Upon walking out of London Bridge station, passers-by will now be greeted with the giant, colourful sight of the now-completed 57-metre mosaic mural – which was officially unveiled beside the commuting hub today (July 24).
Comprised of 250,000 glass pieces, the design was born from artist Adam Nathaniel Furman; creating a work that will bring a dose of colour through the stunning mosaic work that is thought to have a lasting power of 150 years!
In a River a Thousand Streams
Dreaming up a 57-metre mural is an ambitious feat and one that took hefty work to construct. Work began on putting up In a River a Thousand Streams back in 2022, and marks the largest-ever commission by the London School of Mosaics – one that an estimated 21 million will walk past each year.
It’s taken a painstaking amount of work, but thanks to Adam Nathanial Furman and the careful handwork and craft of 70+ volunteers, the gorgeously bright work is complete. The piece’s title is in part a reference to the River Thames, which appropriately conveys a huge meaning to the local area, which Furman’s design pays homage to by inviting contributions from local people to make up part of the mural.
But the mosaic mural’s influence stretches beyond London Bridge and the Thames. Furman was inspired by the mosaic work of Eduardo Paolozzi’s interiors in the old Tottenham Court Road station as well as the works in Westminster Cathedral. Fitzrovia Chapel is another big part of the work, and holds significance to Furman, not only due to its beautiful mosaics, but also through being a former chapel for a hospital that treated and cared for many people who died from AIDS.
Speaking on the work last year, Furman said: “I’m fascinated by these two interiors, both of which are a very big part of the reason I became so interested in and passionate about the power of beautifully crafted, decorative art that integrates into public spaces and provides a sense of communal uplift. I used to visit and put my pocket money in the pot for donations towards the mosaics in the Cathedral when I was little.”
Given the size of the commission, the piece will fulfil the wish of Furman and LSoM to deliver the beauty of mosaic work to as large as possible an audience (and it doesn’t get much bigger than 21 million per year!), giving anyone who sees it a chance to reflect on the skill and craft that goes into each individual tile along the giant 57-metre wall.
You can find the now-complete ‘In a River a Thousand Streams’ outside London Bridge Station.