Rivington Street is a prime destination for discovering captivating street art in London. One particular spot worth visiting is the courtyard of the former nightclub, Cargo. This location is typically open to the public and boasts an impressive collection of artworks by renowned artists, including Banksy.

The entrance to Cargo, now regrettably closed, used to be situated beneath the railway bridge. Beneath this archway, Banksy had his first ever London exhibition back in 2000. This exhibition, characterized as a pop-up show, served as a retrospective of his burgeoning body of work. During this exhibition, Banksy meticulously crafted a series of stencils drawn from his extensive catalog of artworks. These stencils adorned the walls on both sides of the present-day entrance to Cargo, which was, at that time, a former utility entryway that had long fallen into disuse. True to his innovative spirit, Banksy even applied his stenciling technique to this defunct entry point. If you examine closely, you can see the framed outline of some white boxes which once contained Banksy stencils. The idea for the show came to Banksy one evening on his way from a pub. Arguing with a friend, they were considering just how easy it would be to hold an exhibition in London without asking anyone’s permission. And the rest, as they say, is history. Banksy himself told the story in his book “Banging Your Head Against a Brick Wall”: “A week later we came back to the same tunnel with two buckets of paint and a letter. The letter was a forged invoice from a mickey mouse Arts organization wishing us luck with the “Tunnel Vision mural project”. We hung up some decorators signs nicked off a building site and painted the walls white wearing overalls. We got the artwork up in twenty five minutes and held an opening party later that week with beers and some hip hop pumping out the back of a transit van”.

The works from that exhibition are sadly gone. But you can still encounter two other authentic Banksy pieces that have endured the test of time. They are nestled just around the corner within the courtyard, offering visitors a unique opportunity to appreciate the celebrated artist's enduring legacy.

The first artwork, dating back to 2003, consists of a single-layer black and white stencil image. It depicts a police officer holding a poodle, bearing a strong resemblance to Banksy's signature style during that period. The recurring motif of law enforcement figures in Banksy's work is evident here. Banksy himself remarks on this theme, stating, "My problem with cops is that they just do what they are told. They say ‘sorry mate I’m just doing my job’. All the fucking time." This sentiment encapsulates Banksy's criticism of a perceived lack of autonomy among law enforcement personnel.

The second piece by Banksy within the confines of the Cargo courtyard is a collaborative effort with the artist Stylo, a member of the VOP (Visual Orgasm Productions) crew. This artwork reimagines the iconic HMV logo, replacing the dog, typically depicted listening to his master's voice on a gramophone, with the dog now poised to fire a bazooka. Stylo has skillfully encircled the piece with an orange letter design that spells out his own name, creating a collaborative visual spectacle.

The courtyard features works by other contemporary artists such as SAM3, Bastardilla, and Thierry Noir, which have gained considerable relevance. Gazing from Shoreditch High Street toward the renowned railway bridge once home to the former Cargo nightclub, on the right-hand side  you'll find artworks by SAM3 and Bastardilla. On the left-hand side, one can spot Ben Eine's mural known as "Scary". Remarkably, it stands as one of the most enduring pieces of street art in Shoreditch. The choice of the word "Scary" itself is steeped in irony, serving as a commentary on what Ben Eine perceived as the unjustified connections people often drew between graffiti and criminal activity. Eine's perspective on graffiti is clear in his statement: "Most graffiti is just a tag—a form of expression by young individuals who have no inclination toward any criminal activities other than expressing themselves in an unconventional manner, primarily due to the absence of better opportunities."