Two murals were unveiled in south London today, created by local artists with the intention of representing the diversity and closeness of the community they’re now on display in.
Joy, created by artist Maisa Mreiwed, is now on display at the South London Community Centre on Jalna Boulevard, and Colourful Communities, designed by artist Aruba Mahmud is visible at the nearby South London Community Pool.
The artists were joined by city politicians and staff, and representatives from the London Arts Council and the Rotary Club of London for the unveiling, part of a project called Songline, which pairs local artworks with QR codes that link to music from local musicians.
Both works of art use windows on the front of the buildings they now call home as their canvas, and can be seen both inside and outside.
Joy
Joy, in its current form, is a massive mural that now stands proudly above the entryway of the South London Community Centre, but it started small.
Mreiwed drew it on paper, with just a quill and black ink, which was complemented by vibrant acrylics, she said.
In the lead-up to its creation, she said, she immersed herself in what the centre has to offer to better represent it and the people that use it.
“I found out that the centre offers many, many classes, and I found that the people here are diverse, so that’s where I came up with the idea of lots of colour and brightness, and happiness,” Mreiwed said.
The circle in the centre of the piece is a symbol of unity, enlightenment and harmony, according to the artist.
“It reflects the way this [community centre] brings people together across generations and backgrounds.”
The two birds that flank the circle, watching over it, are northern cardinals, said to bring joy, peace, guidance and comfort to those who need it most.
“Together, they bring forward both nature’s beauty, and the strength of community,” Mreiwed said.
Colourful Communities
The diversity of the community that is now home to the murals was top of mind while Mahmud created her work of art as well.
Her piece is a depiction of vibrantly coloured coral reefs, fitting for its new home on the circular windows in the South London Community Pool’s deck.
“I wanted it to bring joy to others in our community,” Mahmud said. “Also, coral reefs are ecosystems. They are very interdependent communities, you could say, with a lot of different organisms and species all cohabiting and working together.”
“I thought it would be a nice message.”
From inside the pool room, the multi-window mural casts vibrant reflections on the water.
“I even hid different sea creatures in the artwork to make it more interactive,” Mahmud said.
According to Mahmud, who has worked on other public displays of art in the past, the opportunity to create something like this is always affirming, and is certainly an honour.
“My brother used to joke, ‘You’re going to be like an artist painting under the bridge,’ like that starving artist mentality. He was joking, but it is true,” she said.
“You don’t always know if you can succeed in the arts or make income from the arts, and that’s not why I do it. I do it first and foremost because I love it, but to be valued and appreciated as an artist, it really is an incredible opportunity.”
That’s a sentiment that’s relatable for Mreiwed.
“It’s a joy,” Mreiwed said. “I hope a lot of people, when they come and look at the art, they have a smile on their face. I’m proud.”
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