Middlesbrough artist Mackenzie Thorpe has paid tribute to his home town football club’s promotion push with one of his latest works.
‘Up the Boro’ is one nine new pieces commissioned by Middlesbrough Council to create poster artwork for Middlesbrough station.
The complete ‘Station Posters’ collection will be unveiled later this month.
The artist said: “Middlesbrough never fails to inspire me; I don’t think I will ever stop drawing it.
“Right now it feels like the town is really on the up, there is so much going on, you can really sense the optimism, so when I was asked to display some of my work as posters on Middlesbrough station, rather than use existing images I decided to create some new ones.
“The success of the football club this season has undoubtedly played a major part in the confidence around Middlesbrough and this particular picture acknowledges the part the club plays in the town, the loyalty of the fans and the drive and desire for success.
“I truly hope that we will see The Boro facing Premier League opposition next season and putting the town firmly back on the map in both a footballing and global way.”
Mackenzie was one of seven children, spending his early childhood in a terraced house near Union Street before the family moved to the new Beechwood estate when he was a toddler.
He began his working life as a labourer and at Smiths Dock, before his vocation drew him to tell the story of the people of Middlesbrough through his art work.
Speaking earlier First TransPennine Express station manager Mike Drewery said: “Middlesbrough railway station is used by around 1.4 million passengers every year, so it’s vital to us that they have a good experience and they form a good first impression of the town.
“This is a real coup for the town and we are sure those who live, work in and visit Middlesbrough will get a great deal of enjoyment from the new pictures.”
The Station Posters will be on show at Thirteen Hudson Quay on the weekend of the March 28 and 29, from 11am-4pm, when the general public will be invited to see their home town as drawn by Mackenzie Thorpe. There is no cost to visiting the exhibition.
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