CHURCH STREET CONNECT – MURAL
BLAM! My mural in collaboration with City Lions Westminster and Church Street Library is now officially done diddy!
The graphic signage at the start and end of Church St. Market inspired the original concept of the mural artwork. The colours really popped like the fruits / veg and energy of the area. The blockyness of the sign signified to me this element of ‘the building blocks of community’ so wanted to explore that more.
I liked the original dotted surface of the wall – The idea of dots, connecting dots, us being the dots, we’re all connected. With communities being separated and apart for so long the past year, I wanted to re-connect people through the work. The idea of individuals coming together, squares of communities connecting for the greater good of society.
Initially, the creative consultations taking place at local school King Solomon Academy, local youth club Fourth Feathers , City Lions Youth Team and Tresham Centre for Disabled Children, allowed me to connect with the local youth and build upon their ideas. These ideas would come together to form an online gallery of artwork @ChurchStConnect in response of the mural design, connecting both offline / online elements.
It was important to involve as many local young people and residents to co-create to the artwork, to provide a real sense of ownership and feeling of ‘yo, that’s my square!’ Also to provide the idea that art and its function to connect & inspire, is accessible to all, regardless of age, class or background. A unified approach to provide a sense of hope in the current climate. It was great seeing young ‘spray can newbies’ almost become spray can experts, when I encouraged them to show other young people how to hold a can & spray too – it was that thing of learning something right there and then, totally alien to you, and then teaching another human the same thing you just learnt, furthering your own confidence and learning in the process – love that! Shout out Daniel, Shane and DJ who had never spray painted before, but picked up the techniques super quick & became my key assistants helping others find their spray flow…
What made this project that much more pleasurable to work on, was the people & the numerous conversations I had with locals during the creation of the artwork. It was great seeing random locals pop into the space from the market with curiosity as to what was going on, but then raising a smile once they viewed and felt the artwork.
Some feedback from some lovely humans…
“PiNS, our students enjoyed the workshop hugely and wouldn’t stop talking about how much they enjoyed it afterwards. They are really keen to come back and do some reflections and add a final mark to the work of art. I think they also just love working with you. I would also love to work with you again ☺ and look for ways to create great opportunities for our young people.”
Ida Holbrook, Lead Teacher of Art, King Solomon Academy
“PiNS, thanks for the session on Friday, feedback was that the young people enjoyed the session”
Tracy Smith, Senior Youth Worker, Fourth Feathers Youth Club
“The mural livens up the place and it attracts more people. I’ve never spray painted before so it was a new experience and plus I’m happy to help my community. There should be more of this kinda project in the area.”
Russell, 13
“So many different things…connect, I see colour, I feel proud, energy”
Ahmed, 19
“Community is…cartoons”
Jadore, 13
THANKYOU…
Chenelle, Church Street Library Manager, for being super accommodating and a pleasure to work with.
John, Westminster City Lions, for his enthusiasm and keeping things on track.
Church Street Library staff:
Mick
Michaela
Ben
Tony
Patsy
Debora
Seema
Sayeem
Library users:
Cedric
Dave
Ryan
Annie
Sylvia
Ahmed
Shaz
Videography:
Xavier
Assistants:
Daniel
DJ
Shane
King Solomon Academy:
Ida, Lead Teacher of Art
Students
Fourth Feathers Youth Club:
Tracy, Senior Youth Leader
Youths
Tresham Centre for Disabled Children & Young People
Linden
Jadore
Randoms:
Margaret
West London’s Best Dressed Man *Google him
All the supportive parents who engaged with the kids
Suppliers:
Chrome & Black
Mark & Kalpesh, Brewers
LOVE
Px
