 |  | Blackfriars Skittles. © Ed Gray |
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Gray's sixth show at GX, which he reckons is his most ambitious yet, weaves through a year of travel and exploration, producing typically energetic urban scenes.
Shibuya. © Ed Gray | |  |
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"Finding inspiration in this breathtaking modern metropolis was easy," he reflects, looking back on his adventures in Japan. "My sketchbook filled up quickly as I tried to render the beauty of Tokyo as faithfully as possible within the limited tones of my pencil."
 | | Requiem. © Ed Gray |
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The exhibition promises "paintings and drawings from the floating world". The reference, Gray says, is to woodblock prints from the country's Edo period between the 17th and 19th centuries and their theme of "the transience of life's fleeting pleasures."
Tango. © Ed Gray | |  |
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"It's something which is echoed in my own work," he observes, outlining his own psychological "floating" process through streets and lives.
 | | Mile End. © Ed Gray |
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"In a way you have to be invisible too. I had some issues with security guards. It seems a pencil is more subversive than a camera and video recorder these days."
GX Gallery, Denmark Hill, London. Admission free, call 020 7703 8396 or visit GX online.
