Walsall Makes – Art
Three artists have taken up residency in empty shops in Walsall to make art
Located on the top floor of the Saddler Centre artists Daya Bhatti, Queenie Garland and Francis Xavier will occupy two empty shops until December 2024 creating new temporary public artworks for Walsall.
Walsall visitors and shoppers will see the artists move into the shop space and begin to design, workshop and build exciting new artwork. Their creations will also take to the high streets of Walsall and be installed onto walls and windows outdoors.
Meet the artists
Home to Home by Daya Bhatti
Daya will focus on interactive ways to share stories of displacement, belonging and adaptation by infusing an Indian-style stall with Walsall’s history of markets. One of Daya’s first memories as a child of Walsall was experiencing the markets, complimented by the stories in colourful stalls during her trips to India. The vibrant market stall will foster interactions as Daya aims to highlight how markets are vivid spaces for cultural exchange.
You can visit Daya in her shop unit on the following dates:
Wednesday 11th Dec 12pm - 3pm
Thursday 12th Dec 12pm - 3pm
Friday 13th Dec 12pm - 3pm
Thursday 19th Dec 12pm - 3pm
Friday 20th Dec - 12pm - 3pm
Saturday 21st Dec - 11am - 2pm
Friday 27th Dec - 11am - 2pm
Saturday 28th Dec - 11am - 2pm
Walsall Energy by Francis Xavier
Francis aims to celebrate Walsall using practices of historical advertising, transforming the unit space using illustration and sign art. He will use a mixture of traditional sign painting with mid-century light boxes and illuminated lettering. He has chosen to intertwine traditional advertising with things that showcase Walsall materially and spiritually rather than advertising products using type and illustrations.
You can visit Francis in his shop unit on the following dates:
Thursday 5th -12-3pm
Thursday 12th - 12-3pm
Thursday 16th - 12-3pm
Thursday 26th - 12-3pm
Lost Light by Queenie Garland
Queenie will exhibit work from the past to inspire future generations. The Walsall-based artist works through various forms of expression including textiles, mixed media art, digital illustration and collage. Highlighting Walsall’s history of making, Queenie will transform the shop space into a hub of creativity and engagement. Her ideas look to illuminate Walsall through digital projections, leather-clad light boxes, illustrations, and literary references to Walsall-born writers. Overall, this exhibition is to honour tradition by continuing to shed light on Walsall’s legacy of makers.
You can visit Queenie in her shop unit on the following dates:
Wednesday 4 December – 12.30 - 3pm
Wednesday 11 December – 12.3- 3pm
Monday 16th December – 12.30 - 3pm
Wednesday 18 December – 12.30 -3pm
The launch at Saddlers took place on Thursday 14th November. Thanks to Gavin Medza, Laura Dicken and Kom Achall for the images.
