The Vegan Society has today (18 April) taken over an entire 47 by 23 foot (14.45m x 6.9m) wall in a packed street in East London, unveiling a huge one-of-a-kind mosaic.
In an attempt to get people to reflect on their attitudes to non-human animals and consider going vegan, the gigantic billboard, installed on Holywell Lane in Shoreditch, is part of the society’s Future Normal campaign, the charity’s biggest campaign to date.
Seeking to create a much kinder future for all animals, the overall image on the billboard is of a dog and their carer, a young girl, but on closer inspection the mosaic is made up of thousands of small images of rehomed, rescued farmed and sanctuary animals. Among the images are two of the most iconic faces on the planet too!
The public is being encouraged to take pictures of the billboard or snap a selfie with the celebs (if they can spot them!) and share their pictures on social media using #FutureNormal.
The billboard comes just a week after the society launched the first official Future Normal Day (9 April) and hosted the first ever Future Normal Hero Awards – a celebration of those in the community who have gone the extra mile for animals.
After the unveiling, Mark Banahan, Campaigns Manager for The Vegan Society said: "This is an incredibly powerful image that you just can’t miss, and that’s exactly what we wanted. We know the world is getting ready to go back to normal but we want people to reconsider what that ‘future normal’ in a post-pandemic world looks like, particularly in relation to the way we view and treat animals.”
“If we’re open to making changes in our lives, the Future Normal is a place we can create. Being vegan simply means living in line with the ethics that so many of us already hold in our hearts.”
The billboard, created by UP and installed by Horizon Outdoor, is the first commercial display in the UK to use Kavalan PVC-free vinyl – a sustainable and environmentally-friendly material – which was sourced specifically for this campaign.
Reacting to the news, Susan Pallett at Horizon Outdoor said: “I am thrilled to be working with The Vegan Society in bringing this fantastic and important campaign to life. Located in the heart of Shoreditch the mosaic will be viewed by hundreds of thousands of passers-by over the next few weeks – you can’t miss it!”
“In utilising this well known art space the society has also helped the Village Underground Arts and Music Venue financially after the pandemic forced it to close last March. What a fantastic partnership.”
The Vegan Society is encouraging as many people as possible to visit and take pictures with the billboard while remembering to follow social distancing guidelines. It will remain on the wall until 2 May.
Visit www.futurenormal.org.uk to discover inspiring videos, articles, podcast episodes and more. Follow @ourfuturenormal on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for updates.
