Graffiti doesn’t always spoil buildings. In fact, it’s the only way to improve a lot of them.

Last weekend saw a tunnel in Leake Street, near Waterloo, transformed into an oasis of colors by graffiti artist Banksy for the Cans Festival. The exhibition, which lasted three days, encouraged people to add to the art with their own stenciling.

There are some excellent photos in this Flickr photoset. Check out the site of the festival for more information.

While browsing my Flickr groups yesterday, I stumbled upon the works of くま (ku-ma), a Japanese wagashi (和菓子) artist.

Wagashi is a traditional Japanese confectionary served with tea. Besides being very tasty, they’re also very nice to look at. Every individual piece is a work of art. With the summer approaching, Japanese confectioners turn to making special summer wagashi that express the season’s colors and scents.

Those looking to learn more about these Japanese delicacies should check out the Wikipedia article on wagashi.