For most people who speak the English language when one hears the word phlegm, it’s associated with COVID-19 or variations thereof. Or, if you follow ancient Greek medicine (who doesn’t?), it’s one of the four temperaments which also includes blood, yellow bile, and black bile. Let us not forget the other four temperaments, a proto-psychological theory, which include sanguine, choleric, melancholic and phlegmatic.
But we are here to talk about Phlegm, the street artist who resides in Sheffield, UK, not Phlegmatic, who would have more likely come from the upper crust of society whereas plain ol’ Phlegm is of the proletariat class. Makes for better art in most cases. Phlegm creates amazing black and white murals that are scattered all across the United Kingdom and beyond.
To my knowledge there is only one of his murals in NYC but his work can also be found in Sweden, Norway, Canada, Belgium, Poland, Italy, Slovakia, Spain, and Australia. And, of course, Lexington, Kentucky.
Phlegm started out inking self-published comics which all seem to be sold out. Now he is one of the most admired street artists working, not to be confused with Phlegm, the New Orleans artist who uses self-portraiture and mixed-media face painting. Is the world big enough for two Phlegms? And, like Banksy, we have not seen Phlegm’s face, but we have seen Phlegm’s face. Confused yet?
No more war…I will keep espousing this.
“The more the United States fights terrorism the more it creates terrorism.” – Former CIA bin Laden Unit Chief Michael Scheuer
“For every innocent person you kill, you create 10 new enemies.” — General Stanley McChrystal
“Are you familiar with the dominant role the U.S. plays in weapons dealing and war, that it’s responsible for some 80% of international arms dealing, 90% of foreign military bases, 50% of military spending, or that the U.S. military arms, trains, and funds the militaries of 96% of the most oppressive governments on earth? Did you know that 3% of U.S. military spending could end starvation on earth? Do you really believe, when you stop to consider it, that the current priorities of the U.S. government serve to counter terrorism, rather than to fuel it?” – David Swanson, author, activist, and journalist
And now…
Artistic Temperament
Interesting piece, I read the Swanson piece you linked at the end - eye opening, thanks for the link. There is a lot of good writing along these lines out there right now, showing that if people think "Biden blew it" they are vastly oversimplifying.
Swanson is one of the few that offer concrete ideas for moving in a positive direction.