Art on Hoardings

Artwork inspired by the environment and wildlife is now being displayed on hoardings surrounding a new housing development in Marks Gate.

The paintings and drawings by students from Rose Lane Primary school were created as part of a competition run by the council’s regeneration organisation, Be First, with help from Studio 3 Arts.

This week local councillors, Cllr Sade Bright and Cllr Simon Perry, visited the site where the work is now displayed to meet the young artists, Assistant Deputy Headteacher, Lara Marsh, and Elaine Tribley.

Cllr Perry said: “The children’s work is awesome and inspirational. It’s great to see young people getting involved and expressing their love of nature and their local environment through art.”

Beth Cross, Community Engagement Coordinator at Be First, said: “It’s so important to involve the local community and young people with what we’re trying to build here – a great place for all, with quality new homes for local people and an improved and more bio-diverse environment.”

Lara Marsh, said: “The history of Marks Gate has been long and varied. It started with a moated manor house surrounded by three small hamlets at the entrance to Hainault Forest and then blossomed and grew in the 1950s. Since then, the school has been at the heart of the community and this is still our role today.

“At Rose Lane we pride ourselves on the breadth and depth of our curriculum ensuring that our pupils leave us engaged with the society they live in. The creative arts are a hugely important aspect and this project not only encouraged the children to express themselves through art but also developed their knowledge of the community they live in and added something beautiful for them, their families and their neighbours to look at.”

Rosie Ross, Senior Creative Producer at Studio 3 Arts, said: “Studio 3 Arts is delighted to have collaborated with the children from Rose Lane Primary. Their work celebrates the history and natural landscape of Padnall Lake which they developed in responses to artpacks compiled by artist Elaine Tribley during lockdown.

“It’s fantastic that the children can now see their ideas realised within this informative and colourful design and share it with their families and the wider Marks Gate community.”

The artwork is displayed on the hoardings which surround the new development at Marks Gate which will feature 81 quality new affordable homes for local people.

Local school pupils’ artwork, celebrating the past, present and future of the Gascoigne neighbourhood in Barking, is being displayed on hoardings surrounding redevelopment sites.

The art by students from Gascoigne Primary School was created as part of the ‘Gascoigne Your Place’ competition run by Be First during the first lockdown in 2020.

This week local councillors, Cllr Cameron Geddes, Cabinet Member Regeneration and Economic Development; Cllr Saima Ashraf, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Community Engagement; and Cllr Abdul Aziz, visited the site and met competition winner, six-year old Rithvi Reddy Vaddepally, and staff from Gascoigne Primary School.

Rithvi’s parents, Harika Vaddepally and Ramchander Reddy Vaddepally, said: “Rithvi was exited to participate in the competition and she was really surprised to win. Thank you for giving her the opportunity to be part of this competition and for encouraging the kids.”

Cllr Ashraf said: “It’s fantastic to see this artwork – it’s a testament to the love, passion and engagement local youngsters have for their neighbourhood.”

The art competition was run by Be First who are delivering the redevelopment of Gascoigne on behalf of Barking and Dagenham Council.

Gascoigne Primary School students were asked to create a piece of art or write some words about their neighbourhood.

For the Early Years category, entrants were asked to draw or paint a picture of a place that they liked in their neighbourhood on their way to school.

For Key Stage 1, entrants had to draw a map of their journey to school highlighting interesting new buildings, places, streets, trees and playgrounds. Key Stage 2 entrants were asked to make a drawing and write a few sentences describing how their neighbourhood is changing due to the current construction and how they would like it to improve.

Ben Addison, Construction Manager at Be First, said: “The community is at the heart of what we do at Be First so it’s great to give local young people a chance to contribute as we work to make the new Gascoigne neighbourhood one of the most liveable places in London. It’s about hearts and minds as well as bricks and mortar – it’s what we call real regeneration.”

To find out more about these artworks and the wider project of artworks across the borough, visit: https://yourcall.befirst.london/art-on-hoardings

Artwork with a powerful message adorns hoardings surrounding an affordable development in Becontree thanks to local young people.

The message, "Bricks make houses – People make homes" – is emblazoned across a stretch of hoardings at the new Woodward Road development.

The artwork was designed and made by young people from Barking and Dagenham’s Youth Forum with help from local artists Ben Martin and Griffi alongside Studio 3 Arts.

The artwork was part of a wider project involving Be First, Studio 3 Arts, schools, groups and artists who are working on a series of artworks that will be displayed on hoardings of development sites across the borough which celebrate the history, heritage and the future of the area.

The group of young people collaborated with local artists Ben Martin and Griffi alongside Studio 3 Arts over a series of workshops to create a design that is reflective of their hopes and ambitions.

They explored statements, symbols, and emblems before deciding on this bold statement, which celebrates their local area on the centenary of the borough’s Becontree estate, and is reflective of the importance of home.

"Bricks make houses, people make homes."

Be First is working with artists, schools and our contractors on a series of artworks that will be displayed on hoardings of development sites across the borough, to celebrate the history, heritage and the future of the area.

'Your Place' competition

These artworks by students at Gascoigne Primary School were all winners of the competition ‘Gascoigne Your Place’ run in 2020 during the first lockdown. We asked the school’s students to create a piece of art or write some words about their neighbourhood.

For the Early Years category, we asked entrants to draw or paint a picture of a place that they liked in their neighbourhood on their way to school.

For Key Stage 1, entrants had to draw a map of their journey to school highlighting interesting new buildings, places, streets, trees, playgrounds.

For Key Stage 2, entrants were asked to make a drawing and write a few sentences describing how their neighbourhood is changing due to the current construction and how they would like it to improve.

Winners and Artworks

Early years winners

My local area by Abdulrahmaan Mohammed, aged 5

'I drew a map of my house, my GP surgery, the park and my school'

Barking Town hall by Rithvi Vaddepally, aged 5

Rithvi celebrates many community festivals and events at Barking Town Hall, it is also on the way to school.

KS1 Winners

My school journey by Jevon Dai, aged 6

'On a typical school day I always walk past Greatfield park, one of my favourite places with my mum and sister, I like to play seesaw and swings with my sister. I think the huge slide is the coolest thing in the park. During spring, I see lots of pink cherry bloom trees and little flowers on my way to school. I am always excited to see these beautiful flowers.'

Barking Boathouse by Liyana Hossain, aged 6

This is where Liyana goes with her Dad for an evening walk. She has drawn the river Roding and the Boathouse. Liyana loves the building, the boats and the river.

Way to school by Pranav V Menon, aged 6

This is a map of his journey to school. Pranav marks out his journey on his map and includes key locations including Barking Town hall, Abbey park, the Abbey centre and the river Roding.

KS2 Winners

How I see my Barking! by Muhammad Qasim, aged 8

Muhammad has created a detailed map with drawings and text to describe how he sees his hometown. He writes the following; ‘I want better quality and affordable houses. More schools with more teachers. I am proud of the NHS during covid-19, it needs more nurses and doctors. Everyone should have the freedom to follow their religion. More gardens for children to play. More shops with healthy food. People should be encouraged to use public transport.’

My journey to school by Jenny Dai, aged 8

This is a detailed display of Jenny’s journey to school and key, important locations on her way, these are Barking town hall and the Broadway theatre, Barking library, Greatfields park, Abbey Leisure Centre. Jenny has written a detailed piece of writing about the improvements she would like to see on Gascoigne.

Be First has been working in collaboration with contractor Willmott Dixon and Studio 3 Arts to install a series of artworks. To be shown on the site’s hoardings in three different places, the designs will be the first in a series of artworks on construction sites across the borough to celebrate the history, heritage and the future of the area.

These artworks by artist Elaine Tribley is the culmination of a project with Greatfields School. Elaine worked with students from the school who responded to her brief ‘The Estate of Gascoyne’ in March 2021. The students created a series of different artworks that included 21^st century self-portraits in the style of local dignitaries such as Sir Crisp Gascoyne and Mrs Margaret Bamber and drawings of the rich and interesting heritage of the area.

‘This is our home’. This design has been developed by extracting elements of students’ drawings, creating clusters of buildings, fish and leaves. Each element is a response to the rich heritage and natural resources within the Gascoigne neighbourhood and the town of Barking. From buildings of historical interest to the vast variety of trees and the fishing histories that framed the town's origins.

‘We Are Greatfields School’, students’ self-portraits have been extracted and placed on a ‘wallpaper’ pattern background created by using leaves drawn by the students. The artwork has been spaced out like a grand hall of framed portraits found in homes such as the Gascoyne Manor House which once stood on the Gascoigne neighbourhood.