Follow the Lichen mural, Archway
Late in 2018, I created a mural for Islington Council’s Zero Emissions Network. Funded by the Mayor of London’s Clean Air Walk initiative, the mural guides pedestrians on a less-polluted route between Whittington Hospital and Archway tube station, drawing attention to the alternative way via Girdlestone Estate.
The project involved community consultation at concept stage; their feedback informed decisions about palette, composition and scale. I then spent a fortnight working within Girdlestone Estate, during which I shared my enthusiasm for lichen and chatted more broadly about air pollution. I chose to focus on lichen both as a signifier of air pollution, a familiar yet overlooked presence in urban landscapes and for it’s exquisite forms.
Responses
Feedback from residents was overwhelmingly positive. One comment stands out in particular to me from a woman who spent some time watching me paint before quietly summing it up with:
“You’re taking the grey away.”
The British Lichen Society were delighted with the mural, too, writing:
“The accuracy of the lichen forms are terrific… Many thanks for lifting lichens out of the backwaters and bringing them into the light.”
Upon completion, Libby Murphy of the Zero Emissions Network wrote:
“Bryony was contracted by Islington Council to paint a mural for a Clean Air Walking route as part of Archway Low Emission Neighbourhood, a project funded by the Mayor of London’s Air Quality Fund. When I initially met Bryony all my worries and concerns about the project were alleviated. Bryony was happy to work in the small timeframe we had despite this meaning she had to work in freezing conditions. Bryony took all of the complications of the project in her stride and she worked really hard to engage with the local community to make sure they were happy with the mural, speaking to as many people as she could before and during the painting process. You can tell her passion and knowledge of nature and science straight away and combined with an incredible eye for detail, artistic flair and work ethic meant the ‘Follow the Lichen’ mural was a hit with everyone. I would highly recommend Bryony for any art project, especially if it involves nature, science or the public. I feel incredibly lucky to have met and worked with her and hope our paths cross again in the future.”