Ria Addison Gayle, a HGAED artist, is interested in the impact of gentrification on local communities. Her art work The Changing Face of SE15, which documents the changing environment in Peckham, also importantly captures the diversity and community that Peckham is famous for. The installation includes a large central image (see below) of two shop fronts on either side of an alleyway, which encapsulates these changes.
The shop on the left of the alleyway bares witness to the influx of new businesses, in this instance a cafe. This sits in stark contrast to the Afro Caribbean hair dresser that is position on right hand side of the alleyway, which is currently under threat. Surrounding this central image are the portraits of people who live and work in Peckham. The red thread that connects and cuts across the photographs is a reminder we are all connected and are all part of the community.An important aspect of this art work is it is not intended to be simply looked at, Ria wanted the art work to grow to include the thoughts of the community, to represent the fact that communities are always in a state of flux.
Ria led workshops where people from the community were invited to respond to the art work. These can be seen through the comments and through the laying on of the hands which people decorated with their thoughts of Peckham. These personal insights show the diversity of people in Peckham, Peckham's complex history and the impact of current changes, both positive and negative on the existing community. What was apparent from the thoughts shared about Peckham, is that despite suffering from bad press, Peckham is home to many people and is therefore very much part of peoples identity. What came across was how much Peckham is loved.
Ria led workshops where people from the community were invited to respond to the art work. These can be seen through the comments and through the laying on of the hands which people decorated with their thoughts of Peckham. These personal insights show the diversity of people in Peckham, Peckham's complex history and the impact of current changes, both positive and negative on the existing community. What was apparent from the thoughts shared about Peckham, is that despite suffering from bad press, Peckham is home to many people and is therefore very much part of peoples identity. What came across was how much Peckham is loved.
Further Gentrification Explorations