COLOURS OF FOREST GATE
The Project will deliver at least three murals in Forest Gate including at Wanstead Park Station Bridge aligned with an ambition to identify feasible sites for additional murals and work with local artists to develop them, highlighting the history and identity of Forest Gate to brighten and make the area more attractive to the locals and visitors.
The mural designs will be developed through a community co-design process including multiple in-person workshops and drop-in sessions as well as these online project pages here including the details of the project and providing residents with an opportunity to engage in the discussions online.
The project aims to address recommendations in Newham High Streets Strategy: ‘Colours of Forest Gate’, ‘Welcome to Forest Gate’ and ‘Bright Alleyways’.
The final mural designs will be developed through a community co-design process which will involve public consultation on the shortlisted mural proposals. The preferred option for each mural is to be revised to create final mural designs through collaboration between the local creative collaborators and the mural company.
Your opinion on the mural designs is important. Do you have any further ideas or want to comment on the proposed designs, please see the timeline at the bottom of the page for details on how to share your thoughts at each project stage.
If you have any queries about the project or wanted to get in touch more generally, please email NewhamHighStreets@newham.gov.uk
Phases
Final designs information session and design finalisation
The projects and the designs have been developed through a community co-design processes including multiple in-person workshops and drop-in sessions, mail-out consultation, door-knocking exercises with the residents the co-create platform here including the details of the project, and providing residents with an opportunity to engage in the discussions. The most recent designs based on your feedback are ready for five locations. You are invited to share your views on the final mural designs. Join us on Wednesday 5th June 2024 any time from 6-8pm in the Gate Library 6-8 Woodgrange Road, Forest Gate, E7 0QH. Please see below or the attached flyer for the images of the final designs and e-mail your comments and suggestions at NewhamHighStreets@newham.gov.uk We are delivering five artworks in Manor Park as part of the Colours of Manor Park project. The map below shows the locations of each mural / artwork:
Please e-mail your comments and suggestions about any of the murals below to NewhamHighStreets@newham.gov.uk by 10 June 2024
Update: We will be accepting feedback until 9am on 1st July.
The Mural Locations
1. Chestnut Avenue
The initial designs are based on the themes and aesthetics derived from community workshops including:
- Bright colours
- Sense of identity and pride
- Abstract, non-literal, organic and bold
- Greenary, plants and nature
- Forest Gate Community Gardens
- Positive and hopeful vibes
- Wanstead Flats
- Stories & legacies
- Dr John Fothergill
Artist: Bec Dennison ‘Dr. Fothergill’s Collection’
‘‘The aim of the artwork is to share stories from history, connect past and present and encourage a deeper appreciation of our local green areas’’.
2. Wanstead Park Underpass
The initial designs are based on the themes and aesthetics derived from community workshops including:
- Champion the successful dance troupes to come out of Forest Gate Youth Zone
- Celebrate successful musicians from
- Forest Gate, Tempa T, D Double E, Plan B, Kele Le Roc
- Bright Colours
- History, stories & legacies of Forest Gate
- Inclusivity and community, togetherness and kindness
- Figurative, humans and fashion
- Pride in Forest Gate and British audiences
Artist: Matilda White ‘A Symphony of Community and Creativity’
‘‘This mural celebrates the friendly community spirit and diverse cultural tapestry of the neighborhood’’
3. Wanstead Park Bridge
The initial designs are based on the themes and aesthetics derived from community workshops including:
- Typography, pattern and bright colours
- Geography and boundary
- History, for example, ‘the gate was originally to stop cattle’ Happy and celebratory
- Bring people together and create sense of pride
- Act as the welcome message to
- Forest Gate Town Center to South and Wansted Flats to the North
- Be kind, be aware, help people
Artist: Andy Mac Manus ‘Our Place’
‘‘The aim of the design is to inspire and communicate a sense of pride within the community
4. Newham Food Alliance
The initial designs are based on the themes and aesthetics derived from community workshops including:
- Different foods of Forest Gate
- Bright colours
- The Newham Food Alliance services
- Food as a motif to celebrate different cultures
- Healthy eating
- Sharing, happy and positive
- Connection between food & music
- Togetherness, inclusivity, diversity, kindness, helpfulness
Artist: Will Redgrove
‘Our Table in Forest Gate’
'' The wonderful array of the foods found and eaten by the community of Forest Gate, both within the local shops and within the home. ‘Our Table’ describes a communal table, full of joy and life’’.
5. Mansons Pharmacy
The initial designs are based on the themes and aesthetics derived from community workshops including.
The legendary Upper Cut Club Musical heritage of Forest Gate The 60s stars performed (Jimi Hendrix,
- The Kinks, Otis Redding, Nina Simone, Prince Buster, Stevie Wonder, Small Faces etc.)The
- First Rock Against Racism was in Forest Gate - gig took place at the Princess Alice pub in Forest Gate in 1976
- Jimi Hendrix invented E7 cord at the
- Upper Cut Club
- Figurative, realism, graphic
- History of music in Forest Gate
- The Stax Tour in 1967: As shown in the BBC documentary artists played to unsegregated and enthusiastic British audiences
Artist: Zabou
‘Jimi Hendrix at the Upper Cut Club’
‘‘The design aims to celebrate musical and cultural heritage, inspire and communicate a sense of identity and pride within the community’’.
