An artwork celebrating the late soul star Amy Winehouse has been unveiled in her favourite haunt of Camden. On what would have been the ‘Valerie’ singer’s 41st birthday, Koko, a music venue in the north London suburb, shared a new piece of street art.
The piece by Bambi shows Amy Winehouse perched on an amp box with angel wings in the background. The painting is also adorned with the epithet: “Camden Town ain’t burning down!” The statement makes reference to her 2008 speech at the Grammys following a fire in Camden Lock.
Bambi, a self-described “anonymous female street artist from London”, said of the piece that it was “only fitting that I pay tribute to her on her birthday, at Koko, a venue where she used to hang out and perform”. Winehouse played the famed venue many times over the years.
The venue itself, which was closed for a lengthy stint following a fire in 2020, commented that the painting and accompanying phrase “resonate more profoundly than ever” as live music steadily makes its comeback to the iconic spot.
Bambi continued her public statement by explaining: “Amy Winehouse was an extraordinary woman who challenged mainstream pop and inspired so many people. She represented the true spirit of Camden. Her subversive style and rebellious nature was felt around the world.”
Who is Bambi?
Touching works of a similar ilk have attracted an array of fans to the street artist. She has been shared and celebrated by the likes of Rihanna and Harry Styles. This connection to wider pop culture has always been a mainstay of her work.
The anonymous street artist, who is evidently somewhat inspired by Banksy, actually first came to public attention by honouring Winehouse with a painting randomly displayed on a nondescript doorway in Camden following her death on July 23rd, 2011.
According to her own official bio, Bambi was “initially hailed by David Dimbleby as ‘the female Banksy,’ Bambi has evolved into her own unique brand of artist-provocateur, tackling themes of feminism, street violence, political injustice and popular culture with wit and irony”.
It continues: “She often creates stencils of known contemporary figures to offer pointed social and political commentary. She has produced highly visible and public murals incorporating The Royal Family, Amy Winehouse, David Beckham and Ai Wei Wei. Her work is a brutal reflection of current events and contemporary icons.”
