There are disadvantages to living in a city. Artist Murugiah illustrates his urban environment and what it feels like to be consumed, falling, squeezed and trapped.
How the city lives inside me
Words by MURUGIAH
- In pictures
The Metropolis, Ravenous Aspirations, MURUGIAH for Wellcome Collection. © MURUGIAH.
1 of 4
The feeling of being swallowed up by the city. The city acts as an all-consuming, brutal beast. It has a way of influencing every part of one’s life in a negative way. Dragging you down and draining you dry.
Depression: The Stone the Builder Approved, MURUGIAH for Wellcome Collection. © MURUGIAH.
2 of 4
Falling, weighted down by large monolithic volumes. Floating through the air but feeling heavy. Unravelling while falling. The city pushes one to one's limits. Falling.
The Nomad's Longing for a Home Forgotten, MURUGIAH for Wellcome Collection. © MURUGIAH.
3 of 4
Personal space intruded. Travelling on the city’s underground squeezes one to one's breaking point. Screaming for help but no one paying attention. The tracks and tubes tighten as you start your day and come back to hit you at the end of your day.
A Rebirth: The Decomposition of Walls That Resist, MURUGIAH for Wellcome Collection. © MURUGIAH.
4 of 4
Confined by the walls. Cold and grey wrapping you in a dark cocoon while you try to break out for a gasp of air, reaching for nature on the outer rims of the city.
About the author
MURUGIAH
MURUGIAH was raised in South Wales with Sri Lankan origins and currently resides in London. Working with inspiration from surrealism and pop culture he uses strong colour and line to create bold impactful imagery. He has collaborated with The Guardian, Variety, Penguin Random House, Greenpeace, Shortlist, New Scientist, New Statesman, Little White Lies, Empire, Arrow Films, Disney, Lucasfilm, EMI and AMC.