Yesterday street artist Zina laid out a new and stunning piece entitled ‘RastaLove’, for the Save The Arches project in Brixton. Norweigan, but London based, artist Zina was the first artist to kick off the street art campaign and did so appropriately and in local style. the crux of the situation is that Network Rail intend to evict the current tenants of the shops along the railway arches spanning Station Road and Atlantic Road, in the name of redevelopments and make the new rates of rent so high, that it will be impossible for this community of non-chain store outlets to survive and continue from these spots in the future.

The fishmongers L S Mash & Sons show their disdain for the planned developments on this banner currently flying free.

In light of the situation, the Traders who are set to face eviction under Network Rail’s redevelopment plans have come up with a project to help raise awareness of their position. they have decided to adopt a creative outlet by acquiring the help of talented street artists to paint the shutters belonging to all of the threatened businesses, all set to be linked by the #savebrixtonarches tag, to display a sense of unity from the affected community.

A second banner hanging above the counter of L S Mash & Sons shop.

The art project is being run by the artist PINS, at the request of the affected occupants, who has planned to organise a group of notable and talented artists to take a shutter each, and allow them creative licence to work their magic. It is hoped that as most of these artists utilize social media and are very well connected on these mediums, that these works of art will help to draw attention of the problem to a wider audience in the process, it certainly worked for us here at London Calling. After plans to initially paint a more singular united piece, it was decided to give the artists more freedom to act as a metaphor for the individuality of the people behind the shutters working in these businesses. So over the coming weeks the shutters spanning the Brixton Arches will transform this area in to a stunning outdoor art gallery to raise in order to show freedom of diveristy and raise awareness of the campaign. We will be keeping track of the developments and posting updates accordingly.

The work from Zina is stunning, and she has certainly stepped up and used her style of art to create a piece extremely fitting to its display in Brixton, namely the Jamaican community. Really love the colour scheme in the clouds in the background, superb.

Great work from Zina, with another fine piece for a great cause, having laid out two pieces for the Plan UK ‘Because I Am A Girl’ this month also.