Gunnersbury Gus Makes His Appearance Near the Station
New mural painted by local artist Helga Stentzel
Gunnersbury Gus peeks out. Picture: Abundance London
February 3, 2024
Gunnersbury Gus has arrived in the parklet outside Gunnersbury tube station, peeking out from one of the several electric cabinets that dot the area.
He is the creation of local multidisciplinary artist Helga Stentzel working with Abundance London. She has a significant Instagram presence and works across a wide range of media including photography, illustration, videography, sculpture and mural design. Helga received "Food Art Creator of the Year" award in 2020 and has collaborated with Hermes, Amazon, BBC, Honda and O2, among others. She has also participated in multiple group exhibitions in New York and London, and held a solo show in Seoul in 2022.
She says, “My art is about finding magic in the mundane, seeing beauty in imperfections, and connecting to our reality in a new way. I love noticing playful similarities - be it a sweater on a clothing line looking like a horse or a slice of bread resembling a dog’s head. It’s only the starting point though. From this moment onward the stories and visuals start buzzing in my head!
“I hope that my art will help people to connect with their inner child and rediscover the joy of savouring little visual delights inside and outside their homes.”
The parklet is maintained by West Chiswick and Gunnersbury Society. It was funded by the Chiswick Flower Market, planters were supplied by Abundance London and the Chiswick Business Park. Virgin Media gave permission to decorate the cabin.
The project continues Abundance London’s artistic work around the area, which includes the Chiswick Timeline mural, and the W4th Plinth artwork at Turnham Green Terrace. Discussions have been ongoing about beautifying other pieces of street furniture, including dustbins.
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