David Shillinglaw’s ‘modern day Bayeux tapestry’

Design Week favourite David Shillinglaw has created a gigantic artwork for the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in east London, designing a piece with the bold aim of forming a ‘modern day Bayeux tapestry’.

Togetherness
Togetherness

While Shillinglaw is no stranger to working on a large scale (we loved his shed at Latitude Festival last year), this piece measures a whopping 385 metres.

Generation after generation
Generation after generation

Entitled Tapestry, it forms part of the Living Walls project, a participatory art programme for the Queen Elizabeth Park hoardings curated by Moniker Projects and Create. 

At first I thought it was a mess
At first I thought it was a mess

The piece will be in place for around three to five years.

Everyone used to talk to each other
Everyone used to talk to each other

Shillinglaw says,  ‘It’s an investment, not just a financial investment, but an investment into culture and to London, and to young aspiring artists and to everyone who sees this painting and walks past it.’

A diverse mix of people
A diverse mix of people

The mural depicts the story of the park and the people that live around it, showing their tales from the announcement that London had won the Olympic bid to the event itself, and into the future of the space.

EXCITING TIMES!
EXCITING TIMES!

It’s brought to life with Shillinglaw’s signature bright colours, strange figures and hand-painted type, with wonderful and often surreal symbols that look set to give the space a big, bright boost for now and the future.

David Shillinglaw launches Tapestry part of Living Walls at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
David Shillinglaw launches Tapestry part of Living Walls at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Tapestry can be seen at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London E20 2ST

Tapestry
Tapestry
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  • Julian Cheyne May 3, 2020 at 11:01 pm

    total nonsense – “In line with the need for art to explain and edify at sites where misunderstandings may arise about the project a mural has been painted on the ‘hoarding’ around the site now poshly renamed Chobham Manor, formerly the down at heel Clays Lane estate, which was knocked down along with the neighbouring student estate at Park Village and the Clays Lane Travellers’ Site. These three sites are not described nor does their history feature in this ‘historical’ work. The tower blocks were part of the Park Village student estate, Clays Lane was, until just before the Olympics, a housing Co-operative and travellers have lived in the area around the River Lea from time immemorial. Other nearby significant local facilities which are not described include the Eastway Cycle Circuit with its beautiful park, the Manor Gardens Allotments and, of course, the disregarded but valuable industrial area.” http://www.gamesmonitor.org.uk/node/2298

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