Lansdowne's cheerful hoardings
As you walk along Lansdowne Road you will notice a new triptych of brightly coloured hoardings. The paintings by the artist Adalberto Lonardi represent Norland scenes, the potteries, the market and the carnival and have been made possible by Studio Indigo, London Projects and Kensington + Chelsea Art Week. The artwork, called Together as One is a part of the Love Kensington + Chelsea Street Art initiative and is described as 'a site-specific, hand-painted mural that celebrates the power of the Notting Hill community as a symbol of harmony and unity for a better tomorrow’. Inspired by the neighbourhood’s local history and the architectural restoration of the site the drawings represent three stories in time.'
The project has been spearheaded by Studio Indigo and London Project, who have worked on several houses in the area, including 1 and 7 Lansdowne Road. Creative Director and founder Mike Fisher says: “There is a studio tradition of trying to create interesting and relevant hoardings, rather then just being painted a dull and nondescript colour.” Previous Studio Indigo hoardings in Phillimore have been covered in historical pictures, and in Holland Park’s Melbury Road they were given an Arts and Crafts design to match the local architecture.
Clients restoring the house are reconstructing it in the Indian version of Feng Shui, called Vastu shastra, which determines symmetry of the facade, the way rooms should face and the layout of spaces. Things that have symmetry and are cheerful and colourful bring good luck in Vastu, and this was included in a brief given to Royal College of Art students, who entered a competition to be chosen to paint the hoardings.
Within the Chelsea-based Studio Indigo team of 45, there are 25 nationalities speaking 17 different languages which reflects the diversity in Kensington and Chelsea. “It makes it exciting walking into the office in the morning,” says Fisher, “It has not been deliberate, but it helps sometimes with clients.” The team consulted an external Vastu priest to ensure this traditional Indian system of architecture was appropriately applied within this project. The studio has created several buildings in India and is currently creating a huge country club in Mumbai using Vastu principles.
Fisher says: "The Love Kensington + Chelsea Art scheme appeals to us. There is always going to be some disruption [when building] and making an effort with the hoardings is just one way to make it a bit better."
