One of the great pleasures of cycling round London is coming across works of art like this, unobtrusively mounted on a wall on a canal towpath, quietly brightening my day.
Entitled
A World in Islington, the four mosaics illustrate the changing canal landscape over the 200 years or so since it was built. They were created in 2010 by pupils at the Hanover Primary School just behind the wall. Artists
Carina Wyatt and Cathy Ludlow 'helped', as they say.
My favourite panel shows narrowboats being hauled by horses to the basin where they are being unloaded.
"The Layered City" is particularly dramatic, showing how transport systems weave in, out and under each other in today's metropolis. Love that scooter!
Today, the canal has lost its commercial function. I remember the canal rotting to death in the 1970s, so it is uplifting to see how it has become a focus for relaxation and fun. Love the dogs!
This panel is titled Tools and Trades, showing local industries including tailoring, hairdressing, musical instrument making, building and cooking. Difficult to photograph as it is half in the shade of a big tree. Love those 'taches!
Benches by the artists stand in front of the panels. They are much more 'finished' compositions and somehow lose the joie de vivre of the work the children were involved in. Still nice, though.
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