Across Putney, ordinary electrical boxes are being given a colourful new lease of life as part of a public art project celebrating the theme ‘Proud to be Putney’.
What were once functional and often rather uninspiring pieces of street furniture are being transformed into 10 individual works of art, bringing creativity, colour and a little bit of Putney’s personality to the streets.
The project began with two boxes painted by local artists, and has grown into a community project involving artists and local residents.
Art inspired by Putney
When we invited artists to get involved, we wanted the designs to reflect the things that make Putney unique.The brief included ideas around Putney’s parks and Common, local wildlife, its history, and its long-standing connection with rowing and the River Thames. The project is particularly special is because each artist has interpreted Putney in their own way. The resulting artwork not only makes the streetscape look better, each design tells a story.
Bringing colour and positivity to the streets
Local artist Ollie Quinn painted two sets of electrical boxes as part of the project, using bold colour, graphic shapes and positive messages to bring the ‘Proud to be Putney’ theme to life.
Ollie says: “The two sets of boxes I designed and painted are inspired by the personalities and things people love about Putney. The aim was to add bright colour palettes to the street, weaving a positive message with references to nature and river themes. These kind of jobs on high streets are very rewarding as an artist as there’s always locals sharing their feedback on the spot!
His designs certainly make an impact. One set features the words ‘Proud to be Putney’ across three boxes, while the other uses the word ‘Forever’ alongside flowing shapes and natural, river-inspired elements.
A family story told through Putney’s wildlife
Art by Roo had a personal connection to the project. Her mum grew up in Putney with her mum and brother, and the memories of her childhood became the inspiration for two of the designs.
She asked her mum what wildlife she remembered seeing when she was growing up in Putney. Her mum recalled the small birds that used to visit the family garden, including a particularly memorable encounter with a thrush. She remembered watching a thrush holding a snail and tapping it against a wall to break its shell before having it for lunch.That childhood memory became the inspiration for one of the electrical boxes, featuring a thrush spying on a snail, surrounded by forget-me-nots.The forget-me-nots have an added personal significance. They were the artist’s nan’s favourite flower and can also be found growing on Putney Common. The second design features three long-tailed tits sitting closely together on a branch.
Long-tailed tits live in close-knit family groups and are known to help raise the offspring of their relatives. This struck a particular chord with the artist, whose mum worked at Great Ormond Street and whose nan had a career as a nanny. The three birds represent her mum, her uncle and her nan.
So, what might at first look like a simple picture of three little birds is actually a tribute to three generations of a family and their connection to Putney. Both long-tailed tits and thrushes have also been sighted recently on Putney Common, making the designs an especially fitting celebration of the wildlife that continues to live alongside us.
The artist’s mum also remembers being taken for picnics in Putney even when it rained.Her mum would take the children out during the day to avoid waking the neighbour upstairs, who worked night shifts. It’s a small childhood memory, but one that perfectly captures how our memories of a place are often made up of ordinary moments: family outings, gardens, wildlife, favourite flowers and the people around us. Those memories have now become part of Putney’s streetscape.
Young artists, local ideas
The community element of the project has also given two young Putney residents the chance to see their artwork become part of the neighbourhood. Following a call-out to the local community, 14-year-olds Darcey and Cara submitted their artwork inspired by the theme ‘Proud to be Putney’. Both were chosen for their creativity and their individual interpretations of what makes Putney special.
For Darcey, the answer was clear: rowing.
“Rowing is at the heart of Putney and no other place does it better. I feel so privileged to live here and that’s why I chose to draw it.”
Cara found her inspiration in another much-loved part of Putney, its parks and the simple pleasure of spending time there with family.
“I really like Putney, especially this summer with all of the hot weather. My inspiration was going to the park with my family and having a picnic. The bats in the picture were inspired by the bats all around the park and the bat walk we went on.”
Two very different interpretations, but both capture something genuine about living in Putney.
We also had a beautiful submission from a resident in memory of their cat and Putney Bridge.
From boring boxes to public art
There are 11 electrical boxes being painted as part of the project, each with its own design and story. The aim is to take something that is normally overlooked and turn it into something that catches your eye , something that reflects the place around it and makes our streets a little more colourful.
From rowing on the Thames to wildlife on Putney Common, from local history to family memories, the designs celebrate the many different reasons people can be Proud to be Putney.