People I’ve Seen Outside The Rio

"People I’ve Seen Outside The Rio," is a witty new exhibition by local artist Dave Buonaguidi AKA Real Hackney Dave. This show captures the essence of Dalston's vibrant street life and its characters through a series of unique screen prints.

Inspired by the bustling surroundings of the iconic Rio Cinema on Kingsland Road, the artist brings to life the everyday moments and characters that animate Dalston's streets.

"I find a lot of inspiration watching and listening to people. I also love the Rio cinema on Kingsland Road because it’s an architectural beauty smack bang in the middle of Dalston. For me, it’s the most beautiful building in the area, a little bit London, a little bit Los Angeles. It’s weird," says the artist. "The Rio is like the heart of the area. Everything interesting is within three minutes, and every time I go past on my motorbike, I see people walking past and hanging about outside as it’s a great place to meet because everyone knows where it stands. For this show, I’m turning those moments into art."

The exhibition will feature a brand new collection of work, bright layers of colour screen printed onto original, independent film posters followed by one layer of type. Dave has also created a series of ‘1 minute’ pencil portraits, a collection of 100 of which will be on display alongside a new exhibition book that includes the entire collection. The witty and spontaneous nature of the work captures these impressions and the characters of these fleeting encounters on the streets of Hackney.