'Live, laugh, love': Sand artist's response to riots

A large piece of sand art has divided people over its meaning.

Sand artist Fred Brown, from York, created the piece on Bridlington beach on Tuesday.

Speaking about the work, he said: "The current situation with far-right extremists and rioting prompted me to draw something. It's open to interpretation, like art I suppose."

While some social media users saw it as a message of hope, calling it "beautiful", "brilliant" and "true art", others were not so sure.

One Facebook user said: "Gotta laugh right, country's a joke."

The artwork appeared following a series of riots in towns and cities around the country.

Mr Brown said the concept for his piece "actually came from a real artist", Gordon Dalton, who had bemoaned the "bland politeness" of public art in a Facebook post.

Referring to slogans spotted in windows, reading "walk among trees" and "light upon hope", Mr Dalton wrote: "Should have gone the whole hog and had LIVE LAUGH LOVE on a union jack. In comic sans."

The phrase "live, laugh, love" became a popular slogan on homeware and motivational artwork in the first decade of the century.

It has been attributed to the poet Bessie Anderson Stanley, whose poem Success (1904) reads: "He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much."

Mr Brown's artwork was drawn with rakes on the town's south beach. It is not the first time he has caught the public's attention, after his giant Three Lions badge made headlines during Euro 2024.

Mr Brown, who describes himself as an "animal rights activist" often creates pieces with a political or environmental message.

He began working with sand on public beaches after receiving complaints from local authorities about his chalk art in city centres.

Follow BBC East Yorkshire on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected]