murals to combat graffiti

Anti graffiti mural, Brighton, East Sussex

Graffiti and 'tagging' is considered more anti-social than drunkenness or drug-dealing (BBC News 24, 02.08.04). In business districts this works against the welcoming, clean image every business owner wants to project, and yet many businesses find themselves at the heart of the 'urban canvas'. At Briant Communications' premises in Brighton, graffiti was a big problem. But since a mural was designed and painted by Nick Hallard of eyebright, not one tag has appeared on the shutters outside the shop in over two years. This is because many graffiti artists do consider themselves to be artists, and so would rather work on a blank wall; and a great many also respect someone else's artwork, whether it is graffiti or not. The company supplies satellite communications equipment for homes and businesses, and their main supplier is Toshiba. This was reflected in the mural.

(above) The shutters as they were before the mural
(below) The finished mural, untouched for two years
Acrylic   18ft x 8ft

(above) The mural design, created as a composite on Photoshop for the benefit of the business owners
(right) Nick Hallard of eyebright re-creating his design on a much larger space