The public outcry – and outpouring of affection – after the mural was defaced shows just how deeply rooted a piece of public art can become in a community
This week, the wall of Manchester’s 75 Port Street, a canvas for street artists, cycled through three different designs in the space of one day – the last a plain black background, with no trace of what had been there before.
On Tuesday afternoon, the wall was still exhibiting a fixture of the city: a mural of Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis based on a Philippe Carly photo taken a year before his suicide. Painted by street artist Akse in October 2020, it was opened to mark World Mental Health Day and support Manchester Mind, Help Musicians and promote the 24/7 wellbeing text service Shout. In just under two years, it became part of the city’s identity, and led to a second Curtis mural in Macclesfield.
