Sir Peter Blake Donates Works To Support Chiswick Piazza

Two artist's proofs of his Chiswick Empire painting, will be auctioned

Artist Sir Peter Blake, who helped raise the funding for the Chiswick Timeline by creating and signing the Chiswick Empire image, has come on board to help another community project, the nearby Chiswick Piazza.

Abundance London and the Friends of Chiswick Back Common are revitalising the little open area on Turnham Green Terrace – next to the Timeline, and Sir Peter has donated some work to be auctioned off to raise funds.

The limited edition signed print of the Chiswick Empire Theatre, with all its music hall and film stars lined up in front, Sergeant Pepper style, is featured on the adjacent Chiswick Timeline mural. There were only 100 Chiswick Empire prints available then, and they sold out very quickly (along with many other generous local supporters) .

He has now given permission to sell these artist’s proofs to raise additional money to reclaim the ‘piazza’ area as a space fit for Chiswick – for meeting, traversing, lingering in and maybe as a space for entertainment, art and inspiration. Artist’s proofs are generally considered rather special in the world of art collecting. Their value is usually higher than the numbered editions.

Abundance are offering one print as a Christmas present, with a closing date of 20th December, the other with a closing date of 31st January 2019. To bid, and to find out more about the project, visit chiswickpiazza.org Reserve price for the 1st print £750, auction closing 20th December.

The new benches to be installed soon

Abundance are working to improve the public space degraded by broken benches, grassed-over flower beds, a badly-positioned double bike rack, broken water fountain and (until very recently) intrusive workmen’s cabins. They will be replacing the bike racks and the benches, and creating a gorgeous, sustainable and bio-diverse flower bed behind the E3 bus stop.

The cost of this project will be met by both S106 funding from the London Borough of Hounslow and by additional fundraising. Should there be any surplus funds, these will also be used to improve Chiswick. Abundance is completely volunteer-run.

The team have now selected new benches which will be installed in the near future. The bike racks are going to Chiswick School.

Volunteers have also helped to pot up hundreds of plants and bulbs which will be planted out early next year. All donations and offers of volunteering are welcomme

A separate project, restoration of the water fountain, is going ahead with Cllr John Todd in charge. This had already started prior to the Piazza project

Steve Nutt

December 7, 2018