Street artist shares story behind his stunning Sean Lock mural in Brighton
Hugh Whitaker lives in Tonbridge Wells but often travels to Brighton to create his latest piece of street art.
When popular comedian Sean Lock, who had lived in Lewes since 2012, died last month from cancer, Hugh knew he wanted to pay homage to him with a portraiture.
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Hide AdHugh said: “Sean Lock was a comedian I could really relate to. I’ve been watching him for years and he was someone I thought I wanted to pay my respects to.”
Hugh hadn’t decided on a day to do the mural but when he found himself with a day off last Friday (September 10), his friend and fellow street artist Mick Mowgli from Brighton found a suitable wall, in Elder Place near Preston Circus.
Hugh, 25, who also goes by the name Humor, said he quickly found a photo of Sean to print out and then travelled to the city and got to work.
He said: “I don’t have time for trial runs and I don’t use a grid like some artists so I just freestyle, working from the print out. I used solely spray cans and decided to do it in black and white, which is easiest. It takes a lot of patience.”
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Hide AdWhile Hugh created his Sean Lock mural, Mick Mowgli painted one of Charlie Watts from The Rolling Stones, who also died in August. It took the pair just one day to complete the fantastic murals.
Hugh said he knows his work may not stay on the wall for long but he has the memory of it. He has also enjoyed seeing pictures of his mural all over social media, including on one page with 3.5 million followers where it attracted 400 comments.
Hugh said he has been a street artist for around five years and he has painted quite a few celebrities who have passed away, including Captain Tom Moore and Caroline Flack.
He works full-time as an artist and takes commissions and also works with schools to teach children about art. He is also keen to raise awareness of mental health support through his work.
As for his next piece of street art, he said it was top secret! We cannot wait to see it.