Arron Bird, aka Temper, has become the first graffiti artist to be commissioned to create a piece of public art – a centrepiece sculpture for the central atrium of The Cube development behind the Mailbox. Interestingly he’s never worked with sculpture before.
Having started doing illegal art with graffiti crews in Wolverhampton in the 80s Temper is now represented by The ArtLounge where his paintings, created freehand using aerosols, fetch up to £10,000 and have been exhibited worldwide, including a solo show at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.
The Storm Reminded Us by Temper. 122cm2 selling for £6995.
Temper’s website
9 page profile (PDF)
Temper’s page at ArtLounge
The ArtLounge gallery is at 28-30 Wharfside Street, The Mailbox, Birmingham, B1 1XL. Tel: 0121 685 2555
Birmingham’s graffiti art scene is, by it’s nature, hard to get a hook on for outsiders but it’s all around us if you look hard enough. One place to start is the Graffiti and Street Art pool on Flickr which also has a handy map. There are also specific areas where graffiti is condoned or at least tolerated. The car park next to the Custard Factory has some nice work and occasionally hosts events while the recreation ground in Selly Oak behind the youth centre is a marvel to behold.
Hat tip to B:iNS