Earlier on in the pandemic I did a
post on Covid-19 street art in South London. In that first month of the lockdown it was all rainbows and chalk messages in support of NHS workers. Here's another round up of picture from May and June 2020.
Expressions of support for the NHS are still to be seen in plenty of places, including some fine rainbows.
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| 'big up the NHS' - Lewisham town centre |
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| Redecorated tank, off Mandela Way SE1 |
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| Deptford Cinema, Deptford Broadway |
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| New Cross House, Laurie Grove SE14 |
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| NHS workers and patient on New Cross House by @deanio_x and @seen_k26 - perhaps reflecting on the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on BAME communities and workers |
Other key workers have also got some appreciation, such as bus drivers:
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| Bus stop, Honor Oak Estate |
The weekly Thursday nights 'clap for carers' with people cheering from their doorsteps came to an end after 10 weeks with the first signs of the lockdown easing. There was a bit of an emerging strain between community celebration and state-sponsored show of national unity (e.g. politicians advertising their participation) - 'clapping is not enough' as a placard in New Cross put it. Still the mass support shown for the National Health Service will make it politically difficult to cut funding to it in the economic downturn ahead. 'Thank you NHS' doesn't mean 'thank you Government', as a billboard in Lewisham's Molesworth Street graphically illustrated:
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'RIP 151++ key workers' 'Clapping is not enough' -
Lewisham Way outside Goldsmiths |
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'Support NHS Staff ', 'SSP [statutory sick pay] for care home workers'
Lewisham Way outside Goldsmiths |
These banners in Lewisham town centre urged people not to forget those at risk of Covid locked up in prisons and immigration detention centres:
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| 'Social distancing in detention centres is impossible. Confirmed Covid-18 cases. Non one should fear hospital in risk of deportation' |
A rainbow by artmongers has brightened up the railway bridge that on Aspinall Road, off Drakefell Road:
Of course the rainbow is also an LGBT+ symbol, as noted by whoever stencilled this message and some symbols on the railway bridge rainbow. On local social media forums there were some objections to this re-appropriation of the rainbow, but hey it's all part of the ongoing dialogue of street art.
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| The history of the LGBT+ rainbow flag, Aspinall Road bridge |
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| South London Trans People, Aspinall Road bridge |
Some graffiti just reminded people not to get too carried away by fear...
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| 'it'll be OK', Lewisham Way |
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| Love>Fear, Deptford |
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| Fear is the Virus, Douglas Way, SE8 |
The community mutual aid that sprung up early in the pandemic has continued, in some cases becoming a highly organised system of food deliveries, as well as picking up prescriptions etc.
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| 'Nunhead Knocks' community support |
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