Grenfell Tower residents achievements to be celebrated to mark the fourth anniversary of the disaster

By Julia Gregory, local democracy reporter

The achievements of residents of  Grenfell Tower are being remembered in a series of exhibitions marking the fourth anniversary of the disaster.

Because of the pandemic those who survived the horrific fire, along with people who were bereaved by it and the community are unable to gather and mark the day together.

The fourth anniversary of the fire that killed 71 people will be on Monday June 14.

Children who survived the fire and those who lost loved ones have started creating this year’s children’s banner to remember the people they lost.

Other children from the community are adding their art to the banner which will be displayed in North Kensington.

People from campaign group Grenfell United and local schools have continued making mosaics with North Kensington based Acava Arts  for the Grenfell Memorial Mosaic which will be erected at the memorial space near the Tower on Friday (June 11).

They feature leaves from trees found around Grenfell Tower.

People from the community have been busy making 24 leaves – one for each floor of the 1970s tower.

The leaves  feature 72 gold flecks, in honour of the 72 lives lost in the fire, or a single word – ‘Justice’ –  in the different languages spoken by residents from the Grenfell community.

The community are decorating the route of the Silent Walk with green artworks as part of this year’s Green for Grenfell commemoration.

This year the Silent Walk has been paused because of the pandemic and to keep people safe from possible infection.

However, churches up and down the country will join together and ring their bells 72 times at 7pm to remember the 72 people who died.

A collection of photo stories about the survivors and bereaved over the last two years will be on display outside in Freston Road from Saturday June 12 until August.

They are part of the Gold and Ashes project from photographer Feruza Afewerki who lost  her sister and niece, Amal Ahmedin and Amaya Tuccu  who lived on the 19th floor at Grenfell.

Feruza and her team  documented the memories of the people who died and  the stories of those who love them and those impacted by the tragedy and how they are.

They have also put together a book which will be available soon. Profits from the Gold & Ashes photo book directly goes towards supporting existing mental and emotional wellbeing services for the Grenfell community.

The work of talented artist Khadija Saye is also on display.

The British Library, near Kings Cross station is showing her work until October 7.

Khadija’s evocative work was on display at the Venice Biennale the year she died  with her mother Mary Mendy and many pieces of her art were destroyed in the fire.

Nine of her self portraits are on display in her show “in this air we breathe”  which takes its title from  Khadija’s word’s ‘We exist in the marriage of physical and spiritual remembrance. It’s in these spaces…[that] we identify with our physical and imagined bodies.’

Her work also features in the British Library’s show Unfinished Business: The Fight for Women’s Rights which runs until August 2021.