Alba Illuminated

OUTSIDE THE BOX — YARDWORKS COMMISSION

Kelvinhaugh Street, Glasgow | 2025

As part of Yardworks’ Outside the Box Commission, I was selected to develop a permanent public artwork for an existing street-level utility box in Glasgow. The project gave me the opportunity to take my studio-based practice into the public realm and develop a site-specific artwork that combined contemporary street-art techniques with Scottish cultural identity and symbolism.
The central visual motif of the artwork is the Scottish thistle, chosen as a symbol of resilience, strength and endurance. I was interested in the thistle not simply as a recognisable Scottish emblem, but as a metaphor for the ability to grow and persist within challenging environments. This connected strongly with my wider artistic practice, which frequently explores resilience, identity and the human experience.
The design incorporates two prominent phrases rendered in a neon-inspired spray-paint aesthetic: “Together We All Thrive” and “Alba Gu Bràth.” These elements introduce themes of community, unity and Scottish identity, while creating a dialogue between Scotland's cultural heritage and the contemporary urban environment.
Artistically, the project allowed me to combine spray painting, stencilling, layering and bold graphic imagery. The contrast between the traditional symbolism of the thistle and the vibrant, contemporary neon aesthetic was deliberate. I wanted the artwork to acknowledge Scotland's history while presenting it through a distinctly modern visual language that felt appropriate to Glasgow's changing urban landscape.
The project also required me to consider the artwork in relation to its public setting rather than as an isolated gallery piece. The work needed to function from multiple viewpoints and remain visually engaging within a busy urban environment. Working outdoors also required me to respond to practical conditions and the realities of installing artwork within an active public space.
The resulting artwork is a permanent public installation on Kelvinhaugh Street, allowing the work to become part of the everyday environment rather than existing temporarily within an exhibition. The project was particularly valuable to my development as a public artist because it demonstrated how contemporary street art can be used to explore cultural identity, community and heritage while creating visually bold artwork for a public audience.
The project is representative of my wider approach to public art: using contemporary techniques to reinterpret meaningful aspects of place and identity, while creating artwork that is accessible, visually striking and relevant to the communities who encounter it.