Heritage Wins the Wall: Prize-Winning Artwork Becomes Permanent Mural in Southwark
Southwark was full of artists this week as a massive new mural was revealed at 160 Blackfriars Road, the result of a design contest hosted by Maya Capital and Veld Capital, property owners of the building now holding the huge 300㎡ mural.
The prize-winning design, created by local artist Baiyu Liu, speaks to the rich heritage of Southwark and features two sections: The left represents day, and the right represents night. At the same time, one section focuses on the diversity of the people of Southwark, and the other highlights the history and landmarks of the area.
The highly-detailed artwork – painted by Global Street Art, the UK’s largest and leading mural-painting organisation – required twelve fine artists, each wielding 1.5-2 inch paint brushes, to work over seven days to entirely hand-paint this huge, new, permanent mural, a labour of love for the community applied one brush stroke at a time.
Baiyu Liu, Prize-Winning designer and artist, said, “I am very grateful that Global Street Art allowed me to participate in the actual painting and installation. The members and artists at Global Street Art are so supportive and friendly that it's a pleasure to work with. Every day, even on days of bad weather, I could see huge progress being made on the mural work by the team. I really hope I can work with Global Street Art again in the future."
Dr. Lee Bofkin, CEO and co-founder, Global Street Art, commented, “We’re incredibly proud to have been involved in this project – Baiyu’s artwork is stunning and this project helps our ongoing mission to live in painted cities.”
David Pralong, managing partner, Maya Capital, said, “We are delighted to have incorporated such a stunning piece of public artwork as part of our refurbishment of the Friars Yard office building. It has been an enjoyable experience working with Southwark Council and members of the local community to bring this exciting project to life. Baiyu’s design not only improves the appearance of the building, but also uplifts the surrounding public realm. We hope that this piece of public artwork serves as an exciting new landmark which the local community can be proud of.”
