Mystery artist branded 'Gosport Banksy' after Lego mosaics of South Park and Pacman characters appear on High Street
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MOSAICS made from Lego are popping up across Gosport depicting characters from TV shows and video games.
The displays have been spotted across the High Street this week.
Gosport resident Mark Shakespeare first saw a toy brick portrait of Kyle Broflovski – a main character in the hit comedy series South Park – outside Eden Mobility where he works, and is impressed with the artist.
‘I call them the Gosport Banksy,’ the 45-year-old chuckled.
‘I found artwork in various different places, three South Park characters in total.
‘I believe there are a few more on the High Street, where this person – whoever they are – is putting them.
‘There’s another on the wall of the Card Factory, and one on the wall of Barclays bank.’
Mr Shakespeare has taken photos of other murals, including ones of South Park’s Eric Cartman and Kenny McCormick.
He also found a small Pacman design on a curb by the ferry terminal.
All of the pictures contain a small Lego minifigure in the corner.
‘I think they’re brilliant, especially for kids,’ Mr Shakespeare said.
‘I reckon it’s like a treasure hunt for them.
‘I don’t know what the idea of it is, but it’s part of this artist’s passion for Lego.
‘I think it’s really good, and I’ve heard others love it as well.’
The Gosport resident says the murals are brightening up the High Street.
Borough Councillor John Gledhill, member for Lee West, recently gave a rallying cry encouraging locals to ‘put your trainers on and walk down to a local shop.’
As previously reported in The News, he said shops were struggling with a lack of footfall caused by habits from the pandemic, rising energy costs and inflation.
Mr Gledhill added: ‘We need to use them, these shops support us with jobs and the goods they sell.’
Mr Shakespeare said the High Street needs more displays and hopes the ‘Gosport Banksy’ gets the credit they deserve.
He added: ‘We need more of it I reckon, for people to look at and say, “it’s good artwork”.
‘There’s not really much here, so we need some positives at the moment with the way society is going.
‘I just hope this highlights the person that is doing this and gives them more work.’