Ministry -SPQR – The fifth Man

SPQR – The fifth Man

Not much is known about SPQR, a Bristol-born artist who, like many of his contemporaries, prefers not to reveal too much about himself. What is known, however, is that he presents himself more as a craftsman than an artist, one who is delighted to be part of the art world at a time when the public’s perception of street art has undergone a major change. A change that allowed this British artist to create his art under the light of day, without fear of legal repercussions.
In addition, traditional art galleries began to open their doors to him. As a result, he began to incorporate many other types of media and genres, as all styles were now equally accepted. According to the artist, there is no intellectual snobbery as found in the “old” art world. His art has been exhibited in both the UK and the US.

SPQR traditionally stands for the Latin phrase “Senātus Populus que Rōmānus”, which roughly translates as “The Roman Senate and the People”. However, as the artist’s reputation grew, this acronym took on a whole new meaning, stemming from the milieu of street art. He owes his meteoric rise to his witty and somewhat darkly humorous socio-political stencils. Although, by the artist’s own admission, the results of his work are often confused with those of Banksy, SPQR still manages to work in a style all his own, seemingly with little effort.

Thus, he continues to provide social commentary with his art, using both his brute and gruff style, without losing sight of the whimsical side, to protest against everything that is wrong in the world and the social evils that prevail in the current state of humanity. These evils include a culture of surveillance and the manipulation of the brain by the media. These are sinister aspects of his work. On the positive side, there is his humour, wherein he inspires some acts of defiance against these ills.