In a River a Thousand Streams

In a River a Thousand Streams

Made of 250,000 glass pieces in a range of 28 colours by 70 volunteers
Will last for at least 150 years
Largest-ever commission by the London School of Mosaic, with more than 21 million people projected to pass by each year

In a River a Thousand Streams is a major new public artwork due to be unveiled at London Bridge Station on 24 July 2024. The 57-metre mosaic mural is the result of a collaboration between London School of Mosaic and Adam Nathaniel Furman, and explores themes of craft, community and collaboration.

The title references the location and the River Thames, where flows of people converge, entering the city via the bridge and the rail station – one of the oldest and busiest in Europe. Akin to the flow of a river, the design process behind the construction of the mural invited many small contributions from local people through workshops. Additionally, over 400 school children contributed stories inspired by the artwork to Southwark Heritage Archives.

Fabricated in the LSoM’s Camden school and assembled by 70 dedicated volunteers, In a River a Thousand Streams pays tribute to the enduring appeal of mosaics, and celebrates the inherently collaborative nature of the craft. Mosaics also operate as a larger metaphor for the many people and cultures that come together to shape London.

Over 21 million people are projected to pass by the mural over the course of a single year – three times the annual visitors received by the National Gallery. For the commission, it was of particular importance to LSoM and Furman to bring the beauty of mosaics to the largest possible audience, referencing both the public nature of the medium while positioning the craft tradition in a contemporary light.

Dr Silvie Jacobi, Director of London School of Mosaic, led the delivery of the project, securing support from Network Rail, The Arts Council England, Southwark Council, National Lottery Heritage Fund, The Shard, PwC and London Bridge.

More Information

Who commissioned the mosaic?

London School of Mosaic (LSoM) approached Network Rail at London Bridge in 2016 with the idea to develop a mosaic for the newly redeveloped station. The bus terminal wall was later identified as a good location for a large scale mural.

A design was commissioned by London School of Mosaic in 2021 with funding from Arts Council England. Adam Nathaniel Furman was selected from a short list to develop a detailed design based on a design brief developed by LSoM. The design needed to accommodate a set tile width and ease of a quick fabrication, which Adam mastered aesthetically and conceptually.

How was it made and by whom?

The project fabrication was started off by a team of LSoM volunteers in 2021 and could properly go ahead in 2022 after we secured funding. Around 70 volunteers and 6 fabrication project managers developed the mosaic. It was installed in 2 phases, one in March 2023 and May 2024.

Who funded the project?

The mosaic design and materials were funded by Arts Council England Cultural Recovery funding, which kick-started the project. LSoM secured substantial CIL funding from Southwark Council, whose interest in mosaic was heightened with the discovery of an ancient mosaic near the station.

Alongside this, The National Lottery Heritage Fund funded an oral history programme which collected stories of local residents, in particular school children, which are accessible at Southwark Archives. Team London Bridge and The Shard promoted our project to the local business community, with The Shard hosting our team as the first artist resident’s in their building in September 2023

Visit Southwark Archives

Team

Producer - Silvie Jacobi, David Tootill & LSoM

Designer - Adam Nathaniel Furman

Project Managers - Jo Lewis and Suzanne Garben

Sponsors - Arts Council England, Southwark Council, National Lottery Heritage Fund, Team London Bridge, The Shard, PwC