Phlegm

Phlegm has featured in this blog before. He is a mysterious artist and muralist - rather like Banksy. Based in Sheffield, he has adorned numerous buildings around the world with his distinctive designs. He works exclusively in monochrome, creating often huge fantastic murals that are characterised by imagined beasts and a sense of strange foreboding.

I had heard that there was a new Phlegm mural on Eldon Street so I wanted to see it with my own eyes. However, Shirley told me that the massive mural I had previously spotted on Headford Street had been replaced with something even better so I wanted to see that too.

Mural on Headford Street and detailed view at the top of this post.

With senior bus pass in hand, I set off into the city centre - remembering my trusty camera. To tell you the truth, the new Eldon Street mural was a little disappointing and parked cars prevented an unhindered view of it. However, the new Headford Street mural certainly has the "wow" factor. It is on the side of the old "Eye Witness" cutlery works building which has been converted into an office and apartment block.

Phlegm has been painting away for two decades now. I guess there are more mythical beasts in his head - just waiting to be let out. It is interesting that he makes no obvious political commentary or protest in his work and nor does he seek to celebrate natural beauty or the real environments we occupy. Fantasy and free expression appear to be all.

Lying on a psychiatrist's couch, I bet that Phlegm would have a fascinating tale to tell and it would be his own tale - not anybody else's.

The new Phlegm mural on Eldon Street