A new mural in Fitzrovia pays tribute to the women who shaped the neighbourhood

A new mural by Oliwia Bober, commissioned by The Langham Estate, will be unveiled on the 23rd of October in central London’s thriving Fitzrovia Quarter. Bober was the winner of an open competition earlier this year which challenged an emerging artist to capture the vibrancy of the area’s past and present. The new mural, titled Threads in Common, will bring new life to a three-storey wall on Mortimer Street in the heart of Fitzrovia. The area is home to a fast-growing contemporary art scene, with many galleries locating their headquarters there in recent years, but it also has a rich and often under-appreciated history. Bober pays a considered, colourful homage to this history, in particular by highlighting the contributions of women who worked in the local garment industry.

Threads in Common, Oliwia Bober. Fitzrovia Quarter.

In the artist’s own words, “My intention for the work is to reflect the beauty of collective effort over individualism, in a celebration of a place which owes a lot to the communities who shaped it. The mural design recognises the women living in the area who powered the garment trade in the 19th/ 20th centuries, as well as reflecting contemporary Fitzrovia as a place of discovery, dynamism and connection.”

Bober certainly captures the spirit of Fitzrovia Quarter and the area’s legacy in her inimitable style, firstly by tracing various female outlines with delicate, undulating lines which give the mural a graphic, illustrative feel. These women are connected to one another by impossibly wide floating threads which spill through their fingers and serve to unite them not only within the spatial landscape of the mural but also through time. An array of flowers are playfully scattered throughout the mural, at times becoming vessels through which thread passes and at others simply delighting the eye with their increasingly deconstructed, abstract forms. A rich symbolism pervades the work, from a triptych of details which evoke the stained glass windows of a chapel, to the floating symmetrical bodies at the very top of the wall. They appear to be pulling thread from a mystical sky-high source, creating a trinity of women whose contributions have informed the labour of the wider community.

The mural is rendered in a simple yet striking colour palette, with joyous pinks, blues, purples and oranges ensuring that passersby can’t miss this latest addition to London’s impressive outdoor art collection. Bober’s thoughtful palette also intentionally reflects the turquoise tiles of nearby Grade II-listed Radiant House and the traditional red brick of the neighbouring buildings, including the important Ames House across the street. In 1904, this became the first purpose-built hostel in Fitzrovia for women. Womanhood, and its intersections with identity and migration, is a key theme for Bober, whose own experience as a Polish artist living in post-Brexit Britain undoubtedly feeds into her practice. Her vibrant painting style enables her to address such major social issues in a manner that provokes genuine consideration in viewers, shining a creative light on difficult topics.

Commenting on the selection process, Greg Hutcheson, Brand & Marketing Manager for The Langham Estate said: “Oliwia’s thought-provoking concept stood out for us as a careful blend of Fitzrovia Quarter’s rich historic setting, with the energy of our contemporary businesses. The mural will not only enhance the streetscape and complement the building’s architecture, but this beautiful work has been sustainably designed for longevity, in the hope that it will be a meaningful part of our community for years to come.”

Installation view at The Artist’s Corner.

The unveiling of Threads in Common will be celebrated by a three-day pop-up exhibition, The Artist’s Corner, at 55 Eastcastle Street from the 23rd to the 25th of October. Alongside further works by Oliwia Bober, the exhibition will present a curated selection of artworks from local galleries such as Pontone Gallery, Ab-Anbar Gallery, ST.ART Gallery, Eclectic Gallery and partners The Cartoon Museum, Fitzrovia Chapel and The Newman hotel. This is the largest collaboration to date of Fitzrovia galleries and artists, a neighbourhood “long defined by its creative spirit” in the words of exhibition curator Lydia Allain Chapman. Highlights will include ST.ART’s Mobile Gallery Bike titled DEFROST LONDON, a collapsible installation which launches during Frieze week, and Rory Langdon-Down’s photography of the faces of Fitzrovia.

Visitors can also expect special offers, including arts-themed menus, from Fitzrovia Quarter’s nearby businesses.

Discover more at fitzroviaquarter.co.uk or follow @fitzroviaquarter on Instagram.

To see more of Oliwia’s work, visit her website (oliwiabober.com) and follow @oliwia.bober on Instagram.

Words by Sofia Carreira-Wham