Quadcity Mural in Derby
Jon was commissioned by QUAD in Derby to create a large scale mural on the construction site of the new QUAD building. QUAD hoped it would draw attention to their new building and stir public interest. Wrote Jon:
The commission requested that although I’d be creating the al the work, that the public should be able to contribute in some way. Together with QUAD I devised a questionnaire which was handed out in the street and sent to schools in the region. It featured a series of questions (what is your favourite colour, if Derby was a food what would it be and why…etc) and space for people to fill in a self-portrait. Four thousand of these were sent back to QUAD and the responses formed basis for the mural. I referenced various things from the questionnaires in the drawing, whilst interweaving in various Derby landmarks. Other drawings were added to these following incidents and conversations I experienced during the four days outside drawing. Lots of people came and spoke to me as I worked on the piece, suggesting ideas, landmarks and where I could get a good sandwich from. Once the drawing was complete I photographed it and generated a simple colour guide. Members of the public were invited for a period of four days to come and colour in the piece. A wide range of people from around Derby attended, and a few people, who had filled in the questionnaire or had spoke to me the previous week, even recognised themselves in the mural.
Flickr photo credits: Portrait of Jon by Alice Tams. Quadcity photo-stitched by Jim Cork. Quadcity photos by Jyoti Mishra.
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