A striking 30ft (9m) mural of Freddie Mercury has been unveiled at Wembley Park to mark what would have been the Queen frontman’s 80th birthday.
Titled I’m Mr Mercury, the artwork was created by street artist Frank Styles and stretches across all 58 steps of Wembley Park’s Spanish Steps.
The anamorphic mural is designed to reveal a complete image of Mercury only when viewed from a designated spot about 65ft away. From other angles, the portrait breaks apart into lines and blocks of colour.
Styles hand-sprayed the artwork as four separate pieces before bringing them together to create the single large-scale image.
Mercury was born on 5 September 1946 and had a long association with Wembley, performing repeatedly at the venue with Queen.
Queen played 10 shows at the venue, then known as the Empire Pool, between 1978 and 1984. The band also performed at Live Aid at Wembley Stadium in July 1985 before returning for two sold-out concerts the following summer.
The mural celebrates more than Mercury’s music career, incorporating references to his life and interests away from the stage.
Koi carp feature in the artwork as a tribute to his love of Japan and the Japanese pond at his London home.
Winged female figures reference Mercury’s Virgo star sign and echo a motif he incorporated into the Queen crest he designed himself.
Lyrics and quotations also run up the steps towards Wembley Stadium, connecting the artwork to the singer’s musical legacy.
Claudio Giambrone, who commissioned and curated the work for Wembley Park, said Mercury’s relationship with Wembley extended beyond a single performance.
“Freddie Mercury’s relationship with Wembley goes far beyond a single famous performance,” he said.
“We wanted to create something that gives fans a new place in Wembley where they can come together and remember him.”
Styles said Mercury’s own background as a trained graphic designer influenced his approach to the project.
“As a trained graphic designer himself, Freddie was very aware and precise about the visual feel and so I have endeavoured to follow his ethos in the conscious creation of this mural,” he said.
The Spanish Steps connect Wembley Stadium with the OVO Arena, formerly known as Wembley Arena.
The mural is free to view and will remain in place until December 2026, giving fans months to visit the tribute and celebrate Mercury’s enduring legacy.
Erizia Rubyjeana
Follow us on:
