West End Funk is a tribute to the West End neighborhood and the artist’s 40+ year legacy of painting in Rhode Island while also drawing inspiration from Providence’s beloved Big Nazo and Community Music Works.
“This production pays homage to Funk and Rhythm. It also gives a wink to tradition that was created in our region. The radio in particular is derived from a painting on the Pawtucket S-curves circa 1985. A few of these characters come from the BIG NAZO fam. These characters are all original thoughts that move me and hopefully will be a creative force to others.” – Swerve.
Though Swerve has been actively painting in Rhode Island since the 80s, this was his first major mural installation, assisted by artists gregwashere and Back.
The mural features a number of unique stories:
*The bongo player is modeled after Quasimodo, a founding member of Big Nazo
*The squid on the front of the building is a tribute to a Nazo member who recently passed
*The mustache guy and the creatures on the front of the building are nods to Big Nazo characters
*The boombox and fan are motifs Swerve painted back in the mid 80’s
*“Live from 95” is a reference to when Swerve was younger and actively painting in some regions of the city
*The bass character and hip-hop nods are connected more with Swerve’s recent body of work
*The mural features the names Gyer, Atset & Tomb, who were key members of the local Graffiti community who have passed.
This piece is a vibrant love letter to the people, past and present, who maintain the lifeblood of the community’s creativity and whimsy.
This mural is part of the Ripples Project, a public art initiative led by TAC with support from the City of Providence Office of Mayor Brett P. Smiley and Department of Art, Culture and Tourism.
Special thanks to Look Alive Signs
