Bricks on the wall, a project completed in 2018, was a visual arts response to the Wall project by Eltham Arts. Pragya used her collage skills to encourage the members of the community to think and respond to walls that we build physically, culturally and mentally around us. There are walls of mind, culture, race, mental health, personalities and identities. Then there are walls with heritage, telling us stories, architecturally strong, decorative and impressive walls. In exploring at what these walls are and what they are for, people can gain insight to the world we live in and how we may break them down or use them as connectors.
People were asked to draw/design/decorate/write or use any medium to express themselves on 2D, bricks size (20cmx 6cm) cardboard. To facilitate the brick making, I did workshops in schools, libraries and with various groups (stroke group, flokmob music group, elderly group who meet in library and community centers) within the community. There were over 900 bricks made by people from different age groups and backgrounds. The children in the schools explored walls of multi-culture, heritage and art on pre-historic walls and 51 children achieved their Arts Award qualification through this project.
The Wall project was nominated for the Epic Awards 2020 by Voluntary Arts!
Bricks on the wall exhibition
There was an overwhelming response to Bricks on the wall project. The community contributed more than 900 bricks!
There were knitted bricks, embroidered bricks, crochet bricks, resin bricks. ceramic bricks, 3D bricks and the regular 2D cardboard bricks. People from all age groups participated and made bricks to express Walls of multi-culture, heritage, history, politics, music, art, language, mental health, physical challenges, past, present, nature and much more.
The bricks were exhibited at the "WALL" exhibition in SE9 Container Gallery from 22nd Sept - 13th Oct 2018 and was loved and highly appreciate by the community.
Bricks on the wall ...
Posted by Artiday on Monday, October 15, 2018
The Participants
It was an open project which invited members of the SE9 community, from all ages and backgrounds, to participate and express their opinions about walls around them.
These are few schools and community groups involved in the project are:
Haimo Primary School
51 children from year one have made their bricks to represent multiculture and they have all achieved a Level 3 - Explore Arts Award. 41 children from year two have explored and made their bricks about "Heritage Walls" by visiting Eltham Palace.
Wyborne Primary School
30 children from year six are making ceramic bricks as their contribution. 55 children from year two will create bricks based on pre-historic art on walls.
The schools will also have a parents, teachers and governers brick making workshops at the end of the project.
Middlepark School
The year six children have contributed beautiful bricks made of felt.
El Muro En Castellano
The Latin American and Spanish community in SE9 area putting their voice out about "Freedom". We will be working with the Spanish club El Recreo to create a tapastery piece which involves all age groups from their club.
The Stroke Assocation
The members of the Greenwich Stroke Club enjoyed their time making bricks to address their views about walls around them.
Hooked on crochet
Sylvia, from hookedoncrochet is inviting to join her to crochet bricks ! So whether you are expert or would love to learn a new skill, join her on Tuesday, 10 - 12 at Pottery on Parade.
Here is what the year 2 children and their parents had to say about the project ...
For updates on the project and more workshop details, please visit my Artiday or Wall Facebook pages.