With a little help from strangers, BA Culture, Criticism and Curation student Jemima Wilson turned her street in Stepney, East London, into a community art gallery.
Wilson posted a letter through the door of each house on her road, asking the inhabitants to draw a group portrait of themselves. Costs were minimal – she simply provided crayons and Blu Tack – but the rewards were huge. Within a week of making her request, Wilson saw 35 portraits pop up in neighbouring windows.
The enterprise, with its array of sketched families, smiling faces, scribbled messages and crayon cats, was featured in a Time Out article on “kind-hearted projects”. Talking about her idea, Wilson said: “It’s my response to living on a road where I still don’t know anyone. If I can’t change the world, perhaps I can change a street.”
More information:
BA Culture, Criticism and Curation
The Dear Neighbour project
Dear Neighbour in Time Out