A new art trail has arrived in the Regent's Park housing estate, just west of Euston. And it's a cracker.
A host of site-specific artwork by 10 artists is now peppered across the streets between Euston and Regent's Park. The art trail was created with the input of residents of the Regent's Park Estate, spearheaded by the Old Diorama Arts Centre.
More than 12,000 people live on the estate, making it one of the largest social housing areas in central London. Yet I think it's fair to say that few non-locals ever explore these streets. This new art trail offers a very good reason to take a look around.
The 28 works are diverse, to say the least. They include a talking tree, a vast nature mural, a "projected tapestry of shadow and pattern", and "bio-concrete sculptures modelled on chewed gum donated by members of the local LGBTQ+ community".
Some of the art is hiding in plain sight. Look closely at the manhole covers, or rather 'woman whole covers' along Everton Mews, created with help from local mothers and women's groups. And keep an eye on the street signs. 13 messages about loss and memory have been placed around the estate by artist Ocean Stefan, all disguised as street name plates.
The art trail is intended as a way of bringing something positive to the area, which has been heavily affected by works towards the HS2 rail line (which, despite all the upheaval, is still not certain to come to Euston). Indeed, HS2 supplied funding for the trail.
The works are spread throughout the estate, but you'll catch most of them if you take an open-eyed ramble up from Munster Square to Clarence Gardens and on to Cumberland Market. I'd recommend downloading the PDF of the trail, as some of the art works are very well hidden. This also gives further information on the project, the community who helped shape it, and the individual artists.
I've explored dozens of art trails over the years and this one is honestly up there with the best of them, thanks to its grounded, community focus and playful use of the streetscape. Unlike many trails (the annual Frieze sculptures in nearby Regent's Park, springs to mind), the labels are clear and meaningful, with strong back-stories. It's ace.
The trail is worth a visit in its own right, but it would also make a fun use of time if you've got an hour to kill while you wait for a train from Euston.
