Collection: The Real Hackney Dave

Introduction

What makes The Real Hackney Dave art so distinctive is that a single one-day screen printing workshop completely transformed his life. After more than thirty-five years at the top of the advertising industry, founding acclaimed agencies and directing major campaigns, he walked into a course at Print Club London and never looked back. That unexpected turning point unleashed the bold, witty and thoroughly democratic style that now defines every piece of The Real Hackney Dave artwork.

The Real Hackney Dave is a contemporary British screen printer based in East London whose limited edition prints combine found vintage materials with punchy fluorescent typography and assertive slogans. Drawing on decades of experience in mass communication, he creates evocative, humorous works that aim to provoke an instant reaction and leave the viewer feeling a little better. Collectors seek out The Real Hackney Dave prints for their attitude, accessibility and unmistakable East London energy.

Biography

Dave Buonaguidi, better known as The Real Hackney Dave, was born and raised in London and continues to live and work in Hackney. He studied art and graphics in the early 1980s before embarking on a highly successful thirty-five-year career in advertising. During that time he co-founded St Luke’s, widely regarded as the world’s first co-operative advertising agency, later launched Karmarama, and served as Creative Director at Channel 4’s in-house agency 4Creative.

In 2014, during a period of gardening leave after resigning from one of his own agencies, he took a one-day screen printing course at Print Club London. The experience proved transformative. He left the corporate advertising world behind for good around 2019–2020 and has worked full-time as an artist ever since, operating from his studio in Hackney Wick.

His earliest widely recognised artwork, the “Make Tea Not War” poster created for the 2003 anti-war march, is held in the permanent collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Museum of Modern Art in Trento. Today he continues to experiment with screen printing on found materials, trawling flea markets and auction sites for maps, photographs, copper plates and other ephemera that become the basis for his unique prints. He has also collaborated with fashion brands and supported charities including the NHS, Ukrainian causes and local food banks.

Achievements

• Museum Collections: His iconic “Make Tea Not War” poster is held in the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Museum of Modern Art in Trento.
• Advertising Legacy: Co-founded pioneering agencies including St Luke’s and Karmarama, and served as Creative Director at Channel 4 before transitioning fully to art.
• Distinctive Print Practice: Developed a signature style of screen printing bold, often fluorescent text onto found vintage materials, pushing the boundaries of the medium with glitter, gold leaf, sprinkles and even pheromones.
• High-Profile Collaborations: Created a limited-edition clothing collection with River Island and has worked with numerous charities to raise funds and awareness.
• Wide Recognition: Exhibited at venues including the Saatchi Gallery and Royal Academy Summer Exhibition; collectors include well-known figures from food, fashion and entertainment.
• Accessible Attitude: Builds a practice dedicated to democratic, reaction-provoking art that aims to make viewers feel happier and more inspired.

The Real Hackney Dave Artwork & Prints

The Real Hackney Dave artwork is instantly recognisable for its combination of found vintage imagery and bold, assertive typography. Vintage maps, photographs, blueprints and other ephemera form the base for screen-printed slogans that range from witty and affectionate to sharply humorous or mildly provocative. Phrases such as “Norf Sarf”, “London Is Always a Good Idea” and “Just Be Nice” capture a distinctly British voice full of attitude and warmth.

Limited edition The Real Hackney Dave prints are hand-pulled, often incorporating additional materials such as glitter, gold leaf or fluorescent inks that give each piece extra energy and texture. Whether printed on paper or unique found surfaces, the works are designed to be accessible and democratic — art that connects quickly and stays in the memory. Collectors appreciate the blend of nostalgia, humour and contemporary edge that makes The Real Hackney Dave prints ideal statement pieces for modern interiors.

Artistic Style & Technique

The Real Hackney Dave’s style draws heavily on the language of advertising, propaganda and pop art. He works primarily with screen printing, applying bold, frequently fluorescent text over found materials that already carry their own history. The juxtaposition of traditional ephemera with contemporary slogans creates an immediate visual and emotional impact.

He experiments freely with the medium, printing onto copper plates, maps and other unexpected surfaces and enhancing works with glitter, sprinkles, gold leaf and even pheromones. The goal is always to cause a reaction — to make the viewer stop, smile, think or feel a little better. Influenced by the directness of mass communication and the anarchic spirit of artists such as Jamie Reid, his approach produces The Real Hackney Dave artwork that is playful, provocative and thoroughly democratic.