Warwick’s newest campus icon isn’t a new café or another random sculpture — it’s a three-metre-high pink goose lighting up the side of the Piazza building.
Unveiled as part of the university’s 60th anniversary celebrations, the fluorescent mural — officially titled “Temporary Home” — was painted by artist David Speed.
David said he spent over 60 hours on campus “connecting with faculty members, the wider community, and over 100 students” to create what the university calls “a beacon of creativity and collaboration.”
The mural was brought to life during Welcome Week, so students flocking to and from the sports and societies fairs were able to see the artist at work between the 29th September and 3rd October.
For anyone who’s ever been chased by one of Warwick’s famously feral geese, the choice of mascot is either inspired or ironic. “The Warwick geese are the icons of the campus and a reflection of its spirit,” said David. “Like students, geese are social birds that flock together, migrate each year, and find temporary homes and form strong family bonds.”
The design, chosen through a campus-wide vote where the artwork was up against a floral piece featuring Lady Godiva on horseback, blends the silhouette of a neon-pink goose with a surrounding geometric pattern. It’s inspired by the Faculty of Arts Building staircase — because apparently, no Warwick artwork is complete without a nod to brutalist architecture.
David is known for his neon portraits across London, having also ran masterclasses, lectures, recorded a live episode of his podcast, and hosted workshops with local schools during his residency. The University of Warwick says the project is “a visual love letter to Warwick’s identity, values, and community spirit” and represents Warwick’s commitment to “creativity, collaboration, and community.”
Talking to The Boar, David discussed why his career has been dominated by pink and why the pink goose commission was not out of the ordinary: “I’ve painted all over the world, and I’ve painted various different things, so it’s not that crazy. I mean, a couple of weeks ago, I was in Ireland painting a giant fish. So, you know, giant pink animals are kind of something that I’m quite well known for.”
The artist also discussed how pink “has never been taken seriously”, and how our dismissal of pink becomes a dismissal of women and young girls.
He continued: “In the pandemic, I discovered a specific can of neon pink spray paint, and just fell in love with this beautiful, vibrant colour, and thought, no one is using this.
“So, because of that, I was a bit scared to use it, because I didn’t think anyone would like it. I didn’t expect anyone to like my work, but I was just too curious, so I kept playing with it, and I thought I’d maybe be using it for a couple of months. And here we are, five years later, and I’m still painting in pink and following my curiosity.”
Professor Jonothan Neelands, Warwick’s academic director of cultural partnerships, described the mural as “colour, energy and moments of connection […] reminding us that the campus is also a temporary home for many of us.”
The last pink addition to the campus was “The Forum”, a small, bright pink sitting area outside of the library, which found itself at the centre of controversy.
When asked about The Forum, David told The Boar: “Art is subjective, and I’d actually be really sad if I made something that everyone just thought was alright. I’d rather have some people love it and some people hate it. I think it’s good to have division, and I think it’s healthy to say, ‘You know what, this is not for me’, and then have the other side fighting the case for it.”
David explained how colour is important too, and that people tend to be more scared of brighter colours because they represent something that’s out of the ordinary.
