The Resident by Smug One

The Resident is a photorealistic mural in downtown Lynn painted by Sam Bates, known as SMUG or Smug One, an Australian-born artist based in Glasgow, Scotland. Working entirely freehand with aerosol cans, SMUG creates portraits that look like photographs. For this piece he wanted to paint someone who represents the best of the Lynn community, and the subject is Ferns, a longtime local resident who is very active in the city.

The mural was organized by Beyond Walls, and Ferns had long been a friend of the group, handling much of its videography. Because SMUG photographs his subjects himself, Ferns was asked to pose exactly as the figure appears on the wall, and nearly everything in the image, from the shirt to the headphones, is what Ferns wore to the photo shoot. At the time of the installation, Ferns lived in the building.

What to Know

• The shoes in the mural belong to SMUG, who lent them to Ferns for the photo.
• SMUG later gave the piece its title, “The Resident.”
• The mural is part of the Downtown Lynn Cultural District.