Specter is in London presiding over the opening of his solo show at Pure Evil Gallery on Thursday. That of course was not the only intent of his trip. Really what keeps Specter moving is a decrepit, decaying wall staring back right at him.

He is not all too keen on clean, smooth and pristine surfaces to place his street pieces. It is a challenge that he’s mastered. This is most evident in his work on the streets of New York. His hand tinted wheat pastes of people- often everyday workers or homeless or ordinary people are placed so perfectly that when you see them you think they were always a part of the wall or of the abandoned store front sign he uses as a backdrop/canvas.

The new exclusive images below are a perfect example of his art and placement- which goes beyond contextual to almost urban camouflage. What is it? Fabric painted on an old store front sign. The crimson folds against the old fading lettering makes the whole sign come back alive without making it look new. It stays the same: Old and abandoned and somehow romantic.

Now, if we could just figure out that “Faile” lettering…

Specter “Grant and Taylor” (photo © Sir Charles)

Specter. “Grant & Taylor”. Detail (photo © Sir Charles)