Hasta La Ideas

A car burns, while aggressive figures in hoodies go on the rampage, watched by the police… You might well think that this new piece of street art (by Eject) in Salford, Manchester is a timely comment on the unforgiveable rioting and shameless looting that has been taking place in London and beyond over the last few days. But you’d be wrong. It is, in fact, part of a promotional campaign for new 20th Century Fox film release Rise of the Planet of the Apes…

The film company, working with agency Beatwax, has commissioned various street artists around Britain to create new works based on the storyline of the film and also on the simian slogan, Evolution becomes Revolution. “In any In any revolution, the first signs of civil unrest appear through sloganeering and anti-establishment graffiti on the streets – the writing being literally on the wall,” says Bruce McClure from Beatwax. Here are a few of the artworks to appear so far:

Above, this work by Smug, appeared at 1038 Argyle Street in Glasgow a few days ago

This four-panel artwork by Cheo is on Great Eastern Street in Shoreditch in London

And this work by Aroe is on Fleet Street in Brighton

Stop frame painting-of films of each of the pieces can be viewed at youtube.com/thehailcaesar

Rise of the Planet of the Apes is released in the UK later this week. More info at apeswillrise.com