Street Art with Emotion
In the heart of Reading, a town rich in heritage and culture, a new public art installation has become a captivating focal point. The Station Hill project, dubbed as the town's new front door, includes an attractive green space and a public square, but it's the vibrant mural that has truly stolen the show.
Named "Royals, Residents & a Rock Festival", this mural is a glowing tribute to the famous faces associated with Reading, local figures, Reading landmarks, and the town's globally renowned rock festival. Commissioned for the £850 million Station Hill development, the mural was created by Stuart Melrose and artist Kev Munday, with an advisory committee that included historians, local art groups, and school children.
The mural is a giant, complicated light box with over 100,000 individually addressable LEDs, creating a mesmerizing display of animated effects and color changes. The outer shell and black lines of the mural are made of powder-coated aluminum, while the HIMACS solid surface provides a durable, light-diffusing base.
HIMACS was chosen for its design flexibility, toughness, compatibility with complex lighting and electronics, non-porous and easy-to-clean properties, and repairability. The material was used to diffuse the illumination, spreading the light evenly and allowing for clarity of color.
The mural installation is located at a pedestrian gateway to the town and frames the new underpass, visible from a 'pocket park' opposite. It forms part of a public realm art trail across two acres, linking the station with the town centre.
The lighting supply and installation were provided by Earlsmann Lighting, with programming by Lee Savage, ensuring a seamless illumination that highlights the colors and details of the mural along its approximate 50-meter length.
The mural has been well-received by passersby, day or night, and has become a popular success. It's not just a work of art, but a reflection and enhancement of the area's cultural legacy, showcasing Reading's identity and vitality in a truly captivating way.
[1] Reading Chronicle, "Vibrant mural unveiled at Station Hill", https://www.reading-chronicle.co.uk/news/18655488.vibrant-mural-unveiled-station-hill/
[2] Get Reading, "New mural unveiled at Station Hill", https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/new-mural-unveiled-station-hill-18309899
[3] Earlsmann Lighting, "Station Hill Mural", https://www.earlsmann.co.uk/projects/station-hill-mural/
[4] AGS System Ltd, "Station Hill Mural", https://www.agssystem.co.uk/project/station-hill-mural/
- The vibrant mural, a beacon of Reading's identity and vitality, might inspire artists in the finance industry, as its light box design and use of innovative materials like HIMACS could find applications in high-end corporate art.
- In the realm of transportation, the dazzling mural at Station Hill, with its nighttime visibility from the 'pocket park' opposite, serves as a striking reminder of the importance of aesthetics and cultural enhancement for travelers entering Reading from the station.
