The Majonzi Fund is pleased to announce the launch of a new public artwork by artist Henny Beaumont, commissioned by Patrick Vernon OBE, to be displayed in Newington Green, London and commemorating members of London’s BAME communities who have lost their lives to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The artwork will be formally unveiled on September 21st by Patrick Vernon OBE, founder of the Majonzi Fund, and Debbie Weekes-Bernard, Deputy Mayor of London. The 6m x 3m artwork (pictured above), is by renowned artist and illustrator Henny Beaumont, who lives in the local area. It was commissioned by the Majonzi Fund to raise funds to support the BAME community, which has disproportionately suffered from the pandemic.
Guardian Newspaper is supporting the Majonzi fund. A charity print is available from https://guardianprintshop.com/collections
The production and installation of the artwork was made possible with the support of Accumulate, which supports arts and creativity among London’s homeless, and the Mildmay Club who generously provided the installation site.
"Too many frontline staff from BAME backgrounds have lost their lives to COVID-19. I launched this initiative with the Ubele foundation to fund memorial events and tributes to celebrate and commemorate the lives of our loved ones. To date over 75k has been raised from public donations and sponsorship." Patrick Vernon OBE
“The Ubele Initiative is delighted to be supporting the Majonzi Fund and are highly appreciative of this unique work of art produced by Henny Beaumont, copies of which have been produced to generate much-needed funds to support people from BAME communities who experience bereavement under Covid-19.” Yvonne Field, Founder and CEO of The Ubele Initiative
“This has been a hugely challenging year for London’s Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, as they have been disproportionately affected by Covid-19 while over-represented on the frontline of the fight against it. This artwork is a touching memorial to those who lost their lives and a reminder of the grief of those thousands of colleagues, friends and family members they have left behind.” Debbie Weekes-Bernard, Deputy Mayor for Social Integration, Greater London Authority
“This memorial at the meeting point of our two boroughs and located in an area imbued in radical history will ensure we never forget those we have lost to the coronavirus and how it has had a disproportionate loss of life within the Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. As well as an honour to those, including our elders, taken from us before their time, it will serve as a reminder of how we came together to support our neighbours through this difficult time.” Philip Glanville Mayor of Hackney
"I wanted to create an image that felt precious and spiritual, that shone a light and memorialised the BAME victims of Covid-19.” Henny Beaumont, Artist
