Street Art

Is it art?

Sheffield Street Art Phlegm

Around Sheffield there are several distinctive art works, highly stylised and creative. These are by the artist Phlegm

Interview with Phlegm in 'Fat Cap'

I’m twenty eight and I’m based in Sheffield UK. I’m primarily a cartoonist and illustrator who has an addiction to self-publishing and underground art. All of my comic work is with black Indian ink and a dip pen. I only use colour when I’m screen printing or painting walls

I have a strange relation to graffiti, having a style that’s grown entirely from myself published comics rather than letter styles. My comic comes out every four months or so and I work endlessly on them, and have done for the past four years. I started out as a cartoonist but the graffiti side of things has really taken over the past three years. I think it’s because my style has been so affected by what I draw for the comic it’s stopped almost all outside influences. I love to get run down urban spaces and factories and play with the space. It’s such an immediate way to get your picture on the wall. A painting in the street becomes part of the cities architecture, influenced by what’s around it rather than being some awkward canvas in an art gallery.