The New Bangladeshi themed mural in Brick Lane is a necessary and welcome addition to the gigantic art gallery that Brick Lane and its surrounds are becoming.
The new Bangladeshi themed mural in Brick Lane is generating some controversies. For example, ‘Cynical councils are using ‘artwashing’ as a tactic – and we’re all falling for it’, (https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/councils-artwashing-tower-hamlets-gentrification-b2047221.html)
However, I am sure those who initiated the project had a bit of both party-political and genuine community benefits aims and desires when conceiving the project and seeing it through.
Brick Lane and surrounding areas have increasingly become artier and look like gigantic art galleries. I have been going to Brick Lane since 1974 for eating, working, visiting, watching movies and for many other purposes, and I intimately know how the area has been changing. I love the increasingly artier looks of the Brick Lane area.
Until now, Brick Lane lacked any largescale Bangladeshi themed artwork. You can see people stopping and looking at the paintings on Hanbury Street, for example, taking pictures and selfies. The increasingly artier Brick Lane is also drawing more interest in the area among young and trendy people. The new Bangladeshi themed mural reflects a deep emotional attachment to the Sylhet region of Bangladesh among many East End Bangladeshis who consider Brick Lane a Capital city of Bangladeshis in the UK and the artwork as a necessary element to missing bits of Brick Lane’s heritage.
I believe it’s right to question the mural and try to understand the possible political motives behind that to deal with possible abuses of power or to enhance the achievement. However, it is not necessarily wrong just because political motives have inspired an art project or the artwork has been funded by private businesses.
Without incentives for personal glory, achievements, or financial benefits, politicians would lack the drive to do anything. Of course, incentives are necessary, so its nothing wrong. But critical questioning will help regulate the process, frighten potential abusers and help bring to book those who abuse.
It seems like you have not understood the premise of the piece. To most of the younger generation, this article was a necessary intervention into the nasty politics of Tower Hamlets.
Thank you for your comment. I believe that I have understood the article quite a bit if not all, which I think is a good piece of writing. I just wanted to add some other perspectives. From my experience, I have learned the important lessons of the need to point out other sides and alternative analyses to issues, based on different sets of assumptions, premises and axioms. For me, debates are the most important thing and being critical of each other’s perspectives helps everyone to grow and develop their knowledge, understanding and experience. Thank you once again for commenting on my short opinion piece.
I welcome other points of view when they have merit. I don’t think this short piece does; the original article was about how art is being used here to wash away the Council’s sins instead of a piece about the actual mural itself. It seems like those on the other side are arguing a different debate? What are your thoughts on Art-Washing? On Local Council commissioning art, on the same Council stopping funding for language schools (that we all used to attend), whilst gesture symbols go up on mother language day?
Thank you!