New Mural by Meaghan Claire Kehoe at the London International Airport
Madison Comfort of young & free press stopped by the London International Airport in January to check out the mural-in-progress by artist Meaghan Claire Kehoe. Photo: Andrew Gunn
Our team at young & free press is thrilled to help introduce a spectacular new mural by artist Meaghan Claire Kehoe inside the London International Airport. Both the origins of the image and the purpose of the artwork are significant.
In November 2021, London was recognized as the first UNESCO City of Music in Canada, acknowledging London’s leadership in music education, production and engineering. Local artists, festivals, and music venues make London a fantastic year-round destination for concertgoers, too. This unique City of Music designation recognizes what has been accomplished to date and the commitment made to collaboratively work within the UNESCO Creative Cities Network on a global and local scale.
Painted in January & February 2023, this new mural by artist Meaghan Claire Kehoe in the London International Airport celebrates the fact that London has been recognized by UNESCO as a ‘City of Music’, the first such designation in Canada. Photo: Laura Cooper, London International Airport
The mural immediately conveys the energy and excitement of live music. Looking closer, there are nods to the technical side of the industry conveyed through the audio console faders. Central to the mural is a portrait inspired by a photograph that Kehoe found online of Indian singer Shalmali Kholgade, who is known for providing vocals for Hindi language films, her own English-language pop songs, and also dramatically reinventing her appearance from time to time. In the source photos, Kholgade appears like a new character entirely through adding colour to her hair and using face-paint. Kehoe conveys this in her mural and adds depth by inserting a microphone, symbolically amplifying the voice of the artist, and turning her to face new audiences. In this way, the artwork becomes a site of transformation. The image is striking, full of arresting pink and red tones that contrast with the darker colours found elsewhere in the mural design.
For viewers more familiar with Western popular music, one might think of musicians like Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga or Lights who have changed appearances on countless occasions to alter the relationship between performer and audience. This emphasis on creativity and reinvention is essential, as artists absorb the influences of the past and present to come up with fresh styles to accompany new music and engage audiences. Kehoe has intuitively infused the mural with this spirit of artistic endeavor.
Meaghan Claire Kehoe inside the London International Airport in January, 2023. Photo: Laura Cooper
Twenty-first century audiences have become more global in character, and images comes into view in many different ways, from highway billboards to our phone screens. We may start searching online for one artist and quickly end up someplace unexpected, learning about a completely different performer or music scene. For London, the UNESCO City of Music designation is an invitation to the world to visit, both artists and audiences alike. Through the strength of local educational institutions like Western University and Fanshawe College, the city is becoming increasingly diverse, and artwork in the community should reflect that fact. The new mural inside the Airport helps to advance this goal. London is now a UNESCO City of Music and open to all the possibilities that this can unlock locally, nationally and internationally. There is the opportunity to make exciting new connections. What better place to share this idea than inside the London International Airport?
Statement from artist Meaghan Claire Kehoe: “It has been my honour to paint this mural inspired by the UNESCO City of Music designation and all the international acclaim and connection that brings. Imagining the entire sensory experience of live music - the sounds, the vibrations, the sights and smells, the connection with the artist and other audience members - was an exciting challenge that sent me down a rabbit-hole of colourful photography. Along the way, I had the bonus of discovering a singer I never knew before (the portrait feature of Shalmali Kholgade, photographed memorably by Tejas Nerurkar), and expanding my musical appreciation and palette in the same way that London aims to do for its concertgoers. I hope the viewer of this piece can almost hear the music as the mural welcomes them to the city.”
Meaghan Claire Kehoe painting inside the London International Airport. Photo: Laura Cooper
Gerry Vanderhoek, Manager of Commercial Services & Passenger Experience, said that the London airport is proud to share with their passengers a sense of place by showcasing the features and creative talent of London and surrounding area. “This mural really fits the bill in vaulting London’s position as a music destination for years to come,” said Vanderhoek. “We would like to thank our partners at Tourism London and the London Music Office, as well as the artist Meaghan Kehoe, for helping to make our airport really shine.”
Along with the mural at the London International Airport, Windsor-based artist Derkz will be installing a new piece soon inside the VIA Rail Station on York Street. Interpretive signs specially designed by London-based illustrator Jeremy Bruneel will be added at both locations. This project is an initiative of Tourism London and the London Music Office with Tourism Relief Funding provided by Southwest Ontario Tourism Corporation and FedDev Ontario.
