Wicked Changes

The much-visited narratives of change in Hackney Wick are those of gentrification, who is involved in creating the new image of this area and who is left behind. Felstead Art has invited a selected group of local artists and makers (graphic, mixed media and fine artists, illustrators and photographers) to exhibit their observations, intimate and powerful responses to the physical changes in their neighbourhood. “Wicked changes” will offer an insight into the way new architectural language and the new stakeholders in decision making have shifted the currents of creativity.

The previous period of isolation brought forward the conversations around care, but the tangible support for the creative community is rarely seen. Cedric Price spoke of architecture that needs to be a “socially beneficial distortion of the environment”, yet there is an evident erosion of the creative capital, with studios being forcefully closed and artists migrating to other hubs as the area is being (re)built. The exhibition, placed in the eye of once biggest artist colony in Europe, will highlight the need to care for the artists’ voices and preserve the creativity of this area.

“Wicked changes” opens on Wednesday 23rd June 2021 with a drinks reception and runs for a week. The exhibition is curated by Felstead Art in collaboration with Dr Maja Jović, an architect, senior lecturer at Architecture + Cities at Westminster University and researcher in post-conflict places, placemaking and critical destination development.