Expanding on a long-standing relationship with Newcastle’s De Giorgi family, design agency Dirty Hands has created a dynamic and highly visual space for this independent bar in Newcastle.
Drawing upon its diverse skillset in art-direction, graphic design and branding, the Dirty Hands team “Striving as always to come up with something truly unique, we first set about creating an impossibly huge mural based around owner Joe’s lifelong love of motorcycles and music icons,” explains Marc Ross from”Dirty Hands.
“Mixing the two themes together, we came up with the entirely hand-painted ‘Wall Of Death’ feature, overlooked by a 4m circus-style hardwood sign, built by Newcastle’s RASKL studio.”
The entire venue is flanked with individual booths, each one covered top-to-bottom in eclectic-themed artwork. Think motorcycle gangs meets B-movie heroines.
The overall effect is that of a gargantuan and slightly surreal piece of art, which is nevertheless tied together with a subtle oil varnish and harsh streaks of bright red torn throughout all of the walls.
In the upper area of the bar, meanwhile, guests are surrounded by handpainted 50s style slogans which nod to the hand-crafted signage of a bygone era.
“With the whole place covered in artwork, we then designed the scrawled neon sign, light boxes, and all other collateral visuals,” says Marc. “This was finished off by the two hand-painted 1971 Citroen DS car doors which hang pride of place in the windows.”
