What is your work about?
Hackney Beautiful is a social commentary on the regeneration of the area. I grew up there and have lived there all my life. I’ve seen it go through substantial change. I think I wanted to capture it before it changes forever, just to let people know what it’s like. The whole beautiful junkyard is
Hackney. It’s what attracts people.
People used to walk up to me and say ah “You’re from Crackney”. Last year I was in the Strand wearing an “I love Hackney” badge. Someone saw it and said they wanted one too. It’s changed. It seems like it’s going to get turned into one of those trendy areas now, the it place, an expensive one, where people go to get spotted. I’m trying really hard not to say yuppie, because really it has always had those elements.
Why did you do this project?
Making this work allowed me to deal with my emotions about
Hackney. Before, I had been thinking about it but didn’t know how I felt about it. Doing the illustrations, going around and looking at Hackney showed me it hasn’t changed as much as I thought it had. It’s still that beautiful community.
Who would you like to see your work, and what would you say to them?
There are two lots of people I’d like to see this work. People who would appreciate the impact and value of it and who could offer an opportunity for others to do the same, and Hackney Regeneration Committee. To give them something to think about, and to remind them of the importance of working with the community and having a bit of consideration for that community. It exists.
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