coverage and readers’ reviews will be added here soon.
Get Your Copy of As Seen on the Streets of London
Bring London street art into your hand!
About the As Seen on the Streets of… Series
Blending research, photography, and conversations with local artists, the series As Seen on the Streets of… invites readers to experience cities through the eyes of those who paint them, leading into overlooked corners and revealing stories rarely told in mainstream narratives.
While many publications reduce street art to a catalog of murals, detached from their context, As Seen on the Streets of… resists that simplification. It captures friction as much as beauty, the temporary as much as the monumental, and asks readers to notice what usually stays outside the frame: the contested, the fragile, the traces of a culture always at risk of being erased or appropriated.
After the Paris edition in 2024, and this London edition in 2025, the journey will carry on through Lisbon, Rome, Berlin, Sao Paulo, New York and many more cities that have shaped the street art movement globally.
We are just getting started! 😉