Leader – Narrow thinking

No sooner had our previous leader calling for proper citizen involvement in the design of public spaces been published than a perfect example landed in our inbox. A disappointed and puzzled resident had written in after reading our story about the council’s £19m plans to draw more visitors into Hackney Central.

As we and many others pointed out, one of the star attractions of the town centre is the trio of Hackney Windrush sculptures by Turner Prize winner Veronica Ryan – pieces commissioned by the Town Hall itself.

The problem all these would-be visitors might find is, well, actually finding Ryan’s beautiful recreations of a custard apple, soursop and breadfruit. As our reader pointed out, the sculptures spend much of the time hidden behind the Narrow Way’s market stalls – ironic given they were inspired by the artist’s childhood trips to Ridley Road.

This may seem a relatively small issue compared to the grand plans for the borough’s hub, but it’s no less important, especially if the council is hoping to bring in more tourists. It’s also a great example of something that is far more likely to crop up through intensive engagement with residents.

Ryan herself said she’d like to see her works used as communal seating. Why not incorporate them into the market?