The Resident

Watch a video about the creation of this mural

SmugOne, The Resident, 2019. Acrylic and latex on permanent composite panels , 63 x 85 ft. Public art. ©SmugOne. All rights reserved.

Beyond Walls flew Smug in from Scotland. He is known for his hyper realism style of painting, and he often focuses on a spot in his painting subjects that brings unique character to the piece, such as a mole or a snaggle tooth. That unique detail often becomes the focus of the pieces.

When he arrived, he told the Beyond Walls team that he wanted to flip his focus for this project, and feature a beautiful black man. The team knew the perfect model: Ferns François, a videographer of Haitian descent who lives in the building that was to be painted. He agreed, and now stands nearly 8 stories tall and has become an integral part of the Lynn skyline! That’s why the piece is called “The Resident.”

Smug used spray paint and liquid paint to get the coloration of the skin just right.

Fun fact: Smug is an avid sneaker collector, and mostly focuses on collecting Nikes. The shoes featured in the piece have significance, and fellow sneaker aficionados know their significance right when they look at the piece.