Thursday 16 October 2014

Moniker Art Fair - 16-19th October

I will be exhibiting with the lovely people from Jealous Gallery at The Moniker Art Fair this weekend.  'The Revolution Starts Here' screenprint will be available in two different colour-ways, neon pink/grey, and yellow/grey - spot them in the pics below!  I'm really excited to be exhibiting alongside some fabulous artists such as Charming Baker, Jess Wilson, Magda Archer and Russell Marshall.

Curating the Contemporary have just publishing a fascinating interview with Jealous Gallery owner Dario Illari, have a read here.

Images below are courtesy of Jealous Gallery:





Monday 13 October 2014

Admiration and ultimate respect for the Focus E15 mum's - Keep up the fight!

I have been avidly following the story of the Focus E15 families, these amazing brave women have shone a light on the very real issue of the London housing crisis.  

A group of mothers from the Focus E15 hostel were told that they would be rehoused in areas such as Birmingham, Hastings and Manchester, instead of accepting this they reclaimed and occupied an empty block of flats on the Carpenters Estate in Newham.  These flats in Stratford, East London had been left empty for months and months, waiting to be sold to developers to create luxury flats just next to the Olympic Stadium.

It seems completely absurd that so many flats were left empty, in perfect working order, whilst families were told that they would have to leave their friends and local communities to start new lives in places miles away.
 
This process of gentrification is happening across many boroughs in London, with councils selling off housing to private developers, paving the way for the rich (the minority) and pushing out the poor (the majority).

Thank you Focus E15 - your brave actions show that urgent and radical action IS required, we need more social housing.

In your words: 'Social Housing Not Social Cleansing'

Let's hope that the support for you will keep gathering momentum and the attitudes of the decision makers will start to change.






Pics credits - The Guardian and Focus E15

Focus E15 on twitter - @FocusE15
Focus E15 on facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Focus-E15-Mothers/602860129757343

Aditya Chakrobortty:
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/23/real-politics-empty-london-housing-estate

Sarah Kwei:
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/oct/05/focus-e15-mums-fight-for-right-to-home

Russell Brand and Focus E15
http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-29462590