First mural marks start of town centre transformation
The first of several murals set to brighten up Gateshead town centre has now been completed, marking the start of the area’s transformation.
Work has finished on the first of several new murals set to spring up across Gateshead town centre over the coming months with funding from the UK Government’s Pride in Place Impact Fund.
The already impressive display is part of plans by Gateshead Council to transform the town centre with bold public art as part of its regeneration ambitions and new culture strategy, which aims to shape culture for everyone, everywhere.
The first artist to take up the mantle, See You Through It, has begun the town centre’s glow up with a bold new mural on the former Wilko’s site. Her opening creation depicts twinned figures – a signature motif in her designs – embarking on an adventure. It represents the beginning of a journey, drawing parallels to the area’s redevelopment itself.
Originally from America but now based between Amsterdam and Portugal, See You Through It - real name Mando Marie - has a signature style admired by many across both the street art and fine art worlds.
Her instantly recognisable designs combine raw urban expression with the cultivated environment of a gallery. She seamlessly blends the use of hand-drawn and hand-cut stencils, vintage sewing patterns, and the motif of twinned figures to create captivating pieces.
I wanted this piece to have a feeling of adventure and possibility... that moment when you’re setting off somewhere without necessarily know exactly where you’re going. I hope the mural brings a little sense of wonder, optimism and adventure to the people who pass it. I like public work to leave some room for imagination. The girls are already on their way somewhere... the rest of the story belongs to whoever happens to be looking.
We are delighted to have one of the world’s best urban artists here in Gateshead bringing a wave of creativity to our town centre. This is just the beginning and the first of many artworks that’ll soon be appearing in the area. We can’t wait for residents to see and feel the difference they make.
It’s great to have See You Through It launch 'Off the Walls’, which is all about creativity and transforming everyday spaces into something people can be proud of. “Great murals have a way of changing how people feel about a place, and we can't wait for people to see more artwork come to life and to reveal the exciting artists who'll be joining us soon.
The expansive mural project, titled ‘Off the Walls’, is taking place thanks the UK Government’s Pride in Place Impact Fund. With the funding, the council has commissioned Electrik Sheep – a duo made up of renowned local artists Mul and Prefab77 – to bring together some of the best urban artists to give several blank walls in the town centre a makeover.
Following in See You Through It’s footsteps, several other leading artists are set to bring their finest work to Gateshead over the summer as part of Off the Walls. They’ll be working to decorate surfaces both big and small, from gable ends to shop shutters.
This investment forms part of the council's big plans to create culture for everyone, everywhere and to regenerate the borough. Alongside ‘Off the Walls’, the council has recently announced plans for a separate project led by Elements Art and local artist MarkOne87 which will see murals brighten up neighbourhoods across the borough. This builds on earlier work by the council and MarkOne87 in the Railway Quarter which has seen the Gateshead Arches site transformed into a popular pop-up events space complete with colourful new murals.
