A bold, six-storey mural has appeared at 160 Blackfriars Road. The work, by local artist Baiyu Liu, comprises two separate panels that celebrate Southwark. That on the left is a daytime scene, mostly showing people of the area, while that on the right is a night scene, predominantly of local architecture.
We can't find any thorough descriptions online, so we have to play the game of trying to work out what the different images represent. The fox, lower left, for example, could well be 'Romeo', the vulpine intruder who was discovered on the upper floors of the Shard (also pictured) during construction. Beyond that, we're not sure if the various figures represent named individuals or generic Southwarkites.
The right-hand panel is a little easier to interpret. Buildings shown here include Borough Market, St George the Martyr church and the London Eye (actually in Lambeth). The most intriguing section is at the bottom, where Blackfriars Bridge (complete with animals being driven to market) is depicted behind a stone figure. This is a representation of a Black Friar by Edward Bainbridge, which has decorated the building since 1958. Though, to our eyes, he looks more like a knight.
The bipartite mural was painted in late 2023 by artists working with Global Street Art, based on a design by Baiyu Liu. Find it at number 160 Blackfriars Road, about half way down the street.
