Who is Barely Alive Clive? Someone is tagging the walls of Brighton with the moniker, and the inquiring pubic has taken note. But they don't know who he is, or what in the world he even means:

Who is barely alive Clive? pic.twitter.com/qkmTXLQreI — P. D. Viner (@philviner) March 23, 2018

Wow, it's crazy to think this person has made so much noise around town. In any case, despite all the confusion, he sure does get around:

One particularly large scrawl by Clive finally got the treatment it deserves. At last! Yay!

An unknown curator hung a gallery-style think piece next to one of Barely Alive Clive's greatest works. By greatest, I mean biggest:

Someone has added artist notes to the shit graffiti near our house... oh #brighton. Don't ever change 💖 pic.twitter.com/b9UeeaRDZD — Ed (@eddo_) April 3, 2018

It's pretty great big:

Please allow me to describe the contents of this description. The very strange and curious "wall text" reads *clears throat* as follows:

The artist juxtaposes the unapologetic, upright arc of the C with the melting fading Es, to represent the turbulent existence of ‘Clive.’ This is reinforced by the inconsistent capitalization of the lettering, signaling a disregard for academic regiment or societal order, echoed in the deft use of the anarchy A symbolism.

This, along with the crosses used to dot the i’s, evidence the artist;s disillusionment with the rules enforced by British society. The forced simplicity of the colour palette itself is used as a statement to reject traditional art forms that rely on ornate or decorative charm alone.

Instead this piece carries the viewer with it, and culminates in a drastic downward course, resonating with the piece’s message of being ‘bare[ly] alive' by implying a slow and inevitable end to human existence. The viewer must conclude: we are all barely alive.

Wow. It's like I'm truly seeing Clive's message for the first time.

People definitely agree with me and are really feeling these notes:

We are all barely alive. True story. https://t.co/YhNbXlZKWo — Kate Keys (@kateakeys) April 5, 2018

Graffiti artist the next day:

Finally someone who understands me 😥 — TᴀᴄᴋᴇʀTᴀᴄᴋᴇʀ 🐰 (@2xTacker) April 5, 2018

I think you're missing out on the implied critique of a hostile university system... — Michael Woodward (@shotwithspirit) April 5, 2018

However, as is the case around the internet and in many corners of the world we inhabit today, there are some cranky-pants who don't think anything about this is funny. AT ALL.

I wish there was a way to stop this graffiti blight on our country. Makes me ashamed that people can trash our environment so thoughtlessly. I don't want to applaud or encourage it in any way. — AssemblyTube (@AssemblyTube) April 5, 2018

Brilliant response to what is basically a combination of trespass and littering. 😡 — Gayle Wade (@WadesWords13) April 5, 2018

well call me daft, but that stuff just spoils a nice clean decorated property wall belonging to somebody! — rsidney (@rdotsidney) April 5, 2018

Okay, okay maybe you're daft. Or too sensitive, or maybe you just don't get it the work and intelligence that went into such an elaborate stunt. You pretty much need an MFA to pull something like this off.

Most people loved it, and shared some other similar stories:

Also available in south Leeds :-) pic.twitter.com/S08sk88Lvo — Rational Dad (@TwoWheelsWood) April 5, 2018

Similar waggery in Kennington Park, south London. pic.twitter.com/F63FViGrxj — Paul Sharples (@Paul_Sharples) April 5, 2018

Someone did this with a strange and murky photo that came off the copier at work. (Well, they titled it. I added a review.) Still makes me smile every time I go in there. — Victoria Esposito (@proudadvocate) April 4, 2018

Brilliant addition to graffiti in Brighton https://t.co/KMWiQKxpgO — Ken Seaton (@apriliaken) April 5, 2018