Visual Artists Helen Delany and Brenda Aherne have created an art piece 'The Kilburn Tapestries' which celebrates and depicts the lives both past and present of the Irish Community in the Borough of Brent and in particular the Kilburn area.
This work designed and hand drawn by Helen and Brenda is the final illustration completed in preparation for the knitting of the tapestry which will be produced in 2021. As Brent 2020 Culture Fund Awardees, the designers began the research for this piece at the end of 2019 – taking a full year to collect and gather unique research.
The focus of the tapestry is on the Irish creative community in particular and its influence on the music and arts scene in London. It also celebrates the opportunities that London presented to so many young Irish people who moved there whilst also recognising how difficult that move was for some. There are so many stories and elements to it including the designers' own personal experience of Kilburn. All characters, places and objects are hand drawn from Helen and Brenda's observations, personal photos and/or photos and heirlooms loaned to them by people from the Brent community.
Follow the piece's production on Instagram @The_Kilburn_Tapestries