Lewisham Lifted by Bold New Mural from Local Artist at Lewisham Shopping Centre

A striking new mural at
Lewisham Shopping Centre has been unveiled as part of this year’s Brockley Max
Festival, marking the beginning of a major street art takeover.

Created by acclaimed
Lewisham-born artist Molly Hankinson, the vibrant artwork transforms the
brickwork on Molesworth Street into a colourful and welcoming public space
inspired by the spirit, creativity and memories of Lewisham.

Known for her highly
stylised, narrative-driven murals inspired by communities, Hankinson’s work
explores themes of safety, space, and perception, weaving personal and
collective stories into her bold and contemporary artworks.

The mural has been sponsored
by Lewisham Shopping Centre as part of its continued investment in Brockley Max
Festival to support local culture and public space, and draws heavily on the
artist’s childhood memories of growing up in Lewisham.

Molly Hankinson
commented: “When I remember growing up
in Lewisham, and think back to my earliest exposure to the concept of murals, I
immediately thought of Mr Pink’s brightly coloured house on Loampit Hill. He
was a much-loved member of the community and, as a kid, I remember seeing him
tend to his garden and sit on his brightly painted porch. Sadly, since he died
the house has fallen into disrepair, but I wanted to incorporate elements into
my design that nod to his character and creativity.”

The mural’s colours and
abstract background shapes are inspired by the stucco textures and painted
details of Mr Pink’s interiors (captured by Helena Appio’s beautiful short film
‘A Portrait of Mr Pink’) while the composition is inspired by one of Molly’s
earliest memories of interacting with art at home.

Hankinson added: “My parents had placemats of celebrated Czech
artist, Alphonse Mucha’s work ‘The Seasons’ when I was growing up and I loved
the powerful dynamic stances of each of the figures. I thought that their
elongated poses were a great starting point for approaching the scale and
dimensions of the pillar.”

The mural’s vivid colour
palette also reflects memories of Lewisham Market, drawing inspiration from the
green and white tarpaulins, fresh fruit and vegetables, and the energy and
vibrancy of the town centre.

The mural forms part of a
wider street art programme commissioned for this year’s Brockley Max Festival,
which has brought three new public artworks by local artists to Lewisham,
Brockley and Ladywell.

In Ladywell, artist Barnie
XYZ has reimagined the gates of the historic Ladywell Playtower with a floral
design inspired by its gothic windows, while in Brockley, OrbitLDN has created
a new exterior mural for Pistachios in the Park.

Together, the artworks
celebrate Brockley Max Festival’s commitment to making art free, accessible and
rooted in the local community. Residents, visitors and festivalgoers are
invited to explore the murals through a self-guided trail accompanied by a specially commissioned map
sponsored by Lewisham Shopping Centre,
showcasing artworks commissioned by the festival over the past 25 years.

Paul Redden,
Centre Director at Lewisham Shopping Centre, said: “Brockley Max is a fantastic celebration of
local creativity, and we’re delighted to be sponsoring both this year’s
festival and the creation of a new mural within Lewisham. Supporting the local
community and creating opportunities for artists and performers to thrive is
central to what we do.

“We’re pleased to unveil this
wonderful, eye-catching mural at Lewisham Shopping Centre and showcase the
talent within our local community. Our long-standing presence in Lewisham is
reflected in our plans to redevelop the centre, including new public spaces and
a dedicated music venue with performance, rehearsal and production facilities
that will further strengthen the area’s cultural offer.

“As part of the
redevelopment, we want to support local artists and provide a canvas for
creative talent to leave a lasting mark on Lewisham.”

Lewisham Shopping Centre has
been part of the town centre since 1997 and continues to invest in improving
its spaces and customer experience while supporting businesses and brands that
serve the local community. The centre is currently undergoing a phased
redevelopment that will create a new green district above a reimagined shopping
destination, including a family park and wild meadow. Plans also include new p`ublic
spaces, shops, cafés, restaurants, bars and a dedicated music venue, alongside
thousands of new jobs and an estimated £160 million annual contribution to the
local economy. The shopping centre will remain open throughout the
redevelopment, allowing visitors to continue shopping and enjoying the town
centre as works progress.

For
more information, please visit: https://www.lewishamshopping.co.uk