A new mural of late Prodigy frontman Keith Flint has been commissioned and is set to be completed in London in commemoration of World Suicide Prevention Day (September 10).
The piece has been commissioned by Headstock, a music and mental wellbeing festival, who has recruited street artist Akse 19 to complete the mural. The painting will be located at Beechwood Road in Hackney, not far from the Four Aces Club, where Flint and Prodigy played their first gig in 1990.
A Crowdfunder page has been established to help finance the project, with organizers hoping to solicit 12,500 pounds in fan donations. So far only 405 pounds has been raised, with the page set to expire on August 31.
“The purpose of the mural is to raise awareness of mental health text message support service, Shout 85258, and the charity’s logo and text support number will feature prominently on the artwork,” a statement reads.
“The mural will be created to coincide with World Suicide Prevention day on 10 September 2021 – a date that falls just a week before what would have been Keith’s 52nd birthday.”
The message also suggests that any funds raised will go towards “the artist’s time, materials, travel, accommodation and support crew, and will also help us cover hard costs such as scissor lift hire, Public Liability Insurance, Pavement License and Heath & Safety management.”
Keith Flint died on March 4, 2019 at the age of 49. Reports later confirmed that the singer had taken his own life.
Headstock has collaborated with Akse 19 in the past to commission a similar mural of Ian Curtis in 2020. The mural was unveiled by the late singer’s former Joy Division bandmate Peter Hook to mark World Mental Health Day.
In March, the surviving members of Prodigy remembered Flint on the second anniversary of this death. “It’s been 2 years. We miss you so so much brother, Your light burns bright, Your energy will never fade, Keep it real Keep it punk rock We live forever! LH & MAXIM,” they wrote.
