Mural aims to capture town’s ‘dynamic spirit’
Slough: Colombian visual artist, JHO, unveils work at railway station
A vibrant mural paying homage to Slough’s ‘dynamic spirit’ was unveiled at Slough railway station on Tuesday.
Created by JHO, a Colombian visual artist based in Slough, the project is a collaboration with Slough Hub and forms part of its flagship ‘Reimagine Slough’ project.
The creation was unveiled in a ceremony on Tuesday morning on Platform 3 of Slough railway station with more than 35 guests, including Slough Mayor Councillor Amjad Abbasi, in attendance.
Commissioned by data centre company Equinix, the mural forms part of #ArtScape, a Reimagine Slough initiative to transform Slough through art.
JHO, a 28-year-old muralist, moved to the UK from Colombia six months ago and was selected out of three Slough-based artists to take on the challenge.
She said Great Western Railway, Slough Hub and Equinix were impressed with her ‘eye-catching’ new feature at the station.
JHO told the Express: “It’s completely amazing because it’s hard when you move to another country and nobody knows you and to have this opportunity, in a place as important as a train station, has opened up the world.
“Thousands of people can see my style and identify with the mural. Slough has a lot of diversity and I wanted to reflect that.
“Next to the mural, it says ‘We love Slough’. Not a lot of people say they’re from Slough because they’re not proud to say they were born here. But positive things are happening and the idea is for them to grow feelings of belonging to this place and not say they’re from London.
“Slough is a really big community built by people of different backgrounds.”
She likened the connections formed in a railway station to the connectivity fostered by data centres and said her mural drew artistic inspiration from this link.
It took 10 days for JHO to complete the mural over Christmas and event organisers described it as a ‘harmonious fusion of art, technology, and community spirit’ paying tribute to the town’s ‘pivotal role in global connectivity’.
Slough Hub founder and director Vineet Vijh said the mural is ‘more than just art’.
He added: “It’s a beacon of transformation for our town. We believe in the power of creativity to redefine perceptions and create a positive narrative.
“This mural is a testament to Slough’s dynamic spirit and significance in global connectivity.”
Duty station manager Vicky Norbury said: “We are delighted to be part of the Reimagine Slough project. We proudly serve Slough, and the mural sends a great message. It is very important to us as a station team and as a company to support our local communities, and there can be no better way than having such a bold message on display for everyone who uses the station.”
Equinix managing director Bruce Owen said the company was ‘proud’ to have commissioned JHO’s piece and added: “The Slough Train Station, a major artery into London, is now home to a unique piece of artwork celebrating Slough’s critical role in the global digital economy.”