Joy Division’s Peter Hook unveils new Ian Curtis mural in Macclesfield town centre

nme.com:

Peter Hook helped unveil a new mural of Joy Division bandmate Ian Curtis in Macclesfield town centre this afternoon (March 26).The bassist and co-founder of New Order cut the ribbon alongside Akse, the Manchester-based street artist who painted the mural, telling those in attendance: “I am actually very honoured to be here, and to do this, because to me it’s about time Ian came home.”The mural, funded by Cheshire East Council, is based on an original photograph taken by Kevin Cummins at The Factory/Russell Club in Hulme, Manchester on 13 July 1979.

It adorns a building on Mill Street opposite Macclesfield bus station.Ahead of the unveiling, Curtis said earlier in the week: “I’m watching all the people going down the street and every single one of them is drawn to it.“Some young kids walking down had no idea who he was but now they do.

Hopefully they’ll listen to the music and get the gist of what we were trying to do as kids.”Some of Akse’s other recent works include murals of the late British army officer and fundraiser Captain Tom Moore and Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford.He said it was an honour to paint the portrait of Curtis and hoped local people were excited about it.“Although I’ve been working on murals most of my life, it’s still always an incredible feeling to get to the end of the journey – well the end of my journey at least,” Akse said. “Now it’s time for the people of Macclesfield to enjoy the mural, as I know how much Ian meant to so many of them.”Peter Hook helps to cut the ribbon at the official unveiling of the Ian Curtis mural by @Akse_P19, taken from a Kevin Cummins photograph, in Macclesfield this afternoon.