New artwork celebrates history of River Foss

A river running through York has inspired the creation of the largest public artwork in the city.

The 50-metre-wide mural has been wrapped around a hoarding at Castle Mills in Piccadilly in a bid to transform a former graffiti hotspot, a York Business Improvement District (BID) spokesperson said.

The artwork was commissioned in partnership with York Civic Trust and designed by local artist Rob Stothert.

Carl Alsop, operations manager at York BID, said the installation used art to turn a "neglected space into something people can really enjoy".

"Our cleaning team works hard every day to maintain the city, but this goes a step further – using art to prevent persistent graffiti," Alsop added.

It is part of the York Art Trail, launched by York BID with the aim of enriching the city with public art that celebrates its history, culture and people.

The River Foss was made into a large lake by William the Conqueror in the 11th Century to create a moat around York castle, strengthening the city's defence.

Andrew Morrison, chief executive officer at York Civic Trust, said: "It's great to see York's heritage brought to life in such a contemporary way.

"We hope both residents and visitors will discover something new about our city through this piece."

Stothert said it had been "wonderful" to explore and bring together the "flora and the fauna of the River Foss, alongside the rich stories that have shaped York".

The River Foss mural is a continuation of York BID's Outside the Box project, which saw local graffiti artists repaint cabinet boxes in the city centre.

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