An ongoing series. International artists make original work on surfaces salvaged from decommissioned vehicles. We auction the work, and the proceeds fund creative workshops for people rebuilding their lives.

The idea

Don't build a new thing to paint on.

Bus panels, lorry curtains and aircraft skin have already travelled, carried weight and weathered. The scuffs, bolt-holes and faded logos stay. They're part of the work. Each artist gets a prepared surface, full creative freedom and an interview about the piece. The finished work goes to auction.

The partnership

Mustard Tree, Manchester

Proceeds from this series fund painting workshops at Mustard Tree, a charity tackling poverty and homelessness. Fourteen members have spent ten months building their skills and confidence. The result is their own exhibition, with every sale going to the artist.
See the exhibition →

The materials

Every canvas had a first life.

Sheet aluminium

London bus panels

Retired bus panels usually get weighed in for scrap. We frame them as individual works instead.

PVC · Tarpaulin

Lorry curtains

Almost impossible to recycle, so they normally go to landfill. As canvas they're heavier, take paint differently and keep the marks of the last job.

Whole vehicles · Bus · Aircraft

Whole vehicles

A double-decker painted top to tail. A retired aircraft used as one canvas.

Processed waste plastic

Recycled plastic

Plastic on its way to landfill, processed into a surface you can paint on.
How we source our materials →

The artists

Recent works

Ryo Koizumi

Tarpaulin

Papou Koliopoulos

Tarpaulin

Adam Handler

Returning artist

Motonori Uwasu

Returning artist