KMG’s mural honours the Aberdonian author whose work set the template for modern nature writing.
Nan Shepherd was one of the first women to graduate from the University of Aberdeen. She went on to edit the university’s magazines, give guest lectures, and write a body of work that would only be properly recognised decades later. Her writing from the 1940s is now credited with laying the groundwork for modern nature writing. She ended up on a £5 note.
When KMG was commissioned to create the first wall of Nuart Aberdeen 2026, Scotland’s national street art festival, sited on the rear of the University’s Zoology building facing into Cruickshank Botanic Garden, her research led her to Shepherd. The mural she is designing shows a stylised blackbird in her trademark style, with the words “unheard, unseen” woven in as a direct reference to Shepherd’s work.
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How the site shaped the work
KMG met Mark Paterson, the curator of Cruickshank Botanic Garden, on site. He has agreed to plant flowers below the wall, and potentially on it. KMG added pops of pinky red to the design after he pointed out a plant growing just to the left.
Then the ivy detail emerged. Blackbirds feed off the berries of the ivy trees immediately beside the wall. The bird chosen because of a nature poet turned out to have a genuine relationship with the specific patch of ground where the mural will stand.
“We also learned that blackbirds feed off the berries of the ivy trees to the left of the wall,” KMG said, “so this also felt quite fittingly beautiful.”
Paterson had previously helped identify plants for Thiago Mazza’s 2023 Nuart mural, making it one of the few botanically correct murals in the country. This commission follows a similar approach.
From artist to producer
KMG is due to begin work on the mural next week. Once complete, she switches roles, moving from artist to producer for the festival.
This year also marks the first time Nuart Aberdeen has placed work in the heart of Old Aberdeen, and the first time the University of Aberdeen has partnered with the festival. An application has been lodged with the city council for the work to proceed.
Nuart Aberdeen runs 22–26 April 2026. Find out more about the artists coming to this year’s festival.
We've got the first Nuart Aberdeen 2026 location. KMG's mural will pay tribute to Nan Shepherd on the rear of the University’s Zoology building facing into Cruickshank Botanic Garden. ⭕ Now on POST
— POST | Aberdeen Culture (@postabdn.com) 27 March 2026 at 11:09
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