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At a Glance
Created to mark what would have been Freddie Mercury’s 80th birthday on 5 September 2026, I’m Mr. Mercury is a large-scale anamorphic portrait by British street artist Frank Styles, spanning all 58 of Wembley Park’s Spanish Steps.
The work takes its title from Mercury’s 1985 song Mr Bad Guy and draws on imagery, words and archival material connected with his life and work. It was developed with the support of Freddie Mercury’s Estate and his long-time manager Jim Beach.
Its location places the portrait between Wembley Stadium and OVO Arena Wembley, two venues that played a defining role in Mercury and Queen’s history.
The installation is free to visit, 24 hours a day, until December 2026.
Location: Spanish Steps, Wembley Park Boulevard
Admission: Free
Dates: September – December 2026
Opening hours: 24 hours a day
Nearest station: Wembley Park
A Portrait in Perspective
I’m Mr. Mercury was conceived specifically for the architecture of the Spanish Steps.
Rather than placing an image onto a flat surface, Styles has divided and distorted the portrait across the risers and treads of the staircase. Perspective brings these separate elements together.
From the designated viewing point, Mercury’s face appears as a single image. As the viewer moves towards or around the work, the portrait breaks apart, revealing its construction through colour, line and form.
The position of the viewer is therefore integral to the work: the portrait exists fully only from one place.
Signs and Symbols
Symbols drawn from Mercury’s life and interests are embedded throughout the work.
Koi carp refer to his deep interest in Japanese art and culture. Fairies reference his Virgo star sign, imagery that also appeared in the Queen crest Mercury designed for the band.
Words form another layer of the composition. Across the 58 steps are lyrics from songs written by Mercury alongside quotations from his life beyond the stage.
Seen from a distance, these details disappear into the portrait. Up close, the image gives way to individual fragments, references and texts
Freddie Mercury and Wembley
The setting is central to the work.
At Wembley Stadium, Mercury performed with Queen at Live Aid in July 1985, in a performance that became one of the defining moments of his career. Queen returned the following summer for two sold-out concerts on the Magic Tour, later released as Live at Wembley ’86.
At the neighbouring Wembley Arena, now OVO Arena Wembley, Queen had already performed ten concerts between 1978 and 1984.
The Spanish Steps sit between the two venues. I’m Mr. Mercury therefore places a new portrait of the artist within a part of London closely connected with his history as a performer.
A Work Made with Freddie’s Archive
The commission was developed with the support of Freddie Mercury’s Estate and those who worked closely with him.
Archival material provided an important source for the work, including the portrait on which Styles’ composition is based.
The Estate also granted permission for material connected with Mercury’s life and work to be incorporated into the piece, allowing the portrait to extend beyond likeness into a broader reflection on his interests, words and identity.
Wembley Park is grateful to Freddie Mercury’s Estate, Jim Beach and the Beach family for their generosity and support in making the work possible.
About Frank Styles
Frank Styles is a British street artist whose work explores portraiture, geometry and large-scale interventions in public space.
In 2024, Styles created Auras, an anamorphic portrait of Taylor Swift across the same Spanish Steps to coincide with her Wembley Stadium performances.
For I’m Mr. Mercury, Styles returns to the staircase with a work shaped around its scale, geometry and sightlines, using the movement of visitors through the space as part of the composition.
Visiting I’m Mr. Mercury
I’m Mr. Mercury is installed on the Spanish Steps on Wembley Park Boulevard, between Wembley Stadium and OVO Arena Wembley.
The work is outdoors and free to visit at any time.
To see the portrait in its intended perspective, use the marked viewing point approximately 65ft from the foot of the central steps.
The Spanish Steps are around a nine-minute walk from Wembley Park Underground station.
Explore Wembley Park’s Public Art
I’m Mr. Mercury forms part of Wembley Park’s collection of public art, which brings together permanent and temporary works across Olympic Way, Arena Square, Market Square and Wembley Park Boulevard.
Other works nearby include Mr Doodle’s concrete blocks, the Square of Fame and murals by artists including Pref.
