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At The Garden Of Hope

November 10, 2016
by the gentle author

(Click to enlarge this portrait of those involved in making the mosaic)

It was my pleasure to take a trip to Tottenham recently to spend an afternoon at the Mental Health Unit where Tessa Hunkin and the members of the Hackney Mosaic Project have been working with patients and staff over fourteen weeks through the summer to create a new mosaic entitled The Garden of Hope.

At the centre of the unit is a yard enclosed by buildings on all sides and lined with astroturf. Through discussion, the notion of conceiving of this space as The Garden of Hope arose and the heartfelt iconography of the mosaic was devised, featuring a pair of lions as representatives of the residents at the unit, with open gates and road leading to a white tower incarnating the possibility of reaching a better place.

Rosalie Simpson served rice and beans and we sat at long tables to eat our food in celebration of the joint achievement. Everyone was extremely proud of the beautiful mural that has been created and the collective desire that it represents in such poignant fashion, and – at this particular moment in a troubled year – it is a sentiment we can all understand.

Rosalie Simpson cooked up rice and beans in celebration of the completion of the mosaic

(Click to enlarge and study the mosaic in detail)

THE HACKNEY MOSAIC PROJECT is seeking commissions, so if you would like a mosaic please get in touch hackneymosaic@gmail.com

You may also like to read about

The Mosaic Makers of Hoxton

The Hoxton Varieties Mosaic

The Mosaic Makers of Hackney Downs

The Award-Winning Mosaic Makers of Hackney

The Queenhithe Mosaic

Hackney Mosaic Project at London Zoo

7 Responses leave one →
  1. November 10, 2016

    With everything that has been happening just lately thank you for sharing something so positive. Those who made it have every reason to be very proud of it.

  2. November 10, 2016

    Fantastic project! Valerie

  3. rosemaryHoffman permalink
    November 10, 2016

    how beautiful it is congratulations to all who worked on it

  4. November 10, 2016

    Some much-needed positive vibes! Congratulations to all for a beautiful, enduring outcome; and the collective joy of creating something together.
    This mural has touchstones of so many wonderful elements — Edward Hicks primitive paintings,
    quilts, tapestries, etc — and yet it is thoroughly original, distinctive, and current.
    Beautiful!

  5. Ros permalink
    November 10, 2016

    terrific mosaic and message!

  6. pauline taylor permalink
    November 10, 2016

    This is lovely. Well done to all concerned, it is great to see people working together to produce something so attractive, and it proves that in these truly awful times that we are living in it can be done. It gives me hope!!

  7. Jennifer permalink
    November 16, 2016

    I love Hackney Mosaics!
    And this is yet another gorgeous creation (the little fox face in the lower righthand corner is a personal favourite detail).

    Do you know if this is just for hospital residents, or if we are passing by can we see it?

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