Playing Out Painting

Growing up In 80s London was so much fun as a kid. We used a range of slang and phrases to describe our social interactions with each other. One such term was "playing out", which referred to the practice of spending time outdoors, often in a community space like a park or playground or simply on a pavement or patch of grass near our homes. We would "knock for" our friends, meaning we would visit our friends' homes and call them out to join in on the outdoor play. Within an hour or two, there would be loads of us, playing out, having lots of fun and our parents could either see us (or hear us) so we were allowed to stay out for ages. We all looked out for each other and the eldest in the group was usually in charge - we felt safe. We played games like Run Outs, Knock Down Ginger, Rounders and Kiss Chase! Those of us who had skateboards and roller-skates would try and play on wheels too or sometimes break off and roll around our block at invincible speeds. My little sister and I shared with anyone who wanted a go on our skates. As far as we were concerned, those were the times of our lives! Playing out fostered a sense of community and friendship, we were all children from different backgrounds and ages, we would come together to play and socialise. Last year I visited my hometown of Roehampton and took some pictures with a view to creating work for a solo show. I had been unsure of how to approach it until recently. I’ve been watching A Town Called Malice which has taken me right back to the 80’s in a nostalgic joy of colours, music and language. These works will reflect the unique cultural and social landscape of growing up on a council estate in the 80’s in London. A document of not just my past but of so many of us. We may not have all had the same experiences growing up in the 80’s but perhaps we can all say that Playing Out was one of the best?

Painting:Ink on 650gsm Hand Made Cotton Paper

Original:One-of-a-kind Artwork

Size:24 W x 35.8 H x 9.8 D in

Delivery Time:Typically 5-7 business days for domestic shipments, 10-14 business days for international shipments.