Local artist Lois O’Hara has joined an uplifting street art project exhibiting her dynamic artwork around Brighton & Hove. ‘Your Space Or Mine’ is a series featuring eleven innovative artists from around the UK who have used the streets as an artistic platform to inspire the public.
O’Hara has been spotlighted in the project organised by the BUILDHOLLYWOOD agency family alongside 10 other artists from around the UK. You can find their work on display in Brighton, London, Manchester, Bristol, Cardiff, Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Sheffield. The large-scale artworks on display in these cities use vibrant colours and positive or playful messages with the purpose to boost morale in these trying times.
Lois O’Hara artwork photography by Edward M BishopSpeaking on the intended optimism of her work, O’Hara said: “For me, it’s important that I try and find something positive in every bad situation; perhaps something that I have learnt. My work is all about creating large scale public art to bring joy to others.
“During this time, I think it’s particularly important that I do this with my work, in any way I can, which makes this the perfect collaboration. I wanted to create something bold and clear. Almost a strip back of what I usually do, while still keeping it in style. I want people to walk by and feel positively powerful and uplifted.”
Utilising her iconic style of vibrant flowing patterns and wavey writing, O’Hara’s message states “See Everything as an opportunity”. Her artwork was produced in two complementary colour designs to offer a message of hope to Brighton’s community by bringing vibrancy to the city’s streets.
Lois O’Hara is a multidisciplinary artist and designer based in Brighton whose creative practice takes shape in mural painting, illustration and design & art direction. Most notably, she was commissioned by Brighton & Hove City Council for a ‘Colourful Crossing’ art installation opposite the West Pier in addition to her Brighton & Hove bus design for ‘Togetherness’. Her work has become celebrated in recent years in Brighton and beyond, recognised for her bold use of colour in vast public spaces.
‘Your Space Or Mine’ is a collaborative series created by the BUILDHOLLYWOOD collective organised by creative agencies Jack, Jack Arts and Diabolical, all specialising in contemporary out-of-home advertising campaigns. This project is a continuation of the agencies’ ‘Community Is Kindness’ poster campaign series that started in April this year as a positive reaction to the chaos from the outbreak of coronavirus.
O’Hara is one of eleven artists who were asked to design street artwork that imposes messages of positivity around the UK. Other collaborators include Ben Eine, who produce on a national scale, creating two artworks appealing to the British sense of humour alongside a bespoke mural in East London. Yinka Ilori has designed one space in Blackfriars London with the messaging “better days are coming, I promise” in support of the official charity of the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
Khaly Nguyen, Head of Marketing for the project, praised the artists for their diverse approaches and perspectives: “What they have in common is their goal of uniting and inspiring the community, not just during the crisis but every single day. We are excited to be collaborating with these extraordinary artists for our latest Your Space Or Mine project which we hope will bring some joy into peoples lives.”
For more information about the nation-wide project, visit the Jack Arts website.