Cheshire

New mural of Joy Division icon Ian Curtis unveiled in his hometown

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 25th March 2022

A mural of Joy Division legend Ian Curtis has been unveiled in Macclesfield.

His former bandmate Peter Hook has said that he’s waited ‘a long time’ to see a tribute to his late friend in his hometown.

The mural has been created by street art legend Akse-P19, who was also behind the Marcus Rashford mural in Withington and Sir Captain Tom Moore in the Northern Quarter.

The hyper-realistic black and white art piece has been painstakingly painted onto the side of a building on Mill Street in the town centre.

It’s been fully funded by Cheshire East Council, who say it’s been ‘worth the wait’.

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Councillor Nick Mannion, chair of Cheshire East Council’s economy and growth committee, said: “Before today, I spoke about how perhaps this beautiful mural has been somewhat overdue but now that I’m here seeing it for myself for the first time, I can say without any doubt that it has truly been worth the wait.

“As I’ve said previously, I am a huge fan of Joy Division – the cultural significance of the band and Ian stretches well beyond my home town of Macclesfield. This is such a proud moment, I’m feeling very emotional about it right now.”

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Akse-P19 working on the mural of Ian Curtis in Macclesfield. Credit: Cheshire East Council

Ian Curtis was the frontman of Joy Division, who were behind the huge song Love Will Tear Us Apart.

The Macclesfield-raised musician tragically took his own life at just 23 years of age.

There’s another mural of him in Manchester, on Port Street, which promotes the mental health charity Shout.

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On completion of his latest project, Akse said: “Although I’ve been working on murals most of my life, it’s still always an incredible feeling to get to the end of the journey – well the end of my journey at least. Now it’s time for the people of Macclesfield to enjoy the mural, as I know how much Ian meant to so many of them.”

Peter Hook wrote on Twitter: “Great to visit this wonderful new mural of Ian today by @Akse_P19, now almost finished on Mill St in Macclesfield.

“I’ve been waiting for a long time to see a tribute to Ian in his hometown.”

Featured image: Cheshire East Council