There is an undeniable poetry tied up in the latest Glasgow mural row. When advertisers commissioned the piece, it’s unclear if they realised the beautiful, Debordian irony of what would unfold. When it first appeared last week, it was described as an “impressive artwork”. This week, however, the work has reignited calls to tighten up legislation on mural advertisements.

The quarrel centres around a massive gable end overlooking the Barrowland Ballroom, which has been transformed into a painting advertising James McAvoy’s new film, California Dreamin’. The film is about the real-life Dundonian rap duo Silibil N’ Brains, who pretended to be rappers from California to get a record deal, appearing on MTV before their con unravelled.

The mural is not of the actual pair, but of the actors Samuel Bottomley and Séamus McLean Ross playing the pair. And the mural isn’t really a mural; it’s an advertisement playing a mural (so to speak). The spectacle itself is as layered as the debate it has ignited.

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Should advertisers be allowed to advertise with a mural? Or does that erode Glasgow’s standing as a destination for renowned street art? Are advertisers even allowed to put up these hybrids, or are they exploiting a loophole in planning........

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