Home Away from Home: Touring Truck Art

We bring you (probably!) the world’s first fully-electric Truck Art truck, which celebrates all of our communities here in Redbridge – a giant jewellery box of colour and celebration.

Across South Asia, you can see bright and bold trucks wobbling along the highways covered in metalwork that glitters in the sun and swinging garlands of pom poms and bells. The drivers, often on the road for long periods, decorate their vehicles in the ‘Truck Art’ style to remind them of home. Our very own truck (the first of its kind) has been designed by local groups to reflect what home means to them, and this moving masterpiece will be brought to life with fantastic craft workshops and south Asian performances.

Contains: workshops, outdoor performances, music and dance

Who is this for?

From children and families to people of all ages; anyone who lives, works or studies in Redbridge. No prior experience is necessary as these workshops and performances are designed to be fun and accessible for all skill levels.

What is the format of the workshops?

The 90-minute workshops include decorating either mini truck plaques or keyrings to take home (items depend on age and abilities), and you will be able to get some great photos and share your stories and experience through the artwork. Some of your work will be showcased in the touring exhibition.

There will be spectacular South-Asian inspired music and dance performances which change each day, bringing the essence of the Truck to life. There will also be opportunities to join in. These workshops and performances will provide a platform to bring our communities together celebrating our culture, history and heritage.

Workshops are free to attend, and all materials will be provided. Some activities are a little bit messy, so we recommend wearing clothes that you don’t mind getting marked. Wear clothing suitable for being outside.

The truck will be at these locations on the following dates:

Saturday 27th September – Hainault Forest Visitor’s CentreSunday 28th September – Fairlop Waters Boat HouseThursday 2nd October – Hainault LibrarySaturday 4th October – Fullwell Cross LibrarySunday 5th October – Barkingside Recreation Ground

What will I get out of it?

You will reflect on your own experienced of ‘home’ and ‘heritage’, learn more about South Asian truck art and get to take part in a fun and unique activity here in Redbridge. You will enhance your creative skills and learn new techniques from experts to make beautiful objects to give to friends and family or to sell. You will leave with some great photos and maybe some new friends.

How to book?

Use the link on the right-hand side of the page to book via Bookwhen or call us on 020 8708 2858 and choose option 4. For more information, email [email protected]. Booking guarantees you a space, but there will also be some spaces available first-come-first-served on the day.

Only the workshops have limited spaces. Anyone can come along to see the truck and watch the performances although please fill in the form to give us an idea of attendance numbers.

**Please arrive 10 minutes before the advertised start time as any empty spaces will be reallocated on the day.**

How do I get there?

We recommend taking public transport where possible, as parking will be limited.  Plan your journey at tfl.gov.uk.

Hainault Forest: Bus 247 stops at Fowler Road stop directly outside Hainault Forest. Once you arrive at Hainault Forest, turn on to Fox Burrow Road and walk for 15 mins. Foxburrows Barn is next to the café and the visitor centre.  Find us using What3Words trunk.spider.drewFairlop Waters: Bus 462 stops directly outside Fairlop Waters, or it is a 15 minute walk from Fullwell Cross.  Fairlop station is a 10-minute walk, and there is parking at the Fairlop Waters Main Car Park. Once you arrive at Fairlop Waters, follow the footpath towards the Boat House (near the Owls Play Centre and Aqua Action). Find us using What3Words ///gazed.moved.stump.Hainault Library: Bus 462 Hainault Health Centre stop is a one-minute walk. Buses 150 or 247 Staggart Green stop are a short walk.  Find us using What3Words sofa.labs.camps.Fullwell Cross Library / Ken Aston Square: Buses 150, 167, 128, 169 stop directly outside Fullwell Cross Library/Ken Aston Square or it is a 10 minute walk from Fairlop station. Find us using What3Words client.remove.class.Barkingside Recreation Ground: Buses 150, 167, 128 stop directly outside Barkingside Recreation Ground, or it is a 5 minute walk from Barkingside High Street. Find us using What3Words clever.total.wells.

Access

All our activities are step-free with facilities such as accessible toilets. Most activities can be easily adapted for people with varying disabilities or neurodiversity. Please email us at [email protected] to discuss your requirements. Note that the performances take place outside (weather permitting), and ground may be uneven in places.

About the Artists

Felicity Jones: Felicity is a metalworker hailing from Redbridge who uses a mixture of traditional and contemporary techniques to form modern art works. Her first creative outlets were drawing and painting, inspired by her father, a car designer and an avid painter. Felicity and her team have modified an electric vehicle into our touring Truck Art vehicle using a variety of metalwork techniques.

The Leap: The Leap is Bradford’s ‘Creative People and Places’ programme. An initiative funded by Arts Council England to help make more arts and culture happen within communities. They have supported us bringing our Truck Art panels to life, sourcing and liaising with the artists in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Abid Bhai: Abid is an Islamabad-based artist working to promote and preserve traditional methods of bringing Pakistani truck art ‘Phool Patti’ to life across Pakistan and through commissions from around the world. He collaborates with other truck art artists through an informal cooperative and truck fabricators, creating exceptional art that can be seen on vehicles moving along the roads of Pakistan.

Zareena Bano: Zareena is a visual artist and has worked in the arts for over eighteen years. She uses mixed media, and her work is inspired by traditional South Asian designs fused with modern and contemporary art. She also recycles and upcycles items giving them a new lease of life as sustainable pieces of artwork. She has recently completed a project on Truck Art in Bradford and will be leading the craft workshops.

Momtaz Begum-Hossain: Named of one the Top 100 influential crafters in the UK by Mollie Makes magazine, Momtaz has been running creative craft workshops for over a decade. She has supported collecting our ‘Home Away from Home’ stories, running mixed media crafting sessions in the community.

Sheyamali Sudesh: Sheyamali is an Associate Artist for Colours of Redbridge, working closely with our Community Producers to create the ‘Home Away from Home’ project. She is an archival artist and writer.

With special thanks to Fairlop Primary School, Gilbert Colvin Primary School, Clore Tikva School, Inclusive Communities and Pinewood Residential Care for supporting the co-design workshops for the Truck Art Panel designs. Also thanks to Paul Robins and Katie Beadle for helping to source the electric van.

*Image Credit ‘Touring Truck Art’, Wayne Snooze