Camden Blossoms
Matt SmallCamden Blossoms
Camden Blossoms is a new outdoor artwork made by Camden artist Matt Small. Commissioned by Camden Culture Service, the artwork celebrates the contributions made by the Caribbean community to life in the borough of Camden.
To see the new artwork visit Talacre Gardens and head to the outside wall of the sports centre.
Camden Blossoms
Camden Blossoms is a new outdoor artwork made by Camden artist Matt Small. Commissioned by Camden Culture Service, the artwork celebrates the contributions made by the Caribbean community to life in the borough of Camden.
To see the new artwork visit Talacre Gardens and head to the outside wall of the sports centre.
About the artwork
Through four separate mixed-media artworks, the artist presents stories from our Caribbean communities celebrating public service, activism, cultural identity and unity.
The Blossom of Service highlights the work of Camden’s first Black mayor, Jerry Williams, who was instrumental in the development of Talacre Park from bombsite to public garden. It is a beacon which also represents the continued public service of many people from Camden’s Caribbean community, who strive to help people and make life better.
The Blossom of Activism highlights activist Claudia Jones’ significant impact on the civil rights and welfare of British Caribbean and African communities across Britain. Claudia set up the first Black-led newspaper, The West Indian Gazette in 1958. The following year she developed and delivered the UK’s first Caribbean Carnival at St Pancras Town Hall (now Camden Town Hall) which inspired the Notting Hill Carnival. This blossom represents the borough’s significant and wide ranging story of Black activism, which continues today.
The Blossom of Cultural Identity celebrates the impact of Caribbean culture on the UK through the Funky Dred logo of Camden’s legendary music collective Soul II Soul. The far reaching influence of Caribbean music, fashion and art can be felt across the globe today.
The One Love Blossom is a collaborative piece made with help from Haverstock High School, Rhyl Primary School and TAG play scheme. The blossom encapsulates everything the borough of Camden represents; a multicultural haven that enables our young people to grow up in unity with people from many different racial and social backgrounds.
Scroll down to Keep Exploring and see some of the stories that inspired the artwork.
Camden Blossoms was funded through Camden's Strategy for Diversity in the Public Realm and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
