It’s taken us a while to catch up and share this wonderful work below, but it is certainly worth it. Throughout the month of January. fine artist Andrea Tyrimos spent an entire month braving the cold and rain painting ‘LivingBox’ a disused public telephone box in Holborn as a statement on air pollution in collaboration with Public Space Jam and Treebox.

The work is very much a unique form of Street Art in terms of all the things we here at London Calling Blog have thus far encountered, and so for a number of reasons. Firstly that it is painted on government property, secondly because it was largely produced with oil based paints (really no easy feat), and thirdly because it incorporates living plant life into it’s foundation.

Andrea Tyrimos has painted this disused telephone box to focus on the need for more clean air and greenery in London. With this in mind she has created a beautiful vibrant work that really does grab your attention as you pass by. Of the work Andrea Tyrimos stated:

“I wanted the plants to appear as though they are creeping over the box in a post-apocalyptic (yet beautiful) way, while exotic plants and flowers occupy the bottom half – relating to my travels to the Borneo and Mauii rainforests. I’ve also painted some reeds, which is a reference to the River Fleet which used to run through Holborn. With all my public pieces I think it’s important to hint at the history of the environment. I encourage the public to interact with and peer into the box, and to gaze at the exact constellation of stars that would be seen from London, if the air was cleaner.”

Not only is this work so striking and thought provoking, it also is very in keeping with her dynamic of creating public art that sets to be accessible to all and alter viewer’s experience of the space in which it resides. To accompany Andrea’s lush vegetative scene urban green specialists Treebox have installed a evergreen living wall on the rear of the telephone box, with the idea being to help make people in London breath easier.

This fantastic work can be found in Southampton Row, Holborn, so if you haven’t already been to see it and are at any point London bound, head along, it really is worth the effort.

Andrea Tyrimos at work.

Andrea Tyrimos at work.

Andrea Tyrimos at work.

Andrea Tyrimos at work.

Andrea Tyrimos at work.

Andrea Tyrimos at work.

Andrea Tyrimos at work.

The stunning finished work, that is just so full of l life, really brought out out by the rich and textured tones in Andrea Tyrimos’s beautiful work. Truly worth the months relentless hard work.

The evergreen living wall which urban green specialists Treebox have installed on the rear of the telephone box, with the idea being to help make people in London breath easier.

This image inside the telephone box is a depiction of the night sky as it would be seen from this spot if light pollution and city smog hadn’t made such a thing unviewable.