Fun and Funner by Brian Butler

Location: Thames and Kosmos

Fun and Funner is a whimsical tribute to Providence’s regional trivia and tradition, with references spanning centuries. This lighthearted mural stands on its own as a bustling scene that could “easily double as a mini golf course,” smirks the artist. He continued by sharing that:

A guiding lighthouse points out a variety of meaningful icons from around the Ocean State. Beside the gravity-defying ship wheel is a lightning bolt-laden fort that references Olneyville’s storied artist collective Fort Thunder, which overlooks a big roadside bug drinking an Awful Awful. The state tree is referenced in a maple leaf framed by the three eyes of AS220. A quahog and famed potato man listen as a tree drums up some What Cheer while a nearby sailboat fetches ice cream and counter navigates the fate of the Gasbee and its annual torching. Look closely, and one might even find a snow birding Skunk Ape entertaining a Rocky Point roll by the Fire Water.

The mural has personal significance for Butler. “I grew up visiting Providence. One of my first-ever concerts was at the Gravity Games. It was a pleasure to revisit the quirky and cultural things that informed my development and reflect them back through the filter of my illustration,” he says.

About the artist:

Based in Miami, Butler established The Upper Hand Art studio in 2004, designing flyers for third-wave ska bands out of his college dorm room. Today the studio operates at the intersection of Brian's fine art career and commercial services. As a practicing artist, Butler has been invited to paint in globally acclaimed art festivals like Pow!Wow! Hawaii, Colorado Crush, numerous Secret Walls events, and even more Art Basel Miami activations. His practice of drawing at concerts has led to commissions from SXSW, Bonnaroo, and a countless number of performances. In 2019, Simmons University produced a touring exhibition that surveyed 10 years of Brian's concert drawing.

Materials: C2 Paint

Partners/Sponsors: Thames and Kosmos, Adler's Design Center and Hardware, Hilton Providence

~ Take a closer look ~

What symbols or icons do you recognize?

How does your gaze move through the work?

What energy or feeling does the work convey to you?