Meet the Artist Behind The Gate’s New Lobby Mural: A Conversation with Samme Snow
If you’ve visited The Gate London City recently, you may have spotted something new and
wonderfully unexpected in our lobby—a vibrant, hand-drawn mural that feels as joyful as it is
detailed. Created by London-based illustrator Samme Snow, the artwork bursts with colour,
character and playful energy, capturing the essence of East London through expressive faces, local
landmarks and hidden moments of whimsy. We spoke with Samme to learn more about his artistic
process, his personal connection to Aldgate East, and the story behind this imaginative tribute to the
neighbourhood.
Your work feels like stepping into a playful daydream. How would you describe your artistic style and what inspires it?
My style is playful, curious, and not too serious and my work is full of intricate characters, expressive
faces and whimsical illustrations designed to make people smile.
I like to say it all comes straight from my imagination. You’ll typically find me drawing on anything I
can handle: paper, walls or any surface.
What kind of vibrant world have you imagined for The Gate’s lobby?
For this piece, I have created a fun, playful, and energetic world inspired by East London and Aldgate
East, where The Gate is located. As you look into this piece, you will start to discover elements from
Brick Lane, Truman Brewery, The Whitechapel Gallery, Tower Bridge and some other iconic locations.
You’ll also find elements like creativity, arts and music that all run through this part of London; my
goal was to weave all these elements into this piece so it could best represent the world around it.
How did your connection to this neighbourhood shape the mural—and how did it feel to create something in a place so personal to you?
Fun fact: the first few years of me living in London were spent around here, so I was able to tap into my own experience of this area and draw inspiration for this piece. I aimed to create something that visitors, staff, and the public can get lost within and discover what makes East London so unique—and reflect it in an engaging, energetic, and fun way.
That’s why it felt nostalgic and special to create something in this exact location. East London and Shoreditch have always inspired me with their multicultural energy, murals, music, bars, and creative spirit. Being able to contribute a piece of my own here felt like closing a meaningful circle.
What elements of East London’s creative spirit found their way into your illustration?
When I create any mural or art piece, I always like to work with the client to come up with a narrative; this helps me create a story for the piece and draw out the core elements we would want to have in there.
As The Gate is positioned in Aldgate East, it felt only natural to be inspired by elements from this part of the city. Shoreditch has always been a creative hub, so street art has coloured its streets throughout the years and has been influenced by different things happening. There are lots of mini art references in this piece, including little mini spray can characters and artists as an ode to this.
Are there any hidden details in the mural that people should look out for?
Always! And that is what makes it so fun. Every time you look at it, you’ll notice different elements and characters. It’s part of the experience!
What’s your process when transforming a space like a hotel into a canvas for storytelling?
It’s really important - for me - to understand what the client is looking for and the story they want to tell. I always take time to do a lot of research and discuss the space, its history, heritage and any other elements that might be part of the brief and inspiration.
This allows me to enrich the world with custom characters or special elements that will bring the location to life.
Are you always hands-on when it comes to your murals? What’s your go-to medium?
Yes, as a freehand mural artist, I always prefer to draw directly onto the wall or surface. It gives an element of rawness and unpredictability that I think makes each piece more unique. I often find people find it very fascinating to watch me draw, and I believe that this interaction can bring so much more value to the piece.
I’m a big fan of Posca pens, but there have been a few cases where I used paint, depending on the surface and the brief I am working on.
What kind of emotion or experience do you hope your mural evokes?
I hope they get inspired and drawn to explore the surroundings. Through my art I aim to always provoke happy feelings of joy and discovery, leaving the spectator in a good mood and with a smile on their face.
Any exciting projects or creative adventures coming up that we should look out for?
I have a few exciting projects coming: one of them being an art piece giveaway with Posca ;) it will all be shared across my channels, so that’s an exciting one as well as some new murals and creative workshops.
Where can people find more of your work?
My Instagram account and my website are the best channels to follow me: I try my best to give updates on new art, new murals around and new projects.
And if you are interested, you can spot some of my pieces around the country: Holborn, King’s Cross, Manchester, Oxford :)
Whether you're checking in for a stay or simply passing through, we invite you to pause and explore Samme Snow’s mural in our lobby. It’s more than just a piece of art—it’s a joyful reflection of the local spirit and a reminder to look a little closer.