Have a day out on the tiles with the family… Lewisham residents design tiles for community art project

BY TOBY PORTER
toby@slpmedia.co.uk

An art project to give a community a new sense of identity opens tomorrow.

Residents of Hatcham in Lewisham have been designing their own tiles for a display in Harts Lane.

The tiles express 100 wishes of families in the area, through a piece called Delft Blue Tile Public Art Wall.

Project leader and artist Tisna Westerhof of hARTslane said: “They offer a daily message of unity and hope – something very much needed in current times.

“This project is also about connecting people and places. We believe there are lots of positive stories that can be told about this vibrant, creative neighbourhood.”

The project, funded by The Mayor of London Culture Seeds Programme, will be launched tomorrow at 1pm on the public brick wall where Harts Lane meets Hatcham Park Road.

The afternoon will be celebrated with music, spoken word and free family friendly creative workshops.

More than 100 residents of Hatcham, New Cross Gate, took part in workshops between May and July to visualise their hopes for the area and words of wisdom.

They mixed onglaze enamels, transferred imaginary and painted and fired 100 tiles.

Tisna said: “The 2x2metre ceramic tile installation will send daily positive messages of hope and joy into the world for generations to come.

“The workshops brought together different parts of the community working on the same brief and enjoying the process of making and learning new skills together, while sharing common ground.

“Participants as young as three and their families, scouts, artists, young people and the older residents of Hatcham all committed to the challenges of the limitations of the materials, as well as the visualisation of their wishes, which results into a magical collective contribution.

“The 100 Wishes of Hatcham celebrate diversity and unity within the area, while their messages reach out far and beyond the perimeters of the community.”