WRATP - a trail within a trail

Wingfield Road Art Trail Project (WRATP) is a community exhibition set up by a group of residents with the intention of increasing the community spirit of the road. Silvana Gambini, one of the organisers, is answering the Art Trail 2012 Questions on the project’s behalf:

1. Please tell us about the work you will be showing in the 2012 E17 Art Trail? 

Back to Front is WRATP’s exciting exhibition for 2012, with 27 households and 2 shops taking part. It will offer an eclectic mix of images, which reveal aspects of the residents’ homes, lives or thoughts.  As our blurb for the Art Trail guide says, ‘we are not a row of faceless houses – we are a community’.  Wingfield Road (No.145 in the Guide) links the Orford Road Art Trail venues through to the Castle Pub and other Art Trail venues on Beulah Road, Maynard Road, etc. So take a stroll down our road to catch a glimpse….

2. Is this your first time in the Trail or are you an E17 Art Trail veteran? 

This is the first time that WRATP has exhibited (please visit, like and share our Facebook Page!), however individual residents have exhibited before.  We’re hoping to make our E17 Art Trail road-long exhibition an annual or biennial event.  We’re actually quite a creative bunch, with a number of residents operating in the arts, either as professionals or amateurs – photography, graphic design, poetry, fine art, sculpture, acting, stained glass and ceramics. 

3. What are the challenges of getting everything ready for your Art Trail event? First of all, trying to find someone to print the artwork at a reasonable price, pitched to ensure maximum participation in this time of recession – thankfully Printco partially sponsored the project with a discounted community price. Secondly, some residents found it very challenging to come up with any image at all (as they weren’t sure what they wanted to reveal about themselves), whilst others found the challenge was trying to decide between the many ideas buzzing around in their heads! Thirdly, coordinating a street full of very busy people was difficult at times, but it has all come together very nicely in the end.

More than challenges, I think that what really stands out for us is the community cohesion the project has brought about; getting together for the Art Trail has meant that residents, some of whom have lived in the road for over 30 years, have met for the first time!

4. Do you remember the first artist that really influenced you? Does that artist’s influence still have an impact on your work? 
The idea for holding a road-long exhibition came from Deborah Day, who was inspired by Danny Coope’s the Street of Blue Plaques in last year’s E17Art Trail.  Based on the 1911 census information, it was a snapshot of Grosvenor Park Road residents 100 years ago, whereas our exhibition is a snapshot of our residents now in 2012. The format of Back to Front is very loosely based on the InsideOut photography project by French artist, JR.

5. The E17 Art trail has become bigger every year. Do you think it is because more artists are calling it home?Yes in part that’s true, but the Art Trail is the jewel in the crown of Walthamstow’s cultural life and many people (who wouldn't necessarily consider themselves as artists) have been inspired to have a go, just to say they have taken part.

6. What has E17 bestowed on you?

I’m sure every Wingfield Road resident will have their own answer to this – after all a vibrant, diverse area such as Walthamstow (#awesomestow to our Twitter community!) will bestow different things on different people.  Personally, when I came here almost 16 years ago, it bestowed on me the chance to own my own home for a very affordable price; alas that’s no longer the case for new arrivals! 

http://www.facebook.com/WingfieldRoadArtTrailProject