A street artist has decorated the pavements of London with games of hopscotch... but there's more here than meets the eye.
"Why is nobody talking only about the children?" is the question posed by conceptual artist Amy Jackson through the unusual medium of hopscotch. Jackson recently adhered her bright, vinyl grids to several pavements in London, inviting kids and adults to enjoy a bit of a foot shuffle. But a closer look reveals a potent message.
Each square on the grids throws up an appalling statistic. "1.5 children were killed per day in Yemen over 7.5 years," reads one message. "40 Palestinian children killed on 7th Oct '23" and "33 child hostages taken by Hamas on 7th Oct '23" sit side by side. Each hop or step brings a different reminder that kids are the ones who suffer most in war zones.
Says the artist: "From Ukraine to Gaza, Yemen to Syria, Afghanistan to Israel, the casualties are predominantly children... Invited to jump on the hopscotch, viewers literally 'stomp out' the idea that any child affected by war is acceptable. The cold data reminds us that these are not figures, these are kids. They can’t vote; they are apolitical by nature; and they simply need our support; not debates over who is wrong or right."
Two versions are already on the streets, at 365 Portobello Road and 28 Campden Hill Road. We're told that further hopscotches (if that is a word) might appear at Clockwork Studios, SE5 during the Winter Open Weekend of 8 December, and at Copeland Park in the Bussey Building, Peckham from 13 December. Keep your eyes peeled for more or follow @thisisamyjackson on Insta for updates.
