WU Speed Painting and London Mural

Go Global By Dave Plank Sep 29, 2020

Western Union will be brightening up the streets of England as it unveils the new Smile campaign featuring specially commissioned artwork by the performance speed painter Dave Sharp.  In a matter of minutes, the portrait with an illuminating smile was created in the famous London Printworks, once the home to the largest printing factory in Western Europe, now a major cultural destination.

Sharp’s speed painting entitled ‘The Fast Way to Put a Smile on a Face’ is a tribute to Western Union’s customers in the UK as they continue to support their family and loved ones. It celebrates joy and the emotional connection money transfer provides.  The speed and flow of Sharp’s work echoes the speed, reliability, and convenience of sending money from the UK to the world using the Western Union app.

Sharp’s work is not just about speed but is a performance, featuring his motion and dynamism set to music.  His wide variety work performed on oversized black canvases has been featured by major companies including Bentley, Disney and Nike.  He even got 4 yeses on Britain’s Got Talent.  Often using two brushes, the performance and speed of his work makes his uncannily accurate renderings of his subjects even more remarkable.

The speed painting has been turned into a beautifully emotive film which is going live across social media channels. The painting itself is the artwork for the nationwide campaign which also features a street art mural at over 50m² in size at 46 Camden High Street.  As one of London’s most vibrant areas Camden is a wonderful place to discover street art and colourful murals.  The Western Union Smile mural stands right on the main street art trail between Mornington Crescent and Chalk Farm.

By sharing Dave Sharp’s work Western Union hopes to put a smile across the whole country.