Derry Graffiti artist Razer chats to Derry News about his latest project in the city
"We're the ones now that have the opportunity to give back to Derry and paint these iconic figures"
Derry graffiti artist, known by the alias Razer, has been producing immense murals across the city as part of Gasyard's Féile project, Graffiti on the Walls.
Razer's mural of the late John Hume in the city centre. Photo: Gasyard
His latest work in Derry can be seen on Lecky Road behind the Gasyard and is titled 'Baby Jake,' inspired by the concept, 'Every child needs someone to look up to.'
The mural, as part of A Communities in Transition Project, is a portraiture piece of Razor's own nephew, Jake.
Razer, who also works as a youth worker within the city said the whole project is about giving back to the community with a focus on the new generations within the community.
He explained: "For over eight years, I've worked in the heart of the Bog and we always wanted to do something about the young people.
"There is a quote I always follow, 'young people need a model and not a critic.' Young people are constantly looking up to us. We need to behave in a way that we are role models for them, not in a way that they are negatively influenced.
"We wanted to focus on how generations can work together. We're the ones now that have the opportunity to give back to Derry and paint these iconic figures that are massive in our city. We hope to do many more. It is always a pleasure."
Razer, who is currently also completing his degree in Youth Work and Community Development, said he always loved art but graffiti art was a later discovery.
He is currently producing work across Derry as part of the Peaball art collective; a group of street art, graffiti and mural specialists with the same passion for graffiti art as Razer.
He continued: "I love working on the murals and for the next challenge and project, we all do.
"I always loved art and school and I studied portraiture at school but it was more oil painting.
"The graffiti side came along because I was a skateboarder for years. It was always something I would see at skate parks across the country. I just never knew how to do it.
"One day, I bit the bullet and I found out there was a place in Derry that did good enough paint. I went and got myself some paint and started off. I was one of the first in Derry and now I am one of the oldest. It can be stressful if things go wrong but when the art goes right, we all love it. It's always a privilege."
You can see Razer's, Peaball's and the Gasyard's Féile projects across the city.
Razer's latest work as part of the Gasyard's Féile Project is situated beside the Gasyard. Photo: Gasyard