A Dundee graffiti artist has created another striking lockdown work with a portrait of George Floyd in a show of solidarity with protestors around the world following the death of the Minneapolis father.
Symon Mathieson, who tags his work under the name Syke, painted the memorial portrait at the park legal graffiti spot on the city’s Mains Road.
He said he hopes his work will show solidarity with those protesting, while shining a light on the existence of racism in Dundee.
“There are fairly obvious reasons why I did it, I think it needed to be addressed,” said Symon.
“It’s really to get people to confront friends and family who speak out of turn and say things which aren’t okay.
“There’s a lot of ignorant people out there who seem to think that racism doesn’t exist where they are, but it does. I think it all comes down to education.”
Already well-known for his work in the city and beyond, Symon grabbed the public’s attention in April with a tribute to remarkable veteran fundraiser Captain Tom Moore.
Despite being curtailed by lockdown movement restrictions, Symon used nearby garden sheds as the canvas for his painting of the figure who raised more than £30million for the NHS and was honoured with a knighthood after becoming a global sensation.
Last year, Syke also created a portrait of Alastair “Breeks” Brodie, the owner of Dundee’s famous Groucho’s record shop, on the wall of Tayview Community Centre.
“As a graffiti artist, this is how I pay respect to people,” he said.
