‘PLATE OF PEACE’ INSTALLATION – MUSEUM OF CROYDON
“Ideas for days, but execution pays!” – A personal quote I live by, afterall, we all have them…ideas…few take action, most don’t…glad I did on this one…
So the Museum of Croydon were organising their first #ClocktowerLate event to commemorate the 100 years since WW1, and suggested I get involved to do some sort of Peace mural. I got thinking, like really explored the notion of Peace, how war effects it and what it means to people today. Looking back at past projects and my recent Residency with the MOC, it’s become apparent my process is primarily vested in building real human connection through my work – so the act of uniting people through art becomes a form of Peace itself – then it hit me > Plate Of Peace, serving your peace one plate at a time. Boom!
During my residency at MOC back in September, I met so many diverse people in the Clocktower building as well as general public with whom I connected with – Croydon has this randomness about it, especially the characters who shift about – so thought I’d rekindle those relationships through the Plate Of Peace installation and connect a wider audience in the process making the exhibition of the artwork fully accessible & interactive, unlike the often dismissive and elitist nature of such spaces & institutions in other parts of London – I’ve found true cultural richness comes from real cultural connection, so if we are unable to relate through unfamiliar context, it disengages us to the point where we no longer have any interest in visiting those spaces. Guess it’s just where I am with my art now, a place of complete oneness, moving with purpose and understanding that Art can really effect positive change to a wider audience – I’ve seen it, done it, made a t-shirt, and have this crazy urge to do more, lots more – with people and organisations who share the same vision – those who say they wish to reach wider audiences must connect those who are the wider audience and build with them, otherwise spaces remain for the few with nothing much new, which is abit poo :/
Thankyou to all 283 Plate Of Peace participants who contributed their peace including those who initially dismissed getting involved due to saying things like ‘im no artist though…’- it was them who actually ended up spending the longest designing their plates and really connected with the process – sometimes we all need a little push to awaken our creative potential.
Special Thankyou to the MOC team: Lindsay / Natasha / Rosie / Daisy / Johanna / Oliver / Simon for supporting the idea – really takes a team to realise a dream, however big or small, so learning that from project to project and the value each person brings, is important.
Shout out Mumsy who came down and down and supported the whole thing, little artist herself who ended up making 4 plates *Showoff
Peace out 🙂
P
