Long Dark Tunnel: A Landmark London Graffiti Exhibition

The Long Dark Tunnel is an exhibition created by 10 Foot, TOX and Fume. It showcases work from some of the UK’s most notorious graffiti artists. Opening in London’s Piccadilly it has created a huge buzz in the city’s street and graffiti art scene.

The Long Dark Tunnel exhibition at Arts Arkade in Piccadilly Circus

A Glimpse into the Underground World of Graffiti

Kept a closely guarded secret until the opening evening. Clues about the location were released only sparingly via 10 Foots instagram account. Once revealed it saw long queues form to witness a rare exhibition of three legends of the graffiti underground scene.

‘This & That Init’ painted street sign from 10Foot

Long Dark Tunnel

Inside, the centrepiece of the show featured a graffitied London Underground train all tagged with work from the three artists. A section of painted motorway signs, prints and other artworks filled different sections of the space. There was also a tribute to legendary London graffiti writer Robbo. Kept behind a metal fence, it featured artifacts from his personal life.

Centrepiece exhibit of a tagged London tube train

Tribute to Robbo behind a grate in the Long Dark Tunnel exhibition

Prolific Writers

As an exhibition it’s location and prominence is in itself remarkable. The artists in question are some of the most prolific writers in the country. 10 Foot’s work in particular has become a well known part of the urban environment. Anyone driving along a motorway in the UK cannot fail to have seen his tag. In terms of ‘getting up’ there is really no-one more prolific. TOX meanwhile has been arrested over 40 times and served nine prison sentences. He also seems to have become a muse of sorts for Banksy. FUME’s tags and throw ups have covered trains, walls and rooftops across London for years.

Big Issue Takeover

As a rise it is remarkable and it comes on the back of another groundbreaking achievement. Just before the exhibition opened, the first ever full takeover of the Big Issue was released. Edited by 10 Foot it featured no adverts with the intention of covering the running costs by art sales. It featured a milestone interview between Banksy and TOX and another between FUME and Alekz from Bomb Alert magazine. It became one of, if not the fastest selling, Big Issue of all time. Such was the buzz around the edition. I heard first hand from a seller outside St Pauls on just how popular it had been. “I’ve never been so busy” he told me with huge grin.

Tagged show poster outside of the exhibition

10 Foot: The Vision Behind the Exhibition

10 Foot, the elusive artist behind the project, has long been an enigmatic figure in the graffiti world. Speaking about the culture in an interview with the PA news agency. He described graffiti as an act that transcends conventional art movements. “

At the extreme end of graffiti, there’s a very small handful of super-gifted people who are beyond fascinating. Tox, Fume, Bas—they have the state breathing down their neck. They use social media, and they don’t earn a penny from their art. It makes no sense if you’re looking at it from a contemporary context. But on a human level, it’s eternal and magical”.

10 Foot character on a subway train at the exhibition

TOX: London’s Most Banged Up Graffiti Writer

One of the most divisive figures in the show is TOX. His simple yet infamous tag has covered London’s transport network for over two decades. Dubbed the UK’s “most imprisoned graffiti writer,” TOX has been arrested more than 40 times and served nine prison sentences. His obsessive dedication to tagging his name across the city has turned him into an urban legend. Speaking about his work to the PA news agency, TOX reflected:

“Graffiti provided me with an outlet and an escape from my crime-ridden ends. The prison is real when you grow up in them ends. So graffiti saved me from longer prison sentences, shit mental health, and being a burden on society.”

FUME: Dedicated to the Streets

FUME, another key figure in the exhibition, has been a dominant force in London’s graffiti scene for decades. Known for his work with the legendary DDS crew. FUME’s tags and throw-ups have covered walls, trains, and rooftops across the capital. In an interview with in the The Big Issue, he reflected on his journey. “All the stuff they threw at me ended up strengthening me” he stated. Despite facing arrests and intense scrutiny from authorities, FUME remained committed to his art, seeing it as an integral part of his identity.

“Graffiti is about putting yourself out there and staying dedicated. I’ve been through a lot, but I wouldn’t change a thing.”

The Long Dark Tunnel

The title of the show is a homage to London’s underground system. Though the title itself has been inspired by jungle track ‘Valley of the Shadows‘ from ‘Origin Unknown’. The record features a recurring sample of the phrase ‘Noticed I was in a Long Dark Tunnel’. That in turn was taken from a BBC documentary about out of body experiences. Visitors to the show could hear the phrase piped through the sound system whilst looking at 10foots motorway sign paintings.

Graffiti History

Taken altogether, the exhibition and the Big Issue takeover will go down in graffiti history. With nothing like this having happened before. “I can’t believe it” said 10 Foot. “A mainstream magazine has let me turn an entire issue into an anarchist zine. I feel like Long John Silver at the helm of a cruise ship”. Adding that:

“It’s so far from a bunch of pictures in a white room… “It’s emotional and messy and is the culmination of decades and decades of underground artwork”.

Photographing artwork at The Long Dark Tunnel

The Long Dark Tunnel is an exhibition from 10Foot, Tox and Fume. It is being held at Arts Arkade in Piccadilly Circus. Proceeds from sales in the exhibition will fund the production costs for 10Foots guest takeover of the Big Issue. The show is open from 1pm to 7pm until 13th April on everyday apart from Mondays and Tuesdays.

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