I have to say walking here to meet you I was impressed by the buildings and the inner green space and the sculptures…
of these very problems we are discussing— the disintegration of community by slumlords where those people have only got six months to be in the borough means that they don’t I have to say that our project was responsible have any commitment to the community. They for those sculptures—we engaged a sculptress just work, come home, work, come home to make them. and then they pay the rent. But they are beginning to stay—some are marrying English So you look at this community and effectively men or women and are becoming part of the all traces of that social group from 1978 are regular community. So many of the people I erased. What are the traces of the mural that work with in the school are Portuguese and exist? I heard you have a plywood replica of Eastern European people with children in it. the school and are now part of the Parents Teachers Association. They have the spirit that That’s here—not in this room. But I do have two-thirds of the mural in replica. It has been used to be in the borough. up a couple of times. [He shows me a photo What about the communications between of the replica.] those who are here from the old community and the newer, posh crowd living in the Do you find that the mural project brought privatised sectors? Do you keep points of the community together or was the project communication open? just a moment whose spirit is now lost? There was a totally different community then...completely different. It’s not like that now. I think the only way I work is with the school—that is where the community is now. Community is not out there in tenants’ associations or residents’ association because
[He laughs.] No, we robbed them. They won’t come here—there is a line, Battersea Park Road. They will only come to Tesco and scuffle back. Also, the government is trying to clamp down on tenants here in our blocks who have moved out and illegally sublet their flats for