Wall power: Dalston teens paint mural around Benyon Estate building site

Year 10 students covered the hoardings with 25 paintings

Young artists in Dalston are brightening up the drab hoardings around the construction site of a new school building by painting a mural on the theme of “love and loss”.

Year 10 students at the Hackney New School have turned the boards around the site of the Hackney New Primary School in nearby De Beauvoir into a “community canvas” with 25 paintings.

The new 350-pupil primary school and new housing as part of a revamp of the Benyon Estate by developers Thornsett to replace the old Kingsland Road Fire Station.

Students brightened up Benyon Estate with a mural about ‘love and loss’

The project is sponsored by Benyon Estate as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility commitment to reinvest in the local community.

The teenagers’ paintings will go towards their art GCSEs.

Year 10 student Abimbola Taylor, 15, said: “My portraits try to show the emotions within the person I am painting.

The site will host the Hackney New Primary School and housing

“The eyes can show if someone is sad, happy or distant. I gave the painting a sunset to show that a new day will bring new opportunities.”

Art Director Paul Coomey, 38, who founded the project and worked with Head of Art Amy Birchard, said: “There is a lot of community art work happening in the area which doesn’t have a platform to be showcased.

“And there is a lot of construction work going on which is surrounded with plain boards which often attract graffiti.

The mural turned the construction site into a ‘community canvas’

“Due to its temporary nature, it’s almost like the project is an exhibition on a community canvas. It allows the young artists to reach beyond the pieces of A3 paper in the classroom.”

Coomey, who also does design work for the Citizen, added: “The young artists were easy to get on board and seemed to get a real kick out of it.

“When they first saw their work on display, they were playing it cool, as teenagers do. But you could see how they felt from the smiles on their faces.

‘You could see how they felt from the smiles on their faces’

“I’m hugely grateful to the Benyon Estate which has helped ensure it’s a viable project.”

Estates Director Edward Benyon said: “Paul’s idea is fantastic and it is an absolute pleasure to be able to provide the platform for the brilliant and inspiring art work of these young artists, and support Paul’s efforts to showcase community art.

“The art work has brightened up the perimeter of two of our sites while construction work takes place, and we hope it will brighten up the days of passers-by too.”