City centre thoroughfare given a splash of colour

A busy but drab Leeds city centre thoroughfare has been given a splash of colour to brighten it up for commuters and visitors.

A bold, vibrant piece of street art now adorns the walls of Buttons Yard, a popular walkway from Leeds Station to Lower Briggate.

The walls of the old railway arches have been brought to life with an array of striking illustrations, which are the work of designer and illustrator Freddie Denton.

The artwork, entitled Inhale, Exhale, brought to the city by LeedsBID (Leeds Business Improvement District), is intended as a gentle reminder for commuters to slow down and be present.

The piece combines large scale typography entwined with floral motifs, reflecting the coming of spring, breathing new life into the space.

The mural took around two weeks to complete, using 30 litres of masonry paint and 50 cans of spray paint, during which time people walking by could see the artwork evolve as well as having the opportunity to chat to the artist at work.

Freddie’s aim was to create a colourful, thoughtful, site-specific mural to adorn the railing arch walls which would stand the test of time, providing the area with its own identity and acting as warm welcome to commuters and visitors passing through.

A bold, vibrant piece of street art now adorns the walls of Buttons Yard, a popular walkway from Leeds Station to Lower Briggate.

” I think street art, particularly murals of this scale can be a powerful tool to transform liminal city spaces into meaningful environments in which the public can pause and reflect,” Freddie said.

“The visual landscape of a city tends to be reserved for architects and ad agencies, so to co-opt a portion of outside space dedicated solely for people to experience artwork, outside of a gallery context, is a lovely thing. And of course, it’s great to work on commissions of this scale and visibility in my hometown.”

The mural is another piece of street art brought to the city by LeedsBID whose investment has made a number of pieces possible including Here We Go Now on Little Neville Street and Athena Rising towering above Buttons Yards on the side of the nearby Platform building.

LeedsBID’s Head of Place Karen Butler said: It’s been a long-held ambition to improve this specific site in the city so it’s great to see the persistence and hard work of a number of partners finally come to fruition.

“Art can help shape a place and this piece has helped revamp a dishevelled space into an exciting experience for residents and visitors coming to Leeds to discover.”

If you would like to visit the array of street art in the city centre, help your trip and visit art.welcometoleeds.co.uk.