UK’s tallest mural graces Leeds skyline
The finishing touches to the UK’s tallest piece of street art at Bruntwood’s Platform building in Leeds have been completed.
The giant artwork called Athena Rising soars 153 ft from the ground, making it several metres taller than the statue of Christ which looms over Rio de Janeiro, and a similar size to the Statue of Liberty.
Using the full length of the Platform building as its canvas, which can be viewed from Leeds train station’s platforms far below, the 11 metre-wide design centres on an owl in flight, alongside the moon and a crown.
It has taken street art muralist pair Nomad Clan just over two weeks and hundreds of cans of spray paint to complete the work. The duo, Joy Gilleard and Hayley Garner, have worked up to eight hours a day harnessed in a cradle suspended down the side of the building.
The piece is part of the citywide street art project ‘A City Less Grey’, initiated by East Street Arts and fully funded by LeedsBID. The project aims to animate the city and incorporate works of art onto and into Leeds’ buildings and streets.
Andrew Cooper, chief executive of LeedsBID, said: “This striking piece of art is testament to how artists and businesses can work together to produce something spectacular, which celebrates and strengthens Leeds’ cultural offering while showcasing the city nationally and internationally.
“A key ambition of the Business Improvement District is to work collaboratively to enhance the place shaping agenda – the look and feel of the city centre for those who live, work and visit here. A City Less Grey is a fantastic example of what can be achieved.”
Craig Burrow, Bruntwood’s Leeds director, said: “The completed Athena Rising artwork is fantastic. We’re so happy to be involved in this project and to support creativity in the city. We’re delighted that Platform has been able to act as the canvas for this great piece of artwork, with Athena Rising providing an excellent welcome to the city at Leeds station. Bruntwood firmly believes that the strength of our cities is directly impacted by social and cultural vibrancy, so it’s great to see citywide projects like ‘A City Less Grey’ bringing organisations from across the region together to create powerful art.”
