Marie Curie partners with renowned Scottish graffiti artist to unveil exclusive mural at Springburn hospice

The stunning mural takes centre stage at the entrance of the ward at the Springburn hospice, providing a unique background that embodies Glasgow’s graffiti style artwork while also incorporating the charity’s iconic yellow daffodil – a symbol that means so much to many patients and families.

It’s hoped the mural will provide a warm welcome to those coming to stay and those visiting their loved ones, which not only captures the spirit of the hospice but pays homage to Marie Curie’s team of dedicated staff and volunteers.

The project took around 24 hours to complete, with the final mural officially unveiled to the public on Thursday 11 April 2024.

EJEK, who has created many of Glasgow’s most famous street art including the mural of Marvel creator Stan Lee in the Gorbals, is one of the emblematic figures of urban art in the UK and has painted around the world in France, New York and Spain.

He said: “I was really honoured to be asked to create a mural for Marie Curie.

“The organisation has touched the hearts of so many families not just here in Glasgow, but right across Scotland, so it was a real privilege to give something back to the staff and volunteers.

“We scoped out a couple of areas for the mural, but eventually decided the entrance atrium to the ward would be the perfect place to position it. I think it really sums up the resilience and spirit of the incredible team at Marie Curie and provides a warm welcome to those coming into the hospice to visit their loved ones.”

Catherine Maclean, Special Events Manager at Marie Curie, said: “We’ve long admired EJEK’s creative style and having seen so much of it around the city we thought it would be fantastic to bring a touch of his iconic work to the hospice.

“Showcasing art has always featured in our hospice but nothing on this scale before.

“EJEK’s design quite literally takes it to new heights and transforms the atrium entrance. We wanted to create a welcoming view that encapsulates the essence of our Glasgow hospice and the warmth of the team of professionals that care for our patients and their loved ones. He has not only captured the spirit of the hospice so well but also that of our wonderful team while also putting our daffodil symbol at the heart of the design.”  

The project was also supported by AS Scaffolding, who kindly donated their scaffold and their time to erect and dismantle it to allow EJEK to complete the giant artwork. 

As well as the spectacular mural at the hospice, EJEK is producing a one-off piece of artwork for Marie Curie’s annual Brain Game held in Glasgow on Thursday 3 October.

Last year’s black-tie fundraiser raised over £197,000 for the end-of-life charity, with more than 500 guests turning out to show their support.