Home-grown Art Exhibition

This Thursday (07 November 2013), a unique art exhibition launches at London’s Mall Galleries, comprising one-off pieces by home-grown talent from across the Capital.

The two-week public exhibition is one of several initiatives taking place this year to mark the 50th anniversary of London’s leading housing association, Notting Hill Housing (NHH). Fifty Artists 50 Years will showcase works of art by 50 residents from across its London homes, from Ealing to Islington; one for each year of the organisation’s existence.

The artists range from amateur painters, sculptors and sketchers to early-career and budding professionals, aged between 20 and 97. The pieces were selected by a panel, largely made up of Notting Hill residents and staff, including volunteers who run some of its art clubs and classes, and a representative from Mall Galleries, which curated the final exhibition.

Fifty Artists 50 Years is the first project to take place in the Mall Galleries’ new Learning Centre as part of its new Art & Heritage Programme, which explores the rich history of the Capital and its diverse cultural identities.

One artist, Nicky St Vie from Bermondsey, has been a NHH resident since 1995. Nicky’s interest in art flourished while in prison, where he focused on sketching portraits and caricatures for others to help him cope. He regularly created portraits of family members for the other prisoners, while a collection of caricatures of the guards were proudly framed and hung in their break room. He comments: “It was a really tough time, but it was also the first time I really had time to dedicate to my art. This is my first proper exhibition and my first chance to really get some exposure. My hope is to one day become a full time working artist”.

Nicky takes a lot of his inspiration from the subversive, anti-establishment works of street artists such as Banksy, and often draws adaptions of famous photographic images with his own political or social twist.

Another one of the creative talents, Lucy Woo from Westminster, adds: “Having been through several major surgeries I was offered a taster painting session at the Penfold Community Hub. Painting has helped me to relax, heal and be at peace with myself. It gives me a wonderful feeling and a great sense of achievement when I complete each piece of work.”

The Fifty Artists 50 Years exhibition has been a year in the making and is supported by sponsors including Savills, Hamptons International and Bernard Marcus. The artwork on display will be available to purchase with 30% of sales going towards the organisation’s Emergency Hardship Fund, which offers extra support for residents living in poverty. The artists can also be commissioned.

Mandy Worster, from Notting Hill Housing, explains: “The aim of this partnership between Notting Hill Housing and The Mall Galleries is to encourage artistic creativity and to promote a better understanding across all ages, cultures and backgrounds.

“Since it was founded in 1963, with a single house on Blenheim Crescent, NHH has grown rapidly and now provides more than 27,000 homes across the Capital. What better way to celebrate the increasing diversity of our organisation than through its people?”