Our River

About

Our River is a new public art concept for Luton which will commemorate those lost to the COVID-19 pandemic and celebrate the key workers that supported us and the moments of joy that got us through it. Located on the Mall wall facing the new Open Lea pocket park, the memorial will provide a place for reflection, remembrance, and hope, with the aim of brightening the lives of everyone in the town. The artwork will also exist digitally, enabling loved ones across the world to participate and providing a home for our memories and messages of remembrance.Prior to the production of this new public art piece, the exhibition presents works by Luton photographers Aleksandra Warchol and June Essex, photographs of remembrance submitted by the public as well as a tapestry by Luton based artist Sew N Sew. Acting as both a place for thought and participation, we invite Luton residents to discover more about the future memorial through the exhibition and to join us as a site of reflection. The show will grow throughout its four weeks in situ, with further images from the public being displayed as the project progresses. The project welcomes photographs of people that have lost their lives during the pandemic, of the families they have left behind, of our key workers and volunteers and of the joyous moments that defined 2020. The exhibition and final artwork hope to engage deeply with the communities of Luton, to honour its residents and capture the joy that those who have been lost brought to our lives.

Community Photographer June Essex will be in the gallery on alternate Thursdays and Saturdays for those who wish to have their photograph taken and be part of the artwork. Members of the public are invited to visit the exhibition and bring with them photographs of lost loved ones. June will sensitively capture you and your loved one’s images along with your memories of them and add them to the artwork.

For details on how to submit your photographs, please visit ourriver.uk or speak to our Gallery Assistant.