If you’ve been paying attention to the street art in and around Hackney Wick over the last few years then you’ll surely have spotted the work of Mul. His instantly recognisable hearts with legs are bright, bold and positive emblems that stand out from the assortment of public art sprayed across the Wick. For Mul, real name Alex Mulholland, the hearts are an intrinsic part of his stylistic contribution to the street art landscape – his calling card.

“The running heart character was originally inspired by the disco song ‘Young Hearts Run Free’ at the start of lockdown in 2020 as a gesture toward joy within a period of uncertainty,” he explains. “Since then, the character has evolved and through repetition, it has gradually detached from its original context, becoming a symbol that feels familiar yet increasingly elusive in meaning.”

Disco music has been central to Mul’s inspiration. It has been the soundtrack to his artistic expression from day one, and he has christened his work ‘Disco Style’. Bold lines, bright, almost psychedelic colour schemes and funky patterns, with characters that often look like they’re dancing – these elements all emanate the energy of disco. “Disco Style was coined early on in the character’s existence because all of the pieces I would create, both within the studio and on the street, would be titled after a disco song of that moment,” he tells us.

Also evident across his vast body of work, both in public and his printed art, is a sense of optimism. The bright colours and joyful heart characters elicit a positive feeling – an antidote to some of the world’s ills. “I think the optimism comes from the way I try to see the world. My work, for sure, is an outlet of my personality.” Born and raised in the north-east of England, Mul’s art carries echoes of the graffiti culture that he grew up with. “Throughout my lifetime, the North East of England has always had a very firm graffiti scene, something that initially grabbed my attention around the age of 10. I used to ride the Metro as a kid, trying to take photos from the train window of the pieces before I really had an understanding of what it all meant,” he says.

Any recommendations we should go check out? “Newcastle’s Ouseburn area, down to the Quayside,” he says, without hesitation. “Although it’s in the latter stages of gentrification, there are still some amazing pubs and venues with some of the last walls just about clinging on.” Those who are familiar with the Newcastle scene will recognise hints of the city’s homegrown styles. Local crews (the graffiti term for a collective) such as TNS and NM were among the most visible and inspiring to Mul when he was first getting immersed in the culture. He also namechecks a Geordie graffiti writer called Figs, among his early influences. These crews and writers carved out their own lane through their bold, quirky styles - which is evident in Mul’s own paintings.

As well as those who were prominent in his local scene, he also cites a book called ’Street Logos’ by Tristan Manco. “For me that really lit the fire as someone who was already painting graffiti,” he reveals. “My biggest influence was earlier character street artists such as Flying Fortress, The London Police, D*Face and a good measure of Shepard Fairey as well, to name a few.” Outside of his hometown, he pinpoints London as being his favourite place to paint. “When I’m out on the street, particularly in London, I love seeing what you find when walking around, and painting something that fits the space in the moment,” he tells The Wick. “That’s why I am in London so much, it’s my favourite place to paint at the moment, as it is ever-changing and you meet amazing people from all walks of life, which really adds to the experience.”

Of course, Hackney Wick features in his regular visits to the capital. Over the last couple of decades, the area has become a hub for street art and graffiti, with many public spaces covered – from street level to canalsides and even rooftops. Harking back to when the Wick was a crumbling but affordable, post-industrial magnet for creatives, the art on its walls became a by-product of the liberated culture of the time. While things have been gradually changing for many years now, the art on Hackney Wick’s walls remains. In today’s climate, where so many street artists and graffiti writers are getting out there and jostling for space, sometimes paintings don’t even last a day before they’ve been covered by someone else.

So, how does he feel about getting painted over? “Art in the street is always temporary and getting painted over is part of the conversation,” he says. “It’s an ever-changing place which is part of the allure of it for me. Here one moment, gone the next. I always get a nice surprise when someone sends me a photo of one of my pieces in another country from years back still going strong. It is good to see your old pieces clinging on but you learn not to be too precious, especially if you’re painting five more the next day. You lose track.”

Besides getting painted over, London’s constantly changing landscape, both physical and economic, is one of the main threats to public art across the capital. Derelict land becomes prime real estate, and the art is almost always erased to make way for new buildings. As an artist whose work exists in both the commercial and more ‘underground’ spaces, Mul is aware of the tension between the two ends of the spectrum.

“The artist/commercial balance is a real tough one to get your head around and in truth it’s something I still don’t always get right,” he admits. “For me, painting comes first. I’d be doing it regardless of what else I’d be doing in life. It’s an addiction and something I cannot see myself ever stopping. And the more committed and active I am with my painting, the more naturally commercial opportunities tend to follow. The alignment, whilst initially completely accidental, has allowed me to find a certain level of balance in both. I’ve screen-printed since I was 14, which has become a solid element of my practice. Print has always been an interest and in the last five or so years, I’ve managed to align everything and bring it all together as one.”

As the Wick continues to be redeveloped, its public art culture remains steadfast as part of the area’s visual identity. How long it will hold on in the face of further new buildings is uncertain, but it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere yet. Sharing his thoughts on the future, Mul’s aforementioned optimism is clear. “Street Art and graffiti in Hackney Wick just feels like part of the fibre of the place,” he says. “It just makes the area so interesting. Even if things do change, it will come back in a different way, shape or form.

This article first appeared in issue 20 of The Wick - grab one of the remaining copies now to get the full-size exclusive Mul pull-out poster (main photo).