Renowned street artist Nathan Murdoch opens new exhibition paying tribute to Peterborough's graffiti history

Diesel Streets: A Peterborough Wall Story officially opened to the public at Peterborough Museum on Saturday (February 7).

The exhibition has been funded by Arts Council England as well as Peterborough Positive and includes a look back at the formation of the city’s street art scene, a dedicated tribute to the Peterborough Y2SK8 skate park, a nod to a number of contributors to the scene (including Graham ‘Deo’ McNichol, David ‘Dis’ Smith, Clyde ‘Bich’, Chris ‘Chef’ Stanley,’ Tom ‘Line’ Watts, Piotr ‘Bielik’ Bielecki’) who are no longer with us.

Photos adorning the walls include early street art works in well-known locations such as Stamford Meadow, Skaters Way, Welland Mobile, The Safeway Jam, The Rifle Range Subway, The Perkins Club and Thistle Drive Community Centre.

The exhibition also includes a series of new works created by Nathan that can also be purchased, as well as an interactive installation inviting visitors to put their name on a train, echoing graffiti traditions of visibility, presence, and legacy.

Artist talks will be held throughout the exhibition starting with ‘In Conversation with Nathan Murdoch' on Friday February 13, 6pm – 8pm and there will be artist-led workshops during April Easter holidays.

After being born in Hankey Street in Millfield, Nathan's first outline appeared under the Oxney Bridge in 1998 and he then painted his first fully realised piece behind the Hill Close shops.

In recent years, he has worked in partnership with Peterborough Positive on a number of major city centre projects, including The Beatles on Abbbey Road, Walter Cornelius and the hope mural on Westgate, plus many more.

The exhibition will run until May 23 and the museum is open between 10am to 4pm on Tuesday to Saturday.

Nathan, said: “Diesel Streets isn’t about glorifying graffiti - it’s about telling a story that inspired a generation of artists like me. The stories written on these walls raised me as much as any classroom. This show is my flowers for Peterborough’s subculture - a culture that forever changed my life.”

Peterborough Museum & Art Gallery, said: “We’ve worked with Nathan Murdoch at Street Arts Hire for many years. We first discussed the possibility of a solo exhibition back in 2020 when Nathan worked with us on our exhibition, Urban. Nathan is a proud Peterborian and his work highlights the creativity and positivity in a city that is often overlooked in terms of its artistic output. We are delighted to be able to showcase Nathan’s work and bring street art into a gallery space.”

Pep Cipriano, Chief Operating Officer of Peterborough Positive, said: “One of our core objectives as a Business Improvement District is to create a more

vibrant and welcoming city centre, and it has been a pleasure to work with Nathan on several pieces that bring that shared vision to life.

“Street art has become a powerful part of Peterborough’s visual identity, telling authentic stories about our city, its people, and its past. Diesel Streets: A Peterborough Wall Story celebrates our street art scene and showcases the power of transforming everyday spaces into engaging cultural landmarks for everyone to enjoy.”