Turning moustaches into masterpieces: the Leeds-based art drive for Movember

A graphic designer from Leeds has put a twist on the tradition by creating the Gallery of Mo, a charity initiative where people can commission portraits embellished with moustaches, in support of globally leading men’s health charity Movember.

Adam Campion, creator of the Gallery of Mo, has been a keen supporter of Movember for almost two decades. When he found growing a moustache wasn’t quite cutting his fundraising targets, he considered how else could he have an impact.

Adam said: “18 years ago I started to do Movember but what I found is it was really difficult to get someone to donate to me for growing a moustache.”

In 2011, Adam and some friends decided to launch the Gallery of Mo. In return for a donation to Movember, they offered members of the public a portrait of themselves with a moustache.

Adam said: “It was literally an idea, a couple of weeks before November started and me and a couple of colleagues just got together and did it in our spare time.

“We did it because we didn’t think it was going to be that popular and all of a sudden we were getting maybe 155 requests in the first few weeks - that’s when we decided there’s something here.”

Over the years, the Gallery of Mo has raised £27,200 for Movember which has helped support global projects and initiatives that challenge the status quo in men's health.

Individuals can commission their portrait online by selecting an artist and how much they wish to donate, with sketches costing as little as £1. Artistic styles vary from traditional to abstract or realistic to cartoon, and this year there’s even a chance to get a sculpted bust of yourself with a moustache courtesy of ceramics artist Dickie James.

Adam emphasises that the Gallery of Mo has “no restrictions whatsoever”. This means that as well as requesting a portrait of themselves, individuals can request a portrait of a friend, family member, or even a pet. Additionally, as the gallery is open until December 15, Adam highlights that a picture can make an ideal Christmas gift.

Adam said: “It's the perfect time to get Secret Santa presents - they’re getting a funny picture but also that money’s gone to charity.”

The Movember movement first began in 2003 as two Australian friends Travis Garone and Luke Slattery decided to raise awareness of men’s health by bringing the moustache back into fashion.

Now the charity funds projects focused on supporting men’s physical and mental health across the world.

For Adam, Movember’s work to encourage men to open up about their health has a personal resonance.

He said: “Both of my granddads got diagnosed with prostate cancer 20 years ago. One of them said something about it and went to the doctor and got treated straightaway and he was fine.

My other grandad didn’t say anything, kept it quiet, left it too late and he ended up dying from the illness.

“With the help of Movember, it's really important to spark up conversations as guys are really rubbish at talking about their health.”

He hopes that the Gallery of Mo offers an accessible way for people to participate in Movember and that as Gallery of Mo portraits are shared online, it helps break the stigma surrounding men’s health issues.

Adam said: “(The Gallery of Mo) starts that conversation about Movember and what they do.

“Its a nice quick way of taking part in Movember and getting something back out of it as well.”

To commission your own Movember portrait, visit the Gallery of Mo website.