London Wall Place

This wall painting was created from a series of drawings made of the tendrils of a plant. These natural forms were then developed by redrawing them, using a technique of holding multiple graphite sticks together in one hand. Dalton drew inspiration from the experiments of artist Paul Klee into the way the brain creates relationships between visual elements. “When two lines are placed next to each other they give a sense of depth and space”, Dalton says, “Essentially the wall painting is the illusion of a sculptural form that weaves its way through the space and plays off the rigid geometry of the staircase. The line is dancing with the staircase.”

During his first visit to the site, Dalton was inspired by the exterior of London Wall Place. With its strong vertical white and dark tones, Dalton’s wall painting echoes the architectural detailing of the building.   This sense of integration was a key factor, given that the work is never visible in its totality. The positioning of the work leads the viewer’s eye up and down the staircase conveying the sense of a connected space beyond the floor on which the viewer is standing, thus giving an increased sense of location, and by leaving areas of the wall clear, the artist brings calm and order into the often fast moving and busy environment.