Major piece of public art to be unveiled in Hoxton Square
A major piece of public art, that will be enjoyed by countless generations , secured planning permission on Friday 2 March.
The piece created by world renowned artist Stik will be unveiled later this year in Hoxton Square.
The four meter tall statue, called ‘Holding Hands’, symbolizes the love expressed between two people regardless of gender, sexuality, religion or ethnicity.
It is based on Stik's artwork ‘Hackney Pride’, which was commissioned by Hackney Museum to represent the borough at the Pride in London parade in 2016. The image proved very popular with the million-strong crowd on the parade and was also printed as a souvenir poster in Hackney Today.
Stik has continued to work with the Council’s, as part of Hackney Pride 365 festival, with the sale of the original banner, funding an exhibition of work by LGBTQI+ youth group Project Indigo to mark LGBT History Month at Hackney Museum.
Stik, a hackney resident since 2000 said: “I am grateful to the local community who have supported this project from the beginning. The sculpture represents love and respect between people whoever they are”.
Stik is funding the creation and installation of the sculpture, which is being made in collaboration with local fabricators ‘Sculpture Factory’.
The Council’s Parks team is now working with the artist to set a date for installation which will be announced in the coming months.
As an artist, Stik started life painting unofficial murals on the streets of Hackney and now creates monumental public artworks from New York to Tokyo. He has worked from a studio in Hoxton since 2011 and has close connections with the area. Having overcome long-term homelessness, Stik frequently gives back to the local community, raising tens of thousands of pounds a year for Homerton hospital, homelessness charities, and most recently Project Indigo, Hackney’s LGBTQI+ youth group.
It's really exciting that one of Hackney's parks can play host to such an internationally renowned artist. The fact that the scale of the statue allows the viewer to hold hands with it, is a great metaphor for Hackney's openness, and the borough as a welcoming place for all.
For more information about Hackney Pride 365, like the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/HackneyPride365
We are very lucky that Stik has created this beautiful artwork for both residents and visitors to enjoy. It will be a permanent reminder of Hackney's long history of celebrating creativity and diversity, and will ensure our values of inclusivity are shared with future generations.