Cockpit remove part of Love Over Gold mural

We posted back in August that Cockpit Arts had contacted Crossfields Tenants & Residents Association (TRA) to tell them that they intended to replace the doors in the centre of the Love Over Gold mural.

The TRA Chair said he would write to Cockpit's Studio Manager, Beckie Kingman, to request that the mural be reinstated on the new metal doors in whatever way possible. He was also going to provide Cockpit Arts with the contact details of the artist responsible for the mural, Gary Drostle.

The doors were removed prior to Deptford X and replaced with a metal grill, as part of artist Adrian Lee's piece Survival Instinct (which wasn't part of the official festival). Now that Deptford X has finished, the grill has been replaced with new powder coated grey doors.

We spoke to Beckie today and she said she had not received any communication at all from Crossfields TRA.

We asked her what research had been done to find out the history of the mural, for instance, had the artist been contacted? Although his name is painted on the mural, Beckie said she had contacted Lewisham Council to find out who to get in touch with about her plans, and Lewisham had directed her to Crossfields TRA.

The old doors are presently standing outside in the wilderness garden behind the new doors, unprotected from the elements. We stressed the heritage of the doors to her, and she offered to bring them inside. We also talked about the possibility of reinstating the missing part of the mural on the new doors, rather than worry about preserving the old doors. We've now spoken to Gary Drostle and he'd like to do this, but ideally as part of a project that restores the entire mural to its previous splendour.

We wonder if Lewisham can find some funding for this? Or perhaps the London Mural Preservation Society can help us...If you feel strongly about this, please write to the londonmuralpreservationsociety@yahoo.com and drop a line to Lewisham Arts Service.