Oliwia Bober said her mural represented the ‘beauty of collective effort’ [Detail: David Parry/PA Media]

FITZROVIA Quarter will mark the start of the London’s art season with a dramatic new mural and a three-day pop-up exhibition celebrating the neighbourhood’s creative spirit.

A 13.5-metre-tall hand-painted work, Threads in Common, by emerging artist Oliwia Bober now towers above Mortimer Street, commissioned by The Langham Estate.

The unveiling coincides with The Artist’s Corner, a free public exhibition running from today, Thursday, at 55 Eastcastle Street, bringing some of area’s most dynamic galleries and artists under one roof. Fitzrovia is home to 18 galleries and a thriving community of makers, designers and performers. The Artist’s Corner aims to spotlight that collective energy through a mix of painting, photography, sculpture and installation.

Curated by Lydia Allain Chapman, the exhibition features works by rising talents including Taya De La Cruz, Melissa Hartley, Marie Louise Jones, and Bea Santos, alongside pieces from established local galleries, such as Pontone Gallery, Ab-Anbar, ST.ART, Eclectic Gallery, Des Bains and Sisters Grimm.

Institutions including the Cartoon Museum, Fitzrovia Chapel and The Newman hotel are also taking part.
Among the highlights are Ms Bober’s series 2021/2019, a visual diary reflecting life during lockdown; Rory Langdon-Down’s photographic portraits of Fitzrovia residents; and the ST.ART Mobile Gallery Bike, DEFROST LONDON, a collapsible, sculptural gallery on wheels featuring work by Cem Hasimi, Baris Kareli, Tom Enoch, Frankie Boyle, Mason Newman and Pneuhaus.

Oliwia Bober

Other installations include a bench crafted from recycled oyster shells collected from restaurants for this year’s London Festival of Architecture.

Many of the featured pieces explore themes of place and identity through textiles and costume.

“I’m thrilled to see this pop-up gallery come to life in the heart of Fitzrovia,” said Ms Chapman. “This neighbourhood has always been defined by creativity. The exhibition brings together emerging and established voices, opening a dialogue between the gallery and the public realm.”

Ms Bober added: “I’m thrilled to be delivering the mural on Mortimer Street this autumn. 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 reflecting contemporary Fitzrovia as a place of discovery, dynamism and connection.”

Greg Hutcheson, brand and 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… 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”.

Throughout the weekend, businesses and restaurants will join the celebrations with arts-themed menus, cocktails and special events designed to draw visitors into the area’s vibrant cultural network.

Later this year Ibraaz, a new 10,000sq ft exhibition and event space, is to open at 93 Mortimer Street, set to host year-round shows focusing on the “Global Majority”.

• The Artist’s Corner, October 23-25, 55 Eastcastle Street, W1W 7SE
• Threads in Common mural by Oliwia Bober, 67 Mortimer Street, W1W 7PA
• More information, https://fitzroviaquarter.co.uk/fitzrovia-quarter-presents-the-artists-corner/