Brixton murals

The Brixton murals are a series of murals by local artists in the Brixton area, in London, UK. Most of the murals were funded by Lambeth Council and the Greater London Council after the Brixton riots in 1981.

The murals portray politics, community and ideas. Many are now in a state of disrepair and some are no longer there.

The remaining murals are within walking distance of each other and are shown on this Google Map. [ [http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=116805059763616183357.00044b35221e8a7ebb274 Murals on Google Map] ]

Brixton Murals History

* Slade Gardens Adventure Playground Association Mural, [ [http://flickr.com/search/?q=%22Slade+Gardens+Adventure+Playground+Association%22&z=t&ss=2&ct=5&s=rec Slade Gardens Adventure Playground Association Mural Photos] ] , Lorn Road by unknown artist(s) - 1983. This mural features the people who worked and played at the adventure playground. It is a snapshot in time of the surrounding buildings, playground structures and local residents.

* Stockwell War Memorial, [ [http://flickr.com/search/?q=southlambethdeeplevelshelter&s=rec&ss=2&ct=5&z=t Stockwell War Memorial Photos] ] Stockwell Road by Brian Barnes - 2001. Painted on the exterior of the entrance to a deep level shelter, this mural was executed by Brian Barnes (with the assistance of children from Stockwell Park School). It features Stockwell's famous people such as Violette Szabo and Vincent Van Gogh. It also commemorates the locals who gave their life in the war. This mural was listed in Time Out as one of London's top ten murals. [ [http://www.timeout.com/london/features/1647/1.html Top Ten London Murals by Matt Brown, Time Out, Wed Jul 5 2006] ] . Controversy surrounded the mural in 2005, when Brian Barnes added a painting of Jean Charles de Menezes [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2005/nov/28/july7.menezes "It's war on the memorial" by Archie Bland, The Guardian, Monday November 28 2005] ] to the memorial which was removed soon after.

* Brixton Academy Mural, [ [http://flickr.com/search/?q=brixtonacademymuralstephenpursey&m=tags&ss=2&ct=5&z=t Brixton Academy Mural Photos] ] Stockwell Park Walk, by Stephen Pusey - 1982. This mural was created by Stephen Pusey in 1981 and completed in 1982. It is found on the back of the Brixton Academy building. The mural commission had been created on the back of the Brixton riots of 1981. It shows a mixed group of young people hanging out and having fun! It was to portray the natural racial harmony that could be found between the children in the local schools.

* Mural 1, [ [http://flickr.com/search/?q=mural1bellefieldsroad&z=t&ss=2&ct=5&s=rec Mural 1 Photos] ] Bellefields Road by London Wall Public Art - 1987. Funded by Lambeth Council and the GLC. It features lots of reference to the area such as a bell for Bellefields road and a pile of bricks for Brixton. There is also the symbol of the recreation centre and an old theatre featured in the mural. [Painting the Town Red,Cedric Porter,South London Press, 15th May 1987]

* Mural 2, [ [http://flickr.com/search/?q=mural2bellefieldsroad&z=t&ss=2&ct=5&s=rec Mural 2 Photos] ] Bellefields Road by London Wall Public Art with the help of local artists Eugene Palmer and John Saward, painted in 1988. It features a seaside scene and was funded by Lambeth council, GLC and BP.

* Brixton railway station Murals 1 and 2 [ [http://flickr.com/search/?q=brixtonstationmurals&z=t&ss=2&ct=5&s=rec Brixton railway station Murals 1 and 2 Photos] ] by unknown artist(s). There is no information about these murals from the council or archives.

* Nuclear Dawn, [ [http://flickr.com/search/?q=%22Nuclear+Dawn%22+brixtonmurals&z=t&ss=2&ct=5&s=rec Nuclear Dawn Mural Photos] ] Coldharbour Lane by Brian Barnes and Christine Thomas who painted feet and Houses of Parliament- 1982. This mural was painted by Brian Barnes between 1981 and 1982. It depicts a giant skeleton standing over London whilst the nuclear bomb destroys the city. This mural reflects the politics of the day and features the Tory Party in a bunker as chaos reigns above ground.

* Splash, [ [http://flickr.com/search/?q=bigsplash+christinethomas&z=t&ss=2&ct=5&s=rec Splash Mural Photos] ] Glenelg Road by Christine Thomas, assisted by Dave Bangs and Diane O'leary - 1985. This mural can be found on the junction of Glenelg Road and Strathleven road. It was designed by Christine Thomas. It tells the story of the hidden River Effra and also references the women who worked at the Doulton factory in Lambeth. Many of the people in the mural were local residents. Recently, Time Out put it in their top ten London murals. [http://www.timeout.com/london/features/1647/1.html]

* Mauleverer Road Mural [ [http://flickr.com/search/?q=thestables+janegifford+ruthbench&z=t&ss=2&ct=5&s=rec Mauleverer Road Mural Photos] ] , by Jane Gifford & Ruth Bench and assisted by Jonathan Leckie and Ann Herdman - 1983. Inspired by Brockwell Park Garden.

* The Windmill [ [http://flickr.com/search/?q=mickharrisonandcthorp+windmill&m=tags&ss=2&ct=5&z=t The Windmill Mural Photos] ] , Lyham Road by Mick Harrison and C Thorp - 1983. This mural is very faded. Painted in the mid-eighties, it shows what can happen to these murals over time. The mural tells the history of Brixton's Windmill, the only inner city windmill still surviving in London.

Lost Brixton Murals

The murals listed above can still be seen, but some murals are no longer there.

* This [http://www.flickr.com/photos/8865295@N02/2076003074/in/photostream/ mural] on Rushcroft Road has all but gone, with only a corner still visible. It is called 'Peace' and was painted in 1983 by Dale McCrea as part of the GLC for peace year. [Murals in London-A Guide to Murals since 1976, Greenwich Mural Workshop, 1986]

* This [http://www.flickr.com/photos/8865295@N02/2076004090/in/photostream/ mural] called Golden Garden was designed by London Wall Art Group and could be found on Coldharbour Lane. It was commissioned by the Brixton branch of Woolworths to cover over riot damaged windows [War of the Walls, Sarah-Jane Checkland, London Daily News, 28th May 1987] . The mural was funded by Dept. of Environment and Lambeth Council Partnership. That site is now occupied by a shop called 'Joy'.

* This [http://flickr.com/photos/8865295@N02/2512901443/ mural] was painted on Vining Street. It was covered up by the same housing development which obscured the Rushcroft Road mural. Several inches of the mural can still be seen on the left hand side of the mural. It is called 'War' and was painted in 1983 by Pauline Harding as part of the GLC for peace year. [Murals in London-A Guide to Murals since 1976, Greenwich Mural Workshop, 1986]

Photos of the three murals were taken by seligr [ [http://flickr.com/photos/8865295@N02/ seligr's photos] ] in 1987.

Brixton Murals Gallery

These murals can still be seen in Brixton and are shown on this map [ [http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=116805059763616183357.00044b35221e8a7ebb274 Brixon Murals locations] ] of the area.

Sources

* Researched by Ruth L. Miller - all information from archives, websites, interviews with Brixton locals and mural artists done in preparation for the [http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=246517 Brixton Mural Walk] on 10/05/2008.
* [http://www.stevethomas.info/chris/ Christine Thomas]
* [http://www.stephenpusey.com/ Stephen Pusey]
* [http://www.timeout.com/london/features/1647/3.html Timeout]
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2005/nov/28/july7.menezes Jean Charles de Menezes in Stockwell Memorial]
* [http://landmark.lambeth.gov.uk/ Lambeth Council]
* [http://www.stockwellpark.com/slade-gardens.htm Stockwell Park Slade Gardens]

Notes

External links

* [http://flickr.com/search/?q=brixtonmurals&m=tags&z=t&ct=0&s=rec Brixton Mural photos on Flickr] (photos tagged -> brixtonmurals)

* Urban75 — [http://www.urban75.org/brixton/history/riot.html An eye witness account] by the 'We Want to Riot, Not To Work Collective', 1982