Public art: public speech
Kirsten Downer introduces a new series, exploring Lewisham's radical tradition of art and activism.
Lewisham has a proud artistic and activist tradition stretching back at least 100 years. Generations of creatives, including famous names Mark Knopfler, Maxi Priest, Reeves and Mortimer and Kae Tempest have produced their art here, many drawn by cheap rents, the proximity to art hubs such as Goldsmiths, and the generative potential of a borough which speaks 170 languages.
More recently, developers have sought to exploit Lewisham’s arts culture as a commercial selling point for ongoing gentrification which threatens to destroy the very conditions which produce the art.
Lewisham’s public art does many things: it democratises art by bringing it out of the gallery and into the streets; it communicates voices and views that are excluded from mainstream media; it educates politically and it acts as a form of civic protest.
This regular series explores the myriad colourful, trailblazing and provocative public art bubbling up in Lewisham. In each article, we’ll focus on one particular public artwork and where possible, tell the story behind it.
If you would like to contribute an article for the series, please contact us at info@salamandernews.org Alternatively, use the form on our Contact Us page (found at the bottom of the every page).
