Friday 17 June 2011

New mural for Douglas Way Square

Buried at the bottom of the applications page of the Deptford X website I found an invitation for artists to submit proposals for a new mural in Douglas Way Square to replace the existing mural, which has definitely seen better days (click on the words 'Douglas Way Square' to download the document).

I seem to have missed the general announcement of this, but artists need to be quick - the deadline for proposals is 4 July.

'The London Borough of Lewisham is looking to replace the current mural on Douglas Square, titled “Deptford Railway Yard”, produced by Christopher Ryland and Paul Prestidge in 1980.
Over time the mural has suffered significant wear and tear and the council has now decided to replace the mural with a new piece of artwork.
Douglas Way Square is under going extensive refurbishment and this new design will be an important addition to the look and feel of the square.
We are looking for to contract an artist to produce a new piece of artwork on the wall, which can be maintained and developed over a three year period. We are flexible as to the nature of the proposal and are interested in receiving proposals that, for example, apply a range of techniques or develop the creative practice of an artist or maker interested in working to a large scale.'


There's a lengthy selection process; from the submissions, three designs will be selected and the artists will each be given £250 to develop an installation method statement & risk assessment, a maintenance plan and detailed design sketches.

Phase three will involve the three designs being exhibited at a venue in Deptford where the public will be able to attend and make comment. The selected artists will have to attend a community event to talk to the members of the local community about their proposals. In stage four the artists will be interviewed by the selection panel (representatives of Lewisham Council, Design for London, Deptford X and local businesses) before a final choice is made.

The competition is open to all artists living or working in the UK, and the budget for the mural is £6k.

However the winner should not expect their work to be there in perpetuity; the brief only requires it to last 'at least a year'. The mural will be commissioned until August 2013 and then 'may be removed or re-commissioned'.

I'd love to see something bold, colourful and perhaps thought-provoking on that wall - the fact that I rarely notice the existing mural underlines the fact that it is faded and past its prime. Time for fresh influences.

3 comments:

Bert Bowes said...

Let me introduce my-self. I am Bert Bowes, my em mau36ber@gmail.com. Aged 87 yrs.
This morning, 5th May, I wanted to search for info re the pub on the north side of Windmill Lane, which I still have not got! In doing so I opened Pandora's Box 'The Deptford Dame'.
Prior to, during and after the 1939/45 war this was my world. My mother Grace Deeks was born at 89 Windmill Lane in 1908. The Deeks' then moved to the other side of the foot-bridge 32 Windmill lane. When we, the Bowes' were bombed out from Conley St. Greenwich we moved in with Nan & Grandad at 32. Those of you familiar with the houses Will know that with Nan, Grandad, my Mum, Me my baby sister, one uncle and two aunts that this was hardly suitable accommodation so we moved en-masse to 44, Windmill lane shortly to be 'bombed-out' again so we all moved across the road to 39. Not a good move because we were bombed-out again and we then moved to 26 where we stayed in comparative safety until the end of the war. My parents & I were given a requisitioned flat at 89 Humber Rd SE3 (with Mr & Mrs Kirby) we subsequently moved to Abbey Wood London SE2. The remainder of the Deeks' were moved to various addresses in Bellingham. Any-way back to my childhood. Deptford Park I remember well. The cinder surface football pitch, the running track which was also home to a'Barrage-balloon. the putting green, the pond and the play-ground. With it's assortment of then acceptable rides. Apart from the the swings and slide (Kids stuff) there was the 'Umbrella', the 'Giant Swing-boat, Ropes & Hoops. A potential disaster area which 'Elf & safety' would have shut down in a flash. Run of the mill stuff in those days. How-ever there was just inside the gate a first-aid hut managed by two ladies who looked after various cuts and bruises with liberal applications of iodine etc.. A large are of the park was given over to allotments and also parallel to Scawen Road was an air-raid shelter, which I have been assured is still there. There was also a large drinking fountain which the council decided to dismantle. It was stacked in bits just inside the park gates, during the evening some of us climbed into the park and roughly re-assembled it. We did not show ourselves when the workers turned up the next day. I bet the language was some-thing to hear!!Our other play areas were the bomb sites close to the Victualling Yard, The Surrey Canal and Smith & Olleys Wood Yard (If you could dodge the dogs!! Corner-shops:- although the were not always on a corner, that I remember were'Johnnie Roes' on the north side of the canal bridge,one whose name I mis-remember at the Grove St end of Hanlon St., 'Ronnie Reeves's dairy on the south side, 'Fred Websters' at 24,the greengrocers which was also destroyed, opposite The Chichester. After the was this became the site of George & Ena Hill's coffee shop, 'Dummies', The 'snobs' or cobblers'on the corner of Colwick St and Evelyn St where I was frequently sent for 6 pennyworth of leather (my Grandfather repaired all our shoes) The High St I remember well, I will try to avoid duplicating any of the other correspondents info. I am a little surprised that no-one mentioneed 'Manzies' or even 'Goddards' pie shops where empty stomachs were cheaply filled.Along with other children i loved to watch the old man cleaning and chopping up the eels out-side the shop. It was fascinating to see them still wriggling about although they were in bits!!

Bert Bowes said...

Bert Bowes Part 2

What we called the 'Showground' also had a 'bumper Car' ring at the back. My father told me that in his day this was a 'Bare-knuckle' boxing booth whee you could try your luck. At the Broadway end of the High St we had the Broadway and Odeon cinemas and the New Cross Empire. As a youngster I was frequently taken to the 'Empire' by my mother and aunts. The 'gods' which was all they could afford terrified me! Generally you had to queue to get into any of these venues, usually you could buy snacks while you were waiting such as 'Baked potatoes', 'Hot Chesstnuts', 'Faggots' or 'Saveloys' and'Pease Pudding' also there were the 'Buskers' (Very often dis-abled ex-servicemen). There were the 'Egyptian Sand Dancers' a trio who were excellent excellent entertainers. One who really fascinated me was the man who tore up folded newspapers then opened them to display his creations, one of which was a line of elephants 'Trunk to tail'.When my friends and I were old enough to attend 'The Empiire' unaccompanied we saw such 'turns' as Arthur Askey, Max Miller, Two Ton Tessie O'Shea, Jane The Striptease Artiste (The lights always went out at the crucial moment), Joan ????? The Strong Woman who bent iron bars across her neck and tore phone directories in half. All very risque for those days but not as risque as 'Tobacco Road'. Clubs we used were 'The Clover Leaf Club', 'The Shamrock Club' both Irish dancing (and fighting) clubs and 'The shakespeare Club' and 'The fellowship Inn' both 'Trad-Jazz Clubs'. Our pubs were mmainly 'The Caulkers', 'The Prince of Orange' 'The China Hall', 'The Indian Princess'. 'The Cock and Monkey' 'The Gregorian (Greg)', 'Fitchetts' (The Royal Surrey Commercial Docks Tavern), and 'The Lord Salisbury' in Lewisham. And so to names of friends and associates that I remember:- Tom Holland who lived at 28 and shared our air-raid shelter. Ken Birchall who lived at about 6, Freddy Cox who lived opposite me whose dad was disabled but managed to run a firewood business. Reggie Tutt and Lesley Wilbraham cousins who lived in Kempslade St., Ken Richmond who lived in a pre-fab on the site of 39. Then over the bridge there was Harry Hayward and Les Chapel who lived in Hanlon St., Kenny 'Okko' Hopkins who lived in Grove St., also on that side of the bridge were the Potters, Brian, Arthur, Derek, one of whom worked for the 'Kentish Mercury' and either 'The Daily Express' or 'The Daily Mail' as a sports reporter. There were others that I was not that close to Ken Cope & Michael Malin.I would be happy to respond to any em's.
Bert

Bert Bowes said...

Bert Bowes here.

My two posts shown were meant to appear under Deptford Memories.
I cannot see how to transfer them across.
Can anybody help me please?
Regards Bert