The London Mural Festival is back for 2024. It’s the second time the festival has been held in the city. The first time was back in the 2020. As with four years ago, it’s an event that spreads across London. Murals having been painted across 11 different boroughs.
Organised by Global Street Art they have been working behind the scenes to create new locations for street art. Often venturing into areas where muralism is not normally seen. The 2024 London Mural Festival is an attempt to bring the art form to a greater audience. It’s also an opportunity to give back with artists coming from across the UK and Worldwide to take part.
Table of contents
Map of the London Festival 2024
Central London
Belgravia
Hunto
This piece from Hunto is called ‘The Power of Love.’ It commemorates the fall of the Berlin Wall on its 35th anniversary.
Bloomsbury
Qwynto
City of London
A series of air vents painted in front of the Leadenhall Building. The artists are all known for their abstract and colourful patterns so work well together.
Anna Ovni – The Leadenhall Building
Nick Tez – The Leadenhall Building
Itaewon – The Leadenhall Building
Sr. X – Paternoster Square
Spanish artist Sr. X returns to the same location he painted for the London Mural Festival in 2020.
East London
Bethnal Green
CEPT – Coventry Road
‘Time Rolls Past’ is the latest piece from CEPT on Coventry Road. It features a graphic novel style scene with ‘The Flash’ laying with his head to the ground. In the middle of the work, CEPT has written his name on a giant tombstone. Nearby another large mural shows a woman applying make up. This time CEPT has been written in her sunglasses. On the other side of the wall, the Joker laughs. A rip in the universe seems to sit between them both. Both walls are full of detail and easter eggs for comic, graffiti and movie lovers.
Fedir Filatov – Voss Street
A work that for Fedir Filatov offers a “new perception of the creative process”. One that he describes as presenting a kind of “spiritual practice”. Something that he says is a “kind of modern ritual of prayer… that supports and enhances mental well-being, both for the artist and the audience”. Speaking on his instagram, he reflects on the work as a means of escape. Essential in what he feels is a current reality full of war and suffering. “I have dedicated my entire life to painting, and it is this very process that has saved me. The act of creation brings me into an altered state of consciousness, much like that experienced during prayer.
Bow
Sky High – Farrance Street
Werdna – 58 St Pauls Way
Canary Wharf
Three murals have been added to Belmouth Passage just by the Crossrail Place Quayside in Canary Wharf. All next to each other they feature work from Zoe Power, Jo Hicks and Vanessa Scott. The works explore ideas around connection, community and urban life.
Zoe Power
Known for her abstract figurative works and bright colourful murals. Zoe Power is an artist from Bristol whose characters appear as if they are dancing. Moving together over the image of the Thames and the Isle of Dogs.
Jo Hicks (Hixxy)
Connection and togetherness seems to be the theme with this work from Jo Hicks aka Hixxy. It captures a “moment of softness, calm and tenderness, in contrast to the environment it sits” she wrote on instagram. She was exploring ideas around memory and connection. She wanted to capture one of the fleeting moments that we all have with the people who impact our lives.
Venessa Scott aka Vee
Manchester’s Vee has created a work full of layers. Layers of colour, layers of patterns. One image placed on top of the other. Reflecting on her work in a video about the mural she said how the cityscape of London also provided inspiration. A city which itself is full of layers.
Hackney
Marija Tiurina – 131 Mare Street
“Even though the theme this year was ‘Connection’. I wanted to address the importance of disconnecting” explained Marija on her instagram. The work for London Mural Festival 2024 presents the idea of leaving your problem-solving chore-doing body behind. Setting your mind free and giving it a break. Split over two walls it shows a headless body in one. Then in the other, the head is running free. Situated on Mare Street it’s a piece about the need to maintain a healthy balance.
Ilford
Kamil Dadon – Grantham Road
A Polish artist who works between Poznan and London. Kamil Dadon’s work can be found in the middle of an estate in Ilford. His wall shows a number of different scenes. A man sits in a kitchen on one side whilst a young woman can be seen on the other. In the middle are two country scenes. As an artist, he wanted to show a contrast between the architecture of the estate. In some way opening a gateway into another world.
Chris Dorning – Grantham Road
A work which is loosely based on the Greek myth of Prometheus gifting humanity with Divine Flame, the Creative Spark. He has represented the result of that as a tug of war. Except it’s more a back and forth of ideas, story’s and nature. The pulling is of thoughts. What Chris describes as the ‘forever process’.
Leyton
Mr Christa – 238 Francis Road
An artist who creates his lettering with a unique and detailed kind of pointallism. Turning those dots into animals, birds and even letters themselves. His piece for the London Mural Festival can be found on the window of Yardarm in Leyton. Saying ‘Good Times Ahead’ the words are surrounded with cherry blossom and drawings of two birds and a carp.
Limehouse
Sky High
The second of two smaller pieces created by Sky High for the London Mural Festival 2024. Both feature local wildlife and both painted onto street storage containers.
Royal Docks
Rosie Woods
A 60 metre wall which surrounds the site of a new low carbon data centre in East London. Operated by Ada Infrastructure the company takes its name from Ada Lovelace. Born in 1815 she is celebrated as the first computer programmer. The mural celebrates her with an abstract series of zero’s and one’s which form the basis of binary code. They are all floating in 3D form with a glass strip flowing through the whole of the piece.
Shoreditch
Itaewon – 147-155 Curtain Rd
A piece inspired by the Shakepeare play Romeo & Juliet. Situated on the modern day Curtain Road it was once the location of the Curtain Theatre. A place where Shakespeares troupe the ‘Lord Chamberlains Men’ would have played. It’s believed that both Henry V and Romeo & Juliet were first performed there. Paying homage to that history, Itaewon’s work shows Romeo & Juliet in their final embrace.
Shephard Fairey – 27 Boundary Street
‘Rise Above Earth Justice’ is the latest mural from Shephard Fairey. It shows a flower blooming from the scales of justice. It’s a message to say that it is “within our power to rise above the injustice of environmental irresponsibility”. “I believe that our individual and collective actions will dramatically impact current and future generations” said Shephard. “Be it for the better or for the worse. It is our responsibility as the citizens of Earth to protect it”.
Sophie Mess – The Stage
Nature inspired and botanical. Sophie Mess is an artist who likes to bring nature into the urban landscape. “There’s something about connecting with nature that makes you feel small, but in a good way” she says. “We are part of something so much bigger we are all part of this big beautiful world together”.
SMT – Pedley Street / Fleet Street Hill
From the famous SMT graffiti crew, it’s been the first time this wall has been painted for a while. Situated in the former space of the now closed off ‘Nomadic Community Gardens’. It is essentially brown field land owned by Network Rail and once part of the Bishopsgate Goods Yard. Sadly the average visitor can’t gain access other than trying to look over the fence. The piece from SMT is a suitably inspired railway themed mural. The crew have in previous iterations been known for their adventures in the train yards. The location could well be a homage to that.
Whitechapel
45 RPM – Burslem Street
A fun character filled mural from 45RPM. Painted onto the back wall of a childrens play area for the 2024 London Mural Festival it is a colourful and playful piece.
Walthamstow
Tima – Chandos Avenue
This mural from Casablancan artist TIMA depicts a woman seated with her head in her hands. Dressed in soft purple and surrounded by a delicately rendered tablecloth and vase. It’s a work that blends realism with a melancholic tone.
Rosie Woods – Pretoria Avenue
A tribute to London and to England. Rosie Woods is an artist who spends a lot of her time away from her home country. She shows how much she regards her home. This is true even though she might not be here all the time. The lion in the piece is the same Lion as depicted guarding the fountains of Trafalgar Square. The rose on the floor is the symbol of England. Whilst the woman laying across it’s paws is symbolic of the tender relationship between a country and it’s people. Painted all in gold this is because it is a colour that depicts value. A sign to say how precious the place we live in can be.
Rimon Guimaraes – Pretoria Avenue
An African woman stands amidst the backdrop of a beautiful colourful landscape. She is pregnant and clothed in a patterned blue dress. Initially Rimon wanted to paint the woman naked and indeed his first version did show her that way. Feedback from the locals resulted in the dress being applied.
Kleiner Shames – Pretoria Avenue
Abstract artist Kleiner Shames is known for his use of shape and colour. Here he has combined both to create a combination of a K and S the initials of his name. His work although highly abstracted still remembers much of his early days writing graffiti.
South London
Brixton
Gent 48 – Brighton Terrace
Birmingham artist Gent48 is known for his hyper stylised character work.
Jeba – Brighton Terrace
A tribute to Pirate Radio is this piece from Jeba on Brighton Terrace. “The participants of Pirate Radio (those who set up the stations) to me were heroes of UK music culture”. It was from pirate radio that music that had been sidelined by the mainstream could be heard. Parties and raves could be found through these stations and they allowed an unrepresented generation to connect and share music.
Luke Smile – 56 Mayall Road
Taking the words from a song from a real Brixton legend David Bowie. Luke Smile is known for his typographic paintings and here on Mayall Road he’s gone big. “Bowie, born half-a-mile up the road, seemed fitting for this mural” said Luke. “I wanted to celebrate his unbelievable career with this painting. Using the lyrics from his track ‘Heroes’, to inject some empowerment into the community. It is definitely one of my favourite tunes of his”.
Tea One – 50-52 Fairmount Road
‘Adrift’ is the piece from Tea One in an unassuming corner of Brixton. According to the artist “it is essentially ideas around being between two places and very much not in usual surroundings”. The boat here does appear out of place in this suburban street. The vessel itself can be seen as a shared experience. It is adrift. Not on the ocean but on this street.
Clapham
Church of Best Ever – Oaklands Estate
On the side of an apartment building in Clapham is thie mural from Church of Best Ever. tjhey are are masters of the abstract as well as realism. Blending with each other to represent the story they want to tell. This piece for the 2024 London Mural Festival can be found on the Oaklands estate.
Nacho Welles – 38 Clapham Common South Side
A quick piece from Nacho Welles on a small wall in the Notre Dame estate. It’s a tribute to graffiti and the areas local foxes.
Sick Boy – Notre Dame Estate
On the wall of a basketball court, Sickboy’s mural in Clapham says ‘Make it Last Forever’. Another example of where the London Mural festival 2024 has gone into estates with public art.
Sierra Tango Echo – Worsopp Drive
“As soon as I discovered this image of a baby monkey I knew I had to paint it somewhere” explained Sierra Tango Echo. “The way your eyes instantly connect with theirs looking up with a sense of longing/vulnerability, instantly grabbed me”. Apparently the locals have already named her ‘Dame’ after the Notre Dame estate where the mural is located.
Clapham North
IO – Fenwick Estate Community Centre
Alessandro Ioviero is an artist who started out on the streets as a master of the monochrome. Over the past few years he has been incorporating ever more colour. This mural can be found on the side of community centre in Clapham
Oak Bloak – Fenwick Estate
The 3 Graces is a triptych created on an estate in Clapham. “I wanted to create an interactive series of paintings that confront the viewer” explained the artist. In particular he wanted to confront with the sacrifice and servitude of three domesticated species. They are Oak Bloak’s own 3 Graces. “The Cow with feed you. The Hound will protect you and the Sheep will clothe you” he said on his instagram. “My hope is to inject some gratitude and broader thinking into the viewer, either in person or virtually. Awareness and thanks for these three living creatures plucked from the wilds and formed by humanity to serve a purpose. Their lives should be especially respected”.
Squarms – Fenwick Estate
A series of murals created on pillars surrounding an estate in Clapham. Squarms skeletons have been given a light pastel feel. Other characters have been introduced too in this mini Squarms gallery
Yorgos – Cottage Grove, Fenwick Estate
Zandism – Fenwick Estate Community Centre
Pop art themed mural to bring some colour to the Fenwick Estate Community Centre.
Deptford
El Seed – Pelican House, Bowditch, SE8 3AP
Known for his Arabic inspired calligraphy, El Seed’s work has themes of unity and peace. This work on a residential tower block is called ‘Spring Always Comes Back’. It is inspired by a work from Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. He said, “You can cut all the flowers, but you cannot keep spring from coming.” This mural was nominated as one of the ‘Street Art Cities‘ Best of the World for 2024.
Elephant and Castle
Cee Illustrate
“I wanted to create something that connects people to a space and bring a sense of energy and movement”. Speaking on her instagram Cee explained how the flowers were inspired by Latin America. A nod to the area’s local community and a hope that both passers by and those local to the area connect and enjoy.
Kidbrooke
Shine and Quest, Skore, Crok, Tase, Anoe, Omus, Dahko, Astek – 8 Henley Cross
Multiple artists combining to create works on hoardings surrounding Kidbrooke station. The whole area is currently undergoing a major re-development. These hoardings will be temporary but for the London Mural Festival they have been given a dramatic facelift.
Lewisham
Philth – 70 Dacre Road
A flower inspired mural from Philth filled with muted tones of blues and oranges. His work takes much of his inspiration from William Morris.
Wedo Goas – 39 Lee Church Road, SE13 5SG
Called ‘Mixed Culture’ this is a piece that takes influences from the local area and mixes them together. The chair that the woman is sitting on is old and Victorian. Its fabric is the same as that of the UK Parliament. Her dress meanwhile is full of symbolism from cultures of the area. It is one of the stand out pieces from the 2024 London Mural Festival.
New Cross
DDS x DFM x 712
A number of crews combining to back a building just a few minutes from New Cross Station.
Norwood
Pete Barber – Woodvale Estate
Lead artist for Global Street Art Pete Barber painted the word ‘Woodvale’ on an old chimney in the Woodvale Estate.
Rotherhithe
Tea Jurisic – Unit 23 Surrey Quays Shopping Centre
A vibrant scene full of characters on the side of the Surrey Quays Shopping Centre. There’s so much going on in this piece. A woman with a cup of tea, a skateboarder, a girl with a duck. Keep looking and you’ll keep seeing more.
David Maker – Unit 23 Surrey Quays Shopping Centre
A mural inspired by the natural surroundings in the area around Surrey Quays and Canada Water.
Streatham
Speno – Railway Bridge, Streatham Hill
Both sides of the railway bridge covered in large scale murals. One blue and the other pink.
Stockwell
Lucia Biancalana – Gaskell Street
Space Jam is the name of the mural in this basketball court on Gaskell Street. Lucia is an illustrator better known perhaps for books. Here decorating a different type of canvas for the 2024 London Mural Festival.
Thamesmead
Woskerski – Eastern Way Underpass
Known for his abstract and fun murals, Woskerski’s mural is on an underpass in Thamesmead. Featuring a dog holding onto a huge stick with a squirrel on one side and birds on the other. Despite being underneath concrete road the mural is actually very close to nature with a park next door. A popular place for dog walkers.
Vauxhall
Darry Perier – Cobbett Street, South Lambeth Estate
A rust effect wall from French artist Darry Perier. Perier is known for his use of colour and light. Turning his walls into abstract often futuristic patterns. This rusting effect uses a lot of his old techniques. Rather than futuristic it feels a more like looking back.
DRT – Cobbett Street, South Lambeth Estate
Painted a concrete gazebo in the communal area of the estate. DRT is known for his patchwork blocks of colour separated by thick borders. This time he brought back a series of his old-style gray scale fills. Separating the outer and inner walls.
Liam Bononi – 125 South Lambeth Road
‘The Pigeon Feeder’ shows a man standing whilst a pigeon flies to his arm. The piece is inspired by a real person who the artist saw in a local park.
Sebas Velasco – Broadstone House, Dorset Road
‘A Lasting Place’ is the striking mural from Sebas Velasco. On the side of Broadstone House. It shows a boy in a tracksuit with lights of the city in the background. This mural was also nominated as one of the best murals in the ‘Street Art Cities‘ World 2024 competition. One of two murals from the 2024 London Mural festival that were nominated.
North London
Brondesbury
Zabou – Webheath Estate, Palmerston Road
‘Sisterhood’ from Zabou is a portrait of two half sisters Key and Mimi. It’s an artwork that illustrates the solidarity and the bond between women. It speaks to a capacity to be there for each other both in the good times and the bad.
Camden
D*Face – Theatro Technis, 26 Crowndale Road
Called ‘A Dog in Hand’ D*Face has returned to the same location he painted for the festival in 2020. “It’s the most democratic artform there is, it’s a fearless art form” he said of painting on the street. “You don’t need to be art educated. Don’t need to have ever been to a museum. Don’t need to ever have been to a gallery. You don’t even need to know who the artist is. It just confronts you. You stop and appreciate it, or dislike it”.
Bjorn – College Place
A tribute to Camden’s music scene and punk history in this two sided mural from Bjorn. In the background of the piece behind the guitarist is local pub ‘The Hawley Arms’. Meanwhile the waves in the design are a nod to the local canals.
Qwynto – 9-39 College Place
This work from Qwynto underneath and underpass features a man resting on a bike. Bold outlines and a comic-style aesthetic add a sense of dynamism. All whilst trees, vehicles, and a “No Ball Games” sign blend into the scene.
Mister Tris – 3 Three Fields Estate Service Rd
Two murals within a short walking distance from each other have been created by Mister Tris. “When creating murals, I consider how the residents of the area would experience it” he told Inspiring City. “This interaction is important as the mural will become part of their daily environment. The idea was to convey poetic and uplifting moments, connecting with nature and savoring the beauty of life’s simple joys. I really feel free when I’m sailing and forget my problems when I gaze at a sunset on primrose hill. I wanted to share these emotions with the people living in those two estates”
Mister Tris – Royal College Street
Mr Doodle – Regents Park Road Footbridge, Chalk Farm
An artist known for his immersive doodling, Mr Doodle has filled both sides of the Regents Park Road Footbridge.
Edgware
Vinnie Nylon – Grahame Park Estate, Withers Mead
In a covered walkway on the Grahame Park Estate can be found this piece from Vinnie Nylon. Created for the 2024 London Mural Festival.
Harlesdon
Aches – 2 Marian Way
This striking mural by ACHES features Evan Fogarty aka Minte Skates. As an artwork it showcases his signature RGB color separation technique. Set against a deep black background, the neon-like hues of red, blue, green, and yellow stand out. The overlapping outlines and colour shifts suggest multiple frames of motion, capturing the energy and fluidity of skateboarding in a static image.
To achieve the effect ACHES starts with a monochrome base. Then he applies his colour separations. By isolating different elements in red, green, and blue, he plays with the way the human eye processes overlapping colours. Allowing them to blend optically at a distance. The black background intensifies the vibrancy, making the hues pop and enhancing the sense of motion.
Bezt Etam – 21 Fry Rd
‘Portrait of a Man’ is a mural from Bezt Etam. A Polish artist from Turek in Poland he is one half of the famous Etam Cru. As a solo artist Bezt is known for his realistic portraits with floral motifs with a melancholic air.
South Hampstead
Mr Penfold – Harben Estate Playground
An artist known for his abstract designs. Mr Penfold has created a vibrant mural on the back of a kids playground on the Harben Estate.
WOM Collective – Freeling House, Dorman Way
In a kids playground in another part of South Hamstead are murals from the WOM Collective and Toodjerm. The WOM mural is a collaboration from Elno, Layla, Zippy, Mowcka and Damitta.
Toodjerm – Freeling House, Dorman Way
The London Mural Festival 2024 has been curated by Global Street Art. It took place during September and October 2024 at various locations across London.
For more Inspiring City articles you will like, take a look at…
- All the Murals from the London Mural Festival 2020
- Street Art from the Webheath Estate
- The Best UK Murals of 2024
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