A dazzling 57m mosaic celebrating the River Thames has been unveiled outside The Shard. The vibrant new art installation was designed by artist Adam Nathaniel Furman and was formally unveiled by the London School of Mosaic at a special ceremony on Wednesday.
Located in The Shard Quarter and stretching 57 meters along London Bridge bus station, the project has been led by Dr Silvie Jacobi, Director of the London School of Mosaic. Dr Jacobi’s team also worked with Network Rail to fund, manufacture and install the mosaic, which is expected to be walked by over 20 million people each year and is predicted to last for over 150 years.
The Shard has been named sponsor of the latest public mosaic, entitled ‘In a river a thousand streams’. According to the team behind it, the artwork celebrates the “diverse tapestry of Londoners” and their achievements, and captures the city’s “dynamic energy”.
Created from a mix of 250,000 colorful tesserae, taking two years and more than 70 volunteers to bring to life, the new artwork reflects the shape of the surrounding architecture as well as the natural flow of its inspiration, the River Thames.
Dr Silvie Jacobi, Director of the London School of Mosaic, said: “This vibrant new mosaic installation stands as testament to the creativity and hard work of all our schools’ artists, dedicated volunteers and design from Adam Nathaniel Furman. It marks the largest mosaic that our school has produced so far and we are extremely proud to share the uplifting display with the thousands of people who pass through the station every day.”
The new installation marks the second collaboration between The Shard and The London School of Mosaic. The 2023 Christmas lights for London’s tallest building were developed with traditional mosaic artistry by the school, with mosaic-inspired designs brought to life across the top 20 floors.
Other supporters include The Arts Council, Southwark Council and The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Occupants of The Shard were given the opportunity to vote on which part of the mosaic the iconic building would sponsor. The winning selection fell on a panel that artfully mirrors the building’s own striking silhouette, a testament to the occupiers’ affinity with their soaring home.
