By Radka Hostašová
The artistic spirit of Liverpool appeals to locals as well as tourists in many ways. On one hand, the city is rich in various cultural settings, such as theatres, galleries and concert halls that regularly host diverse events to present the work of local, national and international artists. However, to feel the bohemian soul of the city, we don’t necessarily need to enter the closed space of a gallery or purchase a ticket for a concert. In fact, a lot of art in Liverpool is facilitated in the streets, in the form of murals and poetic writings, but also public pianos and street musicians. In today’s feature, we have decided to follow up on our past article, 9 Pieces of Street Art To Find on Your Next Walk in Liverpool and bring you even more street art that deserves attention in Liverpool and Wirral.
1. Paul Curtis: Abbey Road
Let’s begin our walk in the Baltic Triangle – the city’s growing cultural hub with lots of space and surfaces ideal for street art. To pay tribute to local music legends, The Beatles Story commissioned artist Paul Curtis to paint a living memory of The Beatles’ famous album cover Abbey Road. As a result, the Grafton Street wall in the Baltic Triangle has been transformed into the iconic zebra crossing in London. However, Paul Curtis chose to omit the musicians from his painting and instead, allow passersby to become one of the fab four for a moment.
2. Akse: Steven Hawking
Again within the Baltic Triangle, we can find a giant mural of Steven Hawking, placed on the side of The Studio School (formerly the Contemporary Urban Centre), Upper Parliament Street. By depicting the face of the famous scientist, a French street artist known as Akse epaid homage to the life-long work of Steven Hawking and created a living memory of the exceptional figure for generations to come.
3. Jon Culshaw: Liver Bird
Jon Culshaw is a name commonly linked to many pieces of street art around Merseyside. Located on the side of the iconic Wedding House, Liver Bird is one of the latest John Culshaw murals. With the precise details and unmistakable expression in the face, this colourful Liver Bird is looking over the street, embodying the city’s spirit and pride.
4. Mr Cenz: Rainbow Goddess
When crossing the river Mersey to the Wirral, we can find many more pieces of street art, located especially around the beach town of New Brighton. Our first stop will be the Rainbow Goddess – a beautiful portrait of a woman’s face on the side wall of a house in Grosvenor Road. The mural was created by street artist Mr Cenz, whose distinctive style is characteristic of a spiritual depiction of feminity, futuristic colour spectrum, and complex, multi-layered composition.
5. Dotmaster: Otto and Rude Kids House
Another significant artist who contributed to New Brighton’s street art gallery is Dotmaster. Both of his artworks, namely Otto and Rude Kids House, share a similar black and white wallpaper background with the stencil of naughty children in the forefront. Referring to the characteristic features of the artist’s style, Dotmaster reflects a typical English sense of humour, and his pieces stand out for their precise details as well as playing with illusion.
6. Matt Dosa: Abstract Seaside
And finally, our walk will finish by admiring the mural Abstract Seaside created by Matt Dosa. Whereas the previous artworks we mentioned were showing particular figures and rather realistic motifs, Matt Dosas’ style is a fusion of spontaneity and experiments. Abstract Seaside, covering the upper floor of 3 adjacent buildings, is a sequence of colourful patterns inspired by the nearby seaside. Through the large-scale playful mural, Matt Dosa transforms a commonly dull landscape into a cheerful environment.