Prostate Cancer UK and Global Street Art Unveil ‘Man of Men’ Mural

Global Street Art, the UK’s leading mural-painting company and media owner, has teamed up with Prostate Cancer UK to create an artistic twist on the charity’s iconic ‘Man of Men’ logo. Measuring ten metres high, the temporary art installation is situated on 353 Fulham Road in London. 

There are 475,000 men in the UK living with, or after, prostate cancer. To reflect the diversity of the population that the disease affects, Prostate Cancer UK designed a new version of its logo which features 77 familiar icons that you’ll see in everyday life, from toilet doors and building sites to road signs and libraries. The logo represents all fathers, brothers, sons and mates living with and after prostate cancer, and those united in the fight against the most common cancer in men. It remembers the 12,000 men who die from the disease each year. 

The new design features the classic 77 icons which make up the Man of Men, but with each changed from a black outline to a distinct, colourful pattern, demonstrating how the life of each man affected by prostate cancer is unique and remarkable. The patterns include representation for the 1 in 8 men across the four nations of the UK who will get prostate cancer, with Scottish tartans, English roses, Welsh daffodils and Irish Celtic patterns on display. 

The artwork also highlights the diversity of cultures and heritages which make up the UK, with African and Caribbean inspired patterns woven into the design to represent many of the 1 in 4 Black men who will get prostate cancer. The mural also includes icons with a rainbow design to represent members of the LGBTQIA+ community affected by the disease, and a host of vibrant and distinctive patterns to signify how the disease affects men, trans women and non-binary people who were assigned male at birth from all backgrounds and walks of life. 

Global Street Art came on board to pledge its wall on Fulham Road, alongside a team of artists led by Pete Barber, to bring the artwork to life. Global Street Art is a media owner that offers wall spaces to curate art projects which celebrate charitable causes such as Prostate Cancer UK, to help raise awareness and support. 

Pete Barber, lead artist at Global Street Art, commented, “One in eight men in the UK – brothers, dads, mates – will get prostate cancer. Charity murals like this – where my team can do our part to spread worthwhile messages – are one of the most rewarding parts of my job. If this partnership with Prostate Cancer UK gets even one lad to check their risk, then we have done what we set out to do.” 

Ali Day, Prostate Cancer UK’s director of communications, added, “Our Man of Men has stood proudly at the forefront of our charity for over a decade. Whether you see him on the lapel of your football team’s manager on match day, or on the back of someone taking on an incredible feat like running a marathon or cycling to Amsterdam, he provides a recognizable symbol of hope for men and those who love them. We thank Global Street Art for working with us and funding this new artistic take, representing the hundreds of thousands of dads, brothers, sons, and mates across the UK impacted by prostate cancer, the most common cancer in men.”