The painting’s on the wall

Star Platforms Support East Anglia’s Largest Mural Project ‘From Ipswich with Love’.

In partnership with the Wild Walls Festival, Star Platforms has supported an ambitious public art project at the University of Suffolk, UK, facilitating what is now the largest mural in East Anglia. Covering 640sqm and entitled ‘From Ipswich with Love’ the mural was created by artist ATMA in collaboration with the local community, this mural was completed on the James Hehir Building at the university’s waterfront campus. To enable the artist teams to complete this large-scale project safely and efficiently, Star Platforms supplied a Niftylift Height Rider 28 Hybrid (HR28 H) 4×4 articulating boom lift, specifically chosen for its advanced height capabilities and operational flexibility.

The Wild Walls Festival was a vibrant four-week street art festival in Ipswich, Suffolk, celebrating community and creativity. The inaugural urban art festival featured large-scale murals and smaller artworks by local and established artists, including ATMA’s ‘From Ipswich with Love’. In addition to the murals, the festival included street art, an art fair, workshops, exhibitions, and cinema screenings, and has launched a new urban art trail through the town. The festival is produced and delivered by Art Eat Events CIC, in partnership with The Subversiv Collective, supported by various local organisations. The project was made possible through funding from The Arts Council of England and Ipswich Borough Council.

The mural’s location along Ipswich’s waterfront presented unique challenges, necessitating a versatile powered access solution that could safely elevate artists to high points on the wall while manoeuvring comfortably around the project site. The project demanded both reach and stability to allow precise movements for detailed artwork.

Star Platforms selected the UK manufactured, Niftylift HR28 Hybrid (4×4) articulating boom lift, for its superior height capability and innovative hybrid power system. As the winner of the ‘Queen’s Awards for Enterprise 2019’ Innovation Award, the Niftylift HR28 H represents a new generation of environmentally conscious work platforms from Niftylift. It provides a working height of 28m and an outreach of up to 16m, making it ideal for large-scale art installations such as this.

This powered access platform combines advanced power-source technology with efficient four-wheel drive, delivering outstanding performance from a compact, low-weight design. This hybrid option features a power-optimised EU Stage V-compliant Diesel engine, which works alongside an electric motor to ensure consistent performance while reducing fuel consumption. Additionally, the innovative ‘Diesel Re-Gen’ feature allows the machine to recharge its batteries during idle periods, enhancing overall efficiency.

Its compact structure and advanced technology allow it to navigate challenging environments like Ipswich’s waterfront with ease, providing efficient and reliable powered access for artists and crews.

Using a product such as the Niftylift HR28 H (4×4) articulating boom lift, offers distinct advantages for high-reaching projects: With a 28m working height, and up to 16m outreach this model ensures access to tall and wide mural surfaces. Star Platforms provides powered access platforms that meet rigorous safety standards, supporting safe, stable elevation for precise artistic work. The Niftylift HR28’s hybrid design combines electric and diesel power for reduced emissions and quieter operation, making it ideal for urban and environmentally sensitive areas.The artist, ATMA, remarked on the mural’s significance: “From Ipswich with Love is like a love letter from Ipswich to the world. I had the incredible opportunity to do workshops with Ipswich residents, which influenced the mural’s design. The artwork reflects the beautiful spirit of Ipswich: creative, loving, and open.”

Wild Walls lead producer and the painting assistant for this project, Iona Hodgson, says, “The Niftylift HR28 proved indispensable to the project’s success. We nicknamed him ‘Shifty the Nifty Lift,’ and it’s quite a beautiful shot of the Niftylift HR28 at work. Using this powered access platform on this project made all the difference, offering the height and reliability needed to successfully complete the mural in a timely manner. He kept us very safe. We grew quite attached to him.”

ATMA added: “Working at this height and scale takes time, patience, focus, and a lot of energy. Luckily, I was surrounded by an incredible producer, Iona Hodgson, now officially a brilliant mural painting assistant, and an amazing team of volunteers that painted on the ground, talked to people, and checked the articulating boom lift movements. Magic!”

Star Platforms provided a powered access solution that enabled the artist teams to work comfortably at height, safely completing the ‘From Ipswich with Love’ mural within a challenging outdoor environment. This collaboration highlights the importance of specialised powered access platforms in enabling creative, large-scale installations while upholding the highest standards of safety and environmental consideration.