A specially-commissioned mural by Sir Peter Blake entitled Appearing at the Royal Albert Hall has been unveiled at the iconic London venue.
The piece is a montage of over 400 stars who have taken to the worldâs most famous stage from its opening in 1871 to the present day, featuring everyone from music legends like Rod, Bob Dylan, David Bowie and Jimi Hendrix, to pivotal figures in world history such as Albert Einstein, Sir Winston Churchill and Muhammad Ali.
Sir Peter Blake, âthe Godfather of British Pop Artâ, is perhaps best known for co-designing the iconic cover on classic Beatles album Sgt. Pepperâs Lonely Hearts Club Band. He was commissioned to create a piece celebrating the Hallâs unrivalled history following an exhibition held at the venue in 2012 celebrating his 80th birthday.
Appearing at the Royal Albert Hall provides a fascinating âwhoâs whoâ of the past 143 years of culture, with familiar faces popping up everywhere you look. Modern stars such as Adele, One Direction and Jay-Z stand proudly alongside some of the more surprising acts to have taken to the Hallâs prestigious stage, including a Dalek, astronaut Buzz Aldrin and wrestling legend Big Daddy.
Before unveiling his latest work at a launch event attended by rock legends Roger Daltrey, Bill Wyman and Brian May, all of whom feature in the work, Sir Peter Blake shared some of his own memories of the building. He recalled regularly attending wrestling events throughout the 1940s and 50s, seeing The Who get pelted with pennies in 1969 by fans waiting to see the eveningâs headline act, Chuck Berry, and regular visits to Teenage Cancer Trust concerts in more recent years, adding: âI love the Albert Hallâ.
