Documentary created for Lemn Sissay (MBE), Olympic Poet as part of the Sparked exhibition at View Tube next to the Olympic Park. Sparked is a series of exhibitions I am managing, inspired by Art in the Park, the Olympic Delivery Authority programme of public art commissions in the London 2012 Olympic Park.
Lemn Sissay was the first poet commissioned to write a poem inspired by the history of the Olympic Site. Titled Spark Catchers it delves into the incendiary time in 19th century Britain when the first un-unionised workers went on strike against their poor and dangerous working conditions. The industrial action taken at the Bryant and May match factory, found on the edge of the Olympic Park in Bow, helped spark a social revolution changing working conditions across Britain.
Sissay’s Sparked exhibition, produced by a team from Jotta, celebrates this inspirational story and East London’s rich heritage as it welcomes the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. It ran from 30 March – 16 May 2012 at View Tube.
Interview, film, edit.