Our Towns is an innovative street art initiative curated by Doug Gillan and Charlotte Pyatt formally collaborating as Re:FRAMED. The Project introduces a number of large-scale murals and educational programmes to Basildon, (UK) through Summer 2021. Featured Artists include: Aches (IRE), Franco Fasoli (ARG), Marina Capdevila (ESP), Erin Holly (UK), Gabriel Pitcher (UK), Insa (UK), Michele Curtis (UK) and Helen Bur (UK).
A ReFRAMED concept developed in partnership with BasildON Creative People and Places; Our Towns partners artists with local organizations to encourage social and environmental discussion on global issues through a local lens. From Basildon’s elderly, diverse voices to LGBTQIA and traveling communities, 8 public art interventions celebrate difference and commonality to spark important social and environmental discussion.
Basildon is the largest Town in the borough of Basildon, within the county of Essex, England. In 1949, Basildon was
officially declared one of the ‘New Towns’ built by the British government to rehouse Londoners whose homes were destroyed in the Blitz, their most identifiable common feature was Brutalism. Basildon became a place in which everything is different and yet simultaneously the same — the original concrete jungle. This architectural style famously dominated Britain’s post-war landscape, at the time architects and planners were genuinely attempting to confront the devastation of WWII with new solutions. This sentiment forms the heart of the Our Towns programme, engaging culture to consider new solutions to old problems in addressing our relationship with public space, and each other.
In a statement Charlotte Pyatt said: “Development has been underway for the better part of 2021, with the artists engaging with the local groups for months in advance with workshops and consultations to develop their visual. We were trying to affect the bottom line for what it means to engage street art in public space, encouraging a more meaningful interaction with artists, communities and awareness of different cultures. Conversations here include the elderly, LGBTQIA+, notions of masculinity, diverse and travelling communities to name a few as artists work to localize global discussions. We have also been able to affect local sustainability policies with the launch of the Insa mural which come September will animate for our official opening on 11th.”
The project formerly launched on September 11th with a live event featuring DJ’s, workshops for children and live painting from local artists.
Re:FRAMED are a creative partnership between Charlotte Pyatt and Doug Gillen. Combining their experience of 20 years in production, strategy, consultancy and documentation of art on the streets, they work to align community initiatives with international artists and organizations.
With social and environmental awareness as a focus, they champion the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as a filter for project coordination. Uniting with a global network of multidisciplinary thinkers to explore the importance of intersectionality in furthering the climate debate for their respective films, articles, cultural initiatives and projects.
Re:FRAMED: instagram
