Temper

Born: Wolverhampton

Lives and works: Birmingham

“Album covers were like an art gallery to me as a child. They had a magic about them.”

The artist Temper (Arron Bird) was born out of graffiti culture. Since picking up a spray can at the age of 10, he has transformed the medium.

Inspiration

During the 1980s, just as the hip-hop culture was making its way from the US to the UK shores, Temper became involved with several graffiti crews. He developed his own unique style, which allows him create illustrative and freehand art as well as photorealist figurative work reminiscent of the Old Masters.

Critically acclaimed by his peers, he became the first-ever graffiti artist to be awarded a solo show in a major public gallery (Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, 2001). Today he takes inspiration from street art, popular culture, comic books and music. Incredibly, paint leaves his aerosol can at up to 130mph!

Temper says: “Album covers were like an art gallery to me as a child. They had a magic about them that would transport me to another place; it provided me with a playground for my creativity.”

Follow the latest updates from Temper

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Inside the world of Temper

Here's a taste of what the artist has been up to recently! To make sure you stay up-to-date with all of our news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

From the blog

Graffiti: vandalism or a legitimate art form?

Despite artists like Banksy achieving international fame, graffiti is still considered a crime under British law. We investigated the societal impact of this genre for our Fine Art Collector magazine.

Popcorn

Legendary Midlands graffiti artist Temper returns to the art arena

Magazines and brochures

Exposition

We're thrilled to present of never-before-seen original works by some of today's most important contemporary artists. Eleven artists of varying styles reveal an insight into Europe's fascinating art scene.

Fine Art Collector | Autumn 2017

All the latest news and inspiration from the world of art, including exclusive access to artists' studios and upcoming art trends.

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