New 'Camino' mural for Reading

31st May 2023

'Las Estrellas del Camino': the world’s largest art gallery curated by Estrella Galicia chooses Reading for its first UK mural

British artist David Speed has painted the Estrellas del Camino (the Stars of the Way) mural

Las Estrellas del Camino, the world’s largest urban art exhibition, curated by Estrella Galicia, is preparing its most international edition this year, with a new mural in Reading.

This year’s urban exhibition will feature more works spread over 126 kilometres along several stages of the Camino Ingles/English Way walking route of which Reading is part. Known as the St James’ Way in the UK, Reading has been selected due to its location as the starting point of the St James Way, the UK leg of the Camino Ingles/EnglishWay, which is one of seven recognised routes which form the Camino de Santiago, a world-famous pilgrimage route, which ends in Santiago de Compostela in north-west Spain.

Last week, work began on what will be the first mural of this new stage. The work is located on Friar Street in Reading and has been painted by the urban artist David Speed, known for the innovative neon technique he uses in his work. The mural features the image of the singer Heather Small, perhaps best known as the lead singer of the 90s dance music band, M People. Heather walked the Camino de Santiago for the BBC series, Pilgrimage: The Road to Santiago, in 2018, becoming an ambassador for the Camino.

The mural is very close to Reading’s Abbey Quarter, from where pilgrims during the Middle Ages began their pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela. Today’s St James Way follows in the footsteps of these pilgrims, starting its route from St James Church in the Abbey Quarter.

The St James’ Way runs almost 70 miles from Reading to Southampton. It follows pilgrimage routes that would have been used in medieval times and is now fully signposted following a major project completed by The Confraternity of St James in 2023.

Throughout the Middle Ages, Reading was recognised as a pilgrimage centre. The focus was Reading Abbey, which had over 230 relics, including the Hand of St James, making it the centre of the cult of St James. Medieval pilgrims would have taken ships from the English south coast to the Galician ports of A Coruña and Ferrol, the starting points of the English Way in Spain.

John McLaughlin,  Regional Manager for Hilton, and Visitor Tourism Chair on the REDA Board, said: “It’s exciting to see that Reading’s unique place at the start of the St James’ Way and as part of one of the world’s most famous pilgrimages, the Camino de Santiago, is being recognised. Since the waymarking of the St James’ Way was completed last year, Reading is seeing a steady stream of people walking the 70 mile long-distance walking route while over 250 people joined one of the Camino-related events during May’s Reading Walks Festival.  

“Reading has a rich medieval heritage with the Abbey as the starting point for pilgrims up until the sixteenth century. The new mural celebrates the people who are walking the Camino de Santiago in modern times for health, leisure or spiritual reasons and will help attract visitors to Reading and support the local economy.”
  
Steve Woodford, Managing Director of Haslams Estate Agents, whose building hosts the mural, said: “This new exciting mural helps showcase Reading as a destination and is part of the bigger picture of investment and development in Reading town centre. Haslams are proud to be able to host Heather Small on the wall of our building and we are looking forward to seeing the many visitors who come to see the mural and to visit Reading.”

More about Las Estrellas del Camino – www.estrellasdelcamino.es