Canal Underpass, Thamesmead

London UK, 2020

Comissioned by Moniker Projects and Peabody estate to create this mural along the length of the canal in the town centre of Thamesmead, this was part of a bigger project creating a number of murals in the area.

For this part of the mural, I received input from Hawskmoor Primary School and has created a skyline of Thamesmead’s most loved buildings along the canal underpass next to the town centre.

Thank you to fellow artist Fem Sorcell for the assistance.

Architects of Community: The Big Ambitions of Brutalism

Public Art, Moniker Projects

17.11.20

Brutalism is arguably one of the most divisive architectural motifs, championing staunch supporters and determined defectors. For anti-modernists, it is the argument and the conclusion, the massive concrete structures indisputably opposite to their classical counterparts – if you can even really call them that. But where they sit on the architectural scales stands in stark contrast with the ideology behind them and what they were meant to help foster – a sense of community.

Artist Jo Peel spends a lot of time thinking about buildings, and was struck by their character upon first visiting the South-East area of London. Peel’s large-scale murals capture the environments in which she’s working, documenting the structures that shape the lives of those living in them. Her recent work along the Thamesmead canal is no exception, capturing important landmarks identified by the students at Hawksmoor Primary, incorporating them into her contribution to the Moniker Project backed commission. “For me, Brutalism is interesting because it’s so divisive, and I think a lot of people that love it the most don’t live in it. But it was built out of true utopian dreams,” Peel says. “It was built for the people, for a community.”