As the tent goes up for the annual Heath art event, student artist Sebastian Chaumeton canvassed the thoughts of Hampstead residents for a mural
As the tent goes up for this year’s Affordable Art Fair, a student artist has captured the musings of local residents in a mural.
Sebastian Chaumeton, who is currently studying fine art at Chelsea School of Art, took his acrylic paints, rollers and brushes along to the Heath’s Lower Fairground site on Saturday and canvassed the thoughts of passers by.
He then incorporated their ideas into a 10mx2.5m mural of a daschund near the site where the fair sets out its stall next week.
“A lot of people were going by; joggers and dog walkers, and I was taking suggestions from the public then painting what people were thinking about,” he says.
“I did my best to encompass it all into one large image, made up of all of these characters, inside the body of a sausage dog.”
Ideas ranged from children imagining that dragons and hippos lived on the Heath to “more serious” worries about Brexit and school fees.
“It was amazing,” he adds. “I have done a few of these before, but I’ve never had so much interaction.
“Hampstead people are the most talkative yet. I had a real variety of people who were off on walks to have a think to themselves.”
Chaumeton, who lives in Finsbury Park, has previously painted murals in King’s Cross and Chelsea.
“It’s important to get art out there to the wider public,” he says.
“I enjoy painting for people. At a time when it seems we are divided and falling apart, it’s good to interact on a small scale; talking one to one with people, to get some conversations started.”
Chaumeton says the Affordable Art Fair which sees more than 100 galleries show work by both emerging and established artists - costing from £100 to £6,000 - is a great opportunity for buyers and artists alike.
“I have two or three paintings on show and it’s an opportunity for students like me to see what it’s like to sell our work.”
This year’s fair opens with a charity private view on May 8 and runs until May 12. It has a Wellbeing theme with a specially curated meditative space for visitors to relax and rejuventate, and a room hosting yoga workshops and breathing classes.
Illustrator Lucie Sheridan will also be whipping up three minute portraits in her magic photobooth, and artist in residence Jonathan Hillson shows his immersive video installation We Are Human.
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