Last month, on the eve of the Edinburgh Fringe, Edinburgh’s public spaces got a touch brighter with the visit of artist and illustrator, KMG, from Perth to collaborate with the Leith Shutter Project.

Bier Hoose stakes the claim as the first bar in Leith focusing specifically on German and Belgian beer and street food. KMG’s design, like many of those painted on the shutters of Leith Walk, pays homage to the business they adorn.

The triptych / triple shutter piece was painted in KMG’s signature style, playful characters each with a nod to the German and Belgian focus of the bar – pretzels, beer and bratwurst.

Although KMG graduated university with a degree in painting, her creative career has lead her to focus on exhibiting, mural design and commercial projects.

Her youth was spent challenging and experiencing as much as possible, which resulted in more than a few broken bones, red faces and concussions. Due to this curious nature she has grown up with a desire to explore everything ranging from the precarious to the mundane.

A weird combination of youthful enthusiasm mixed with cynicism leaves her work with a sarcastic, raw and yet playful tone – something that can definitely be seen in this latest piece.

KMG’s shutters have become the latest organised by Leith Late – and another step to making public art in Edinburgh a crucial part of town’s rich and varied heritage and not the exception.

Steven
UKB