A multicultural hand is depicted holding a portal, referencing Ipswich’s rich seafaring history. Inside it sits an open book, from which origami butterflies emerge and drift from the pages. The butterflies are crafted from folded archive records, flying out of the portal into the present day for all to share.

Created for The Hold at Suffolk Archives, the mural explores themes of history, imagination and storytelling through a series of symbolic visual elements inspired by Ipswich’s heritage and the archives held within the building. Celebrating Suffolk's long-standing connection to exploration, trade and travel. The portal acts as a gateway between past and present, inviting viewers to step into the stories preserved within Suffolk’s archives.

Nathan Murdoch commissioned by us to create a mural, sharing Suffolk's history and archives.

The mural elements celebrate the idea that archives are not static records of the past, but living collections of stories that continue to inspire future generations.

The mural brings contemporary public art into conversation with one of Suffolk’s most important cultural institutions. The artwork reflects the role of The Hold not only as a place of preservation, but also as a space for discovery, learning, community connection and information sharing.

This concept was born through a series of ideation workshops with the general public of Ipswich. The artist, Nathan Murdoch lead these sessions and formed the visual outcomes based on comments and ideas from the workshop group.

Nathan states 'This mural speaks of historical stories being shared, hopefully allowing local people to know more about what made their town so special.'