May Day at 40 Leadenhall: Bringing Colour, Rhythm and Renewal to the City
Tucked just off Leadenhall Street, where the pace of the City rarely slows, a new mural quietly introduces a different rhythm. May Day, a large-scale hand-painted work by artist Lothar Götz, now occupies a prominent wall at 40 Leadenhall, offering a moment of colour, movement and pause within one of London’s busiest districts.
For us at The London Mural Company, this project was about more than scale or visibility. It was about helping translate an artist’s vision into the fabric of the city - carefully, respectfully, and with a deep understanding of place.
A Site-Specific Response to the City
May Day was curated and commissioned by LACUNA as part of the 40 Leadenhall public art programme, a wider initiative designed to bring cultural value into the public realm. The mural sits on an otherwise understated façade, transforming a transitional space into something more engaging and a place that rewards those passing through with a moment of visual clarity.
Standing over 12 metres tall, the mural is unmistakable yet considered. Its geometry responds to the architecture around it, while its bold use of colour cuts through the greys of the surrounding streetscape. It’s a reminder that wall murals in London don’t need to shout to be impactful, sometimes they simply need to be well placed, well made, and thoughtfully conceived.
Why “May Day”?
The title May Day draws from the ancient celebration marking the arrival of spring and a time historically associated with renewal, movement and shared joy. For Götz, these ideas are deeply embedded in his practice. Much of his work references rhythm and motion, often borrowing language from dance and performance to shape how his pieces are experienced.
That sense of movement is present here. The mural’s angled forms and layered colour feel active, almost choreographed, encouraging the eye to travel across the surface rather than settle in one place. In the context of the City, where people are constantly on the move, this feels intentional. The artwork doesn’t interrupt the flow of daily life; it moves alongside it.
Lothar Götz is known for creating site-specific mural artwork that responds directly to its surroundings, and this project was no exception. As his first outdoor public wall painting in London, May Day carried particular significance - both for the artist and for the wider public art programme at 40 Leadenhall.
We have worked with Götz before, installing ‘Dance Diagonal’ Towner Art Gallery in Eastbourne 2019. It was created as part of The Brewers Towner Commission to mark the gallery’s 10th anniversary in its current building.
Art in the Everyday
One of the most compelling aspects of May Day is how naturally it integrates into daily life. It isn’t positioned as a destination artwork, but as something discovered, to be glimpsed on a commute, encountered during a lunch break, noticed differently each time you pass.
This is where public murals can have their greatest impact. They soften hard edges, add emotional texture to built environments, and subtly change how spaces are experienced. In a district dominated by glass, steel and speed, May Day introduces warmth and a sense of optimism, qualities often missing from financial centres.
A Shared Moment in the City
Projects like this underline why murals continue to play an important role in shaping cities. They offer moments of connection without demanding attention, and they bring artistic expression into places where people might not expect to find it.
At 40 Leadenhall, May Day does exactly that by adding colour, rhythm and a quiet sense of celebration to the City. It’s a reminder that thoughtful, well-crafted murals can enrich public space in lasting ways.
We’re proud to have supported the realisation of this work, and to have played a part in introducing a new chapter of public art into one of London’s most historic neighbourhoods.
If you’re thinking of creating something meaningful, get in touch - we would love to chat.
