Urban Art Association

The guy there is a clown, try's to sell prints he doesn't have.... Stay clear.

Interesting. I was chatting about a piece.

What's the history here?

Thanks guys... Another great example of the forum community!!

Although I've had no dealings with Hawkins & Blue Gallery or Alexander Mara, a quick Google search brings up this LinkedIn article posted by Mara:

www.linkedin.com/pulse/street-graffiti-gallery-art-case-study-pegasus-alexander-mara





My argument would be that anyone dealing in work by Pegasus is artistically clueless — or cynical in the extreme, and preying on the ignorant and easily-duped. Either way, Mara comes across to me as someone best stayed away from.


From a psychological standpoint, what's fascinating is how the credulous can be so willing to listen and give benefit of the doubt to:

(i) fly-by-night operations with the magic word "Gallery" after their name; or

(ii) individuals who've bestowed upon themselves the designation of "Art Gallery Director".

[Christopher Hitchens used to make similar comments regarding the often spellbinding powers of the mere title "Reverend".]

POW was notified, they are aware of the false allegations and its a "Caveat Emptor" I'd stay away personally. 

not surprised with these guys..... they were trying to sell me prints they didnt own......

they have an office in King cross I believe, have you been round there ? 

That's not a real office as far as I can tell. It's what called in the UK a hotdesk office. I.e., you rent a desk that you can work from. 

Your experience illustrates a pretty well-recognised cognitive bias.

One sees it often in relation to individuals who hold or appear to hold positions of authority, a scenario that encourages others to stop thinking, stop questioning, and simply accept what they're told.

In large part it's based on faith or potentially dangerous assumptions we can easily make about another person's knowledge and infallibility — especially if that person happens to be wearing a suit, uniform or white lab coat.

But gallery or retail cases are nothing compared to the far more serious medical examples you read about in the press. "I was in constant agony and went to the doctor four times in the last year. Each time, they told me it was stress-related, that I should take a paracetamol and try to relax more. Now, it's already spread to my lymph nodes and lungs and it's too late to operate."

For anyone unfamiliar with the Milgram experiment on obedience to authority — and how far diffusion of personal responsibility and abandonment of one's critical faculties can go — this TED Talk by Philip Zimbardo (most famous for his Stanford prison experiment) is really worth watching:

Very good.

I happily hold up my hands and admit that you almost had me there.

Obviously from the Don Smith (Opus Art) school of gallerists - apart from the paying the money they owe bit at the end.

I was in contact too for a red stamp U/S Barcode print, they told me one of their collector was willing to sell it, bla bla bla.... I gave up at the end.
I used to speak with Charlotte Jones, gallery assistant, tel. attached in theis email is +44207 206 2667

Hope this could be useful.

Ciao!

I already have the thieves' mobile but thanks. What I'm after is a direct line to the Metropolitan Police Art & Antiques Unit that isn't on the website. The number on the website is 0207 230 9451. I presume that at some point someone else on this forum has had to contact them; presumably I'll have to use email.

Stay well clear from this outfit.

One of my clients almost got caught out by this, but luckily asked us for our opinion.

I'm very glad to have stumbled across this thread as it confirmed my suspicions.

I can only hope those who were unfortunate enough to have dealt with Alexander/(Charlotte?) at Hawkins & Blue get their funds returned.

I will continue to warn others in the industry about this, regardless of his abuse, intimidation tactics and threats.

Seems like he can't stop calling me now, what about all those clients that have lost thousands of pounds ....?