Primary school pupils brush up for Ridley Road art project

Sion Ap Tomos in a corridor at Great Ormond Street Hospital that he designed with patients.

Pupils from Princess May primary school are to illustrate their thoughts on the “past, present and future” of Hackney’s Ridley Road Market.

Clapton-based artist Sion Ap Tomos will help the Year 5 children sketch out their imaginings for a project led by London charity and art gallery House of Illustration that kicks off on 9 November.

The final drawings will be published and distributed around the Ridley Road area.

Ap Tomos said: “Through drawing – from life, from historical images and from imagination – the children will have the chance to communicate what they think about the past, present and future of the market.

“They are living through the changes to the area and their thoughts about it are as important as anyone else’s, which is why we are going to capture them and publish them as booklets.”

Coincidentally, Hackney Council are currently surveying residents, traders and businesses within half a kilometre of each of the borough’s major local markets, to see if any improvements can be made.

House of Illustration’s Head of Education, Emily Jost, said: “We are delighted to be working with Princess May School as the children know the market well and this project will empower them to think about it in new ways, and to communicate their ideas visually.”

Jost was full of praise for Ap Tomos, saying: “He has delivered many projects with schools, taught masterclasses and short courses for adults. He lives in Hackney, has a great track record in producing very high quality outcomes with all the groups he works with, and he has a particular interest in capturing places.”

From 28 October, House of Illustration will be hosting an exhibition by local artist and campaigner Lucinda Rogers – titled On Gentrification – which documents the changing face of Ridley Road Market.

The pupils from Princess May will get to meet Rogers and see her work before embarking on their own creations.

To find out more about the House of Illustration and its education programme, please visit the gallery’s website here.