A vibrant new mural in West London has been unveiled in the run up to this summer’s Kensington + Chelsea Art Week. The mural design by Ladbroke Grove based artist Junior Tomlin, ‘Children Are Our Rising Stars’, was chosen via public vote and is located at the Emslie Horniman Pleasance Park in Kensal Rise.
“I included musical symbols to reference the rich cultural heritage of our community. Here is an abundance of musical talent and the fact, every year, Panorama Steel Pan is held in the park. This was flagged as one of the important themes in the workshops with the community members.”
Junior Tomlin is an icon when it comes to flyer art, so much so he’s been described as the ‘Salvador Dali of rave’. His winning design is based on elements of the environment, and encapsulates historical, social, and cultural aspects of the area.
“In the workshops, the community referred to nature, so the design refers to ‘the passage of time which is shown by four Sycamore leaves representing the seasons.”
As part of ongoing initiative dedicated to bringing great art and creative flare to unusual sites across the borough, KCAW have partnered with Kensington and Chelsea Council on the project, which aims to make a positive contribution to the area’s urban landscape and celebrate the histories of the borough with original works by local artists, chosen by public vote.
“I was inspired by the workshop at the Ark Brunel Primary Academy, and my proposal is to invite all the children to add their handprints to the final mural painting. The children were forever ready to answer questions in class, so their hands were important to the design. I also used elements of their drawings from the workshops which referred to kindness and sharing.”
Kensington + Chelsea Art Week runs from 22 June – 2 July 2023.
Permanent artwork in children’s playground
Emslie Horniman’s Pleasance Park.
Kensal Rd, London W10 5EG.
