IMAGE: Croatian artist Tea Jurisic’s mural celebrates Canada Water’s people and places 

Patrons of Surrey Quays Shopping Centre may have noticed the building has a bold new look.  Two striking murals have been painted on the exterior walls as part of London Mural Festival 2024, the capital’s biggest celebration of street art, organised by award-winning agency Global Street Art. The two artworks were designed by Croatian artist and illustrator Tea Jurisic and Spanish street artist David Maker. 

Jurisic’s artwork celebrates Canada Water’s culture and heritage, showing workers from the area’s past and people from the present enjoying activities in nature. A dock worker carries logs, while a sailor holds a ship. Their poses are echoed by a skateboarder and a woman enjoying the surroundings while sipping tea. 

The piece also celebrates the natural environments for which Canada Water is known. Russia Dock Woodlands, home to kingfishers and herons, lead on to the myriad managed wildlife habitats of Stave Hill Ecological Park, while the restoration process at Canada Dock is creating nesting sites for birds to help boost biodiversity. These spaces are part of more than 130 acres of parks and woodlands in the area, with British Land adding 12 more acres of open spaces as part of the development. In Jurisic’s mural, these are represented through a duck on the left, and flora and the River Thames winding through London on the right. 

Jurisic said: “The theme of London Mural Festival, ‘Connection’, weaves through the entire mural. 
My idea when creating the mural was for the scene to be recognisable both up close and from afar, which is why I painted the figures very large. I hope passers-by will start to see themselves and their loved ones in the painted motifs.”

Maker’s mural appears on the shopping centre wall to the left of the entrance to Tesco. It extends the natural theme, with aquatic wildlife, ducks, water lilies and rippling water blended with a fantasy feel to celebrate people’s emotional connection with the landscapes of Canada Water. 

IMAGE: Spanish street artist David Maker’s mural explores people’s emotional connection to the natural environments of Canada Water

Emma Cariaga, Joint Head of Canada Water at British Land, said: “Canada Water has a rich history, vibrant culture and easy access to nature, which we’re lucky to be able to celebrate as we develop the area’s public spaces. These murals shout loud and proud about some of the things that make Canada Water such a special place, celebrating our heritage in a contemporary and forward-looking way.”

For more information on how British Land are transforming spaces in the Canada Water development, visit www.canadawater.co.uk