Blue Sunset - a new mural for The Pump House by Royal Victoria DLR
Graphic Rewilding have created a mural in bloom... inspired by Docks locals!
A vibrant new public mural is set to transform the Pump House in Royal Victoria Dock this summer, marking the beginning of an exciting artistic journey for the area. Commissioned by the Royal Docks Team and curated by Hive Curates for Royal Docks Originals 2025 festival, this mural will serve as a creative gateway for thousands of daily visitors to Royal Victoria DLR.
In response to an open call for artists, renowned creative duo Graphic Rewilding, led by Lee Baker and Catherine Borowski, will lend their signature floral-inspired designs to Projekt’s Pump House this summer. Their work is designed to uplift and inspire, reflecting the powerful effect that nature has on well-being. Studies show that even images of nature can reduce stress and boost mood, making this mural not just a visual landmark but a source of positivity for all who see it.
Royal Docks Originals 2025 is a brand-new biennial festival taking place this autumn, promising world-class arts, spectacular installations, and premier performances made here. The 2025 festival theme of transformation reflects the evolution of the area and its pivotal role, past and present, in London’s global story.
The mural will embody this spirit, capturing the dynamic landscape and diverse stories of the people who shape the area.
Beyond its role in setting the tone for Royal Docks Originals 2025, the mural will become a lasting creative landmark. Positioned at a key entry point to Royal Victoria Dock, it will welcome visitors and stand as a symbol of community, connection and transformation.
Open for participation
Phases
Blue Sunset - the final design
Graphic Rewilding have used all of the inspiration and ideas gathered from local residents to inform the final design, alongside local history of the area. Some community responses and background to the ideas behind the mural include:
- Eidelweiss: "Amid the peaks where whisper's sing, a stir of white begins to cling. Through frost and stone its beauty grows, a gentle glow where courage shows. Eidelweiss, pure as nature's spring, a fleeting dream on a mountain's wing... I chose this flower because it speaks to my heritage and because it's very unique and can only be found in high-altitude regions like the Alps."
- Tulips: “One of my favourite flowers are Tulips. This realisation happened in December 2021. My manager gifted me a Bloom & Wild Tulip bouquet for Christmas, with Tulips in the shades of my favourite colour, pink. This was a surprise and fitting timing because I caught COVID at that time and was feeling quite down (my manager didn’t know) so receiving this gift massively cheered me up and introduced me to the beauty of tulips”. “Tulips make me think of Spring - that’s why they’re my favourite.”
- Sunflowers: “Sunflowers are my fave as I think their brightness can light up any space. They are very happy-looking flowers that we don’t see enough of." "My favourite flower is the Sunflower - I love how they follow the sun and grow so tall. I have memories as a child of driving through France on a family holiday and seeing fields and fields of Sunflowers all pointing up to the sun."
- Daisies: “I always liked the Daisies that grow in the scrubby bits of grass by the verges and always on the edge. There’s that pink that sits on the edge of the yellow and white. I get the in-betweenness."
- Buttercups and Foxgloves: "“When it comes to flowers, I like Foxgloves and stocks - they are so gentile and elegant looking. I love an English cottage garden and they make me think of wildflowers and the countryside." "Foxgloves for the bees".
- Gerberas: “I love roses but my favourite flowers are Gerberas. I used to work in a florist many years ago and fell in love with them there and Macy Gray had one in her video for ‘I Try’. I love them, I think they are beautiful and asked for red Gerberas for an ex colleague’s funeral basket last week.”
- Wisteria: "“My mother used to have Wisteria growing up the whole side of her house - when it flowered it looked like droplets of water."
- Echinacea: “My grandma used to grow pansies and Echinacea in her flower pots on the steps down from her back door. Whenever I see them I think of her.”
- Daffodils: "“My favourite flowers are Daffodils because they pop out in the Springtime. My birthday is in March, so when I was a kid my mum used to tell me they came out for me, to celebrate.”
- Streaked Bombardier Beetle: The beetle — recognised by the red streak down its back — was thought to be extinct in the UK but there have been two sightings in Royal Docks. Scientists are optimistic that they’ve made the Royal Docks their home, after UEL worked with Buglife to create a 'beetle bump' habitat for the species.
- Richard Roger's Pumping Station: The yellows, blues and reds within the flower design allude to Richard Rogers’ use of primaries in the design of the pumping station next door. While the sun-shaped blue in the background is a reference not only to blue skies, water, sunrise and sunset but also to Rogers’ use of shape.
- Before the area was developed into docks, the local landscape was mainly marshland. By the 1880s the Royal Docks (and others in East London) became one of the biggest bases for cargo industry, importing goods from regions all over the British Empire. Around this time, there was a rise in ‘botanical adventurers’ who travelled on ships, bringing exotic plant species back with them into London.
- The negative space within the mural allows the brick of the building to be part of the work.
The final design was signed off by the curators Hive Curates, commissioners Royal Docks Team and Projekt, who lease the building. We have also received our Lawful Development Certificate from Newham Council to certify it's an appropriate mural for a public space.