You might have seen them around the canal, on a random wall or even near your place. Small bees are popping-up all over Dublin since approximately four years. The Circular met their artist, Buzzy Be.
Why did you start to paint bees?
For different reasons. First, I like bees. When I was in high school, people were calling me ‘bee’, I don’t know why. Plus, my grandfather was a bee-keeper. Bees are like us, they work really hard, so I started to paint them. At first, they were erased. People were putting white pain on it. But I kept painting and I started to add small messages.
What kind of message do you want to convey with your bees?
Be a better person. Right now I think I have six or seven different types of bees (ed: “Be Happy”, “Be Curious”, “Be Paddy”, “Be Kind”, “Be Strong”…) but it constantly changes. My favourite one at the moment is “Bee Free”. The second message is, of course, to save the bees. They are really important. No bees, no us!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BchsBJ0AVRm/?taken-by=buzzy.be
Do you only practice your art in the streets?
No, I also do some things at home. I always work with stencils and I have more time at home. I can work with music without fearing to be in trouble. When I’m painting in the streets, I have to do it really quick, at night, it’s like my second job. I like it and I didn’t know people were actually interested in it. At first I was doing it just like that and then my friends told me that people were actually talking about it. I checked online and I found some articles and pictures on Instagram. So I told myself, if people like it, I’m going to continue.
Your bees don’t have a face, why?
At first it was just because I couldn’t draw the face. Now my technique is better so I could do it but I decided to keep it like that. Plus, I like the idea that some people can draw the faces on my bees, like that, they can be a part of it, it’s more interactive and I think it’s funny! I guess it was supposed to be that way. I don’t think it as a degradation because, when you’re painting in the streets, you expect it to change or to be removed so it doesn’t bother me.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BQIklapBn9J/?taken-by=buzzy.be
