This week (on Monday 9 October), Brent Cross Town unveiled a new artwork at Claremont Park, which is inspired by the history and culture of the local area.

The new artwork has been named ‘Yesterday, Tomorrow’ and is designed by artist Steven Wilson. The piece consists of a collage of photos representing local heroes like Zadie Smith and Helena Bonham Carter, as well as heritage stories of suffragettes and ‘the Beast of Barnet’, all of which have been gathered from local residents.

The artwork communicates much-loved stories of the area’s history of manufacturing, inventing, arts and aims to bring a sense of pride and joy. Artist Steven Wilson, who has created artwork for clients such as the Oscars, Sony, Warner Music and the New York Times lived in North London for some time and was excited to create this piece.

Artist Steven Wilson said: “The stories and history about Brent Cross are diverse and so my challenge as the artist was to find a visual language that could be a suitable vehicle to tell all of those different elements without compromising on its aesthetic and visual appeal. My approach therefore was to use a graphic style with flat, bold colours where elements could combine and merge seamlessly through their shapes and patterns. I wanted it to be somewhere between form and abstraction so some elements may remain hidden at first glance but emerge the longer you look!”

You can see the colourful artwork displayed on panels in the western end of the park, which will be part of the route from the park to the new Brent Cross West station, opening later this year. The artwork is part of a wayfinding trail leading through the park, into Brent Cross Town.

Councillor Barry Rawlings, Leader of Barnet Council, said: “The new colourful artwork at Claremont Park is a great addition to the local area, representing the diverse history and culture of the neighbourhood in a bright and fun way”.

Morwenna Hall, Partner at Related Argent, said: “Experiencing art outdoors is an uplifting thing, and this piece is a reminder of the ingenuity of northwest London businesses and the contribution to culture its residents have made. Its ‘pop’ of colour in Claremont Park signposts the positive changes Brent Cross Town will bring.”

This new artwork joins a number of colourful displays which have recently brightened up the neighbourhood, including UK’s largest public artwork Here we come, Here we rise and shine unveiled in January, as well as the Whitefield School fence artwork and Claremont Primary School wall mural.

Brent Cross Town is the neighbourhood at the heart of the Brent Cross Cricklewood regeneration programme, find out more about our vision on our webpages.