THE WALL project

THE WALL project saw 60 artists and local community groups create new works on large plywood panels that were then hung along Hackney Downs Studios' car park wall, creating a huge outdoor gallery.

The project involved children and young people from Brook Community Primary School, Shacklewell Primary School, The Garden school, as well as the neighbouring Lee House Employment and Rehabilitation Centre.

Eat Work Art issued a call out to the schools, as well as local artists, for new and original works which would form part of a huge wall of art. The brief was open encouraging a wide variety of styles and mediums. We were looking forward to a diverse range of interesting proposals from individuals and groups, with a view to commissioning new artwork for public spaces at Hackney Downs Studios and Netil House in the future.

We provided the plywood boards, varnish and a space to work in over a two week period. The Russet provided hot drinks and snacks the team stayed late to prep the boards for wintry weather before the launch date. gab facilitated a creative session with Alice Smith and students at The Garden school whilst artist and photographer Chloe Edwards visited Shacklewell School for an afternoon thinking about the boundaries of self and image.

The results were a fascinating artistic commentary on how humans find freedom, creativity and expression within boundaries. One artist was offered a free space in our Heartspace Studios for a 3 month duration to support the development of their own practice after THE WALL.

London is a city bursting with creativity and yet full of boundaries, with most people working in offices and studios, behind closed doors. THE WALL project was an opportunity for a celebration and coming together of all sorts of works, backgrounds, individuals and groups in East London and beyond.

The initiative was delivered in partnership with gab (formerly Community Releaf), a collective that facilitates workshops with groups of young people, specialising in inspiring, creative and collaborative processes that improve the quality of social shared spaces and relationships.

Check out the short videos documenting THE WALL (2012) and THE WALL | BOUNDARIES (2013) below.

THE WALL from EatWorkArt on Vimeo.

THE WALL | BOUNDARIES - Exhibiting at Hackney Downs Studios from EatWorkArt on Vimeo.