September 7, 2021 5.04 pm This story is over 30 months old

Lincolnites star in new Sincil Bank art installation

250 portraits will be put up in the area this week
By Local Democracy Reporter

An art installation which will see hundreds of portraits of Sincil Bank residents placed around the area is underway, with the first pieces being put up.

We Are Sincil Bank is an art project launched independently by City of Lincoln Council and the University of Lincoln, as part of a worldwide exhibition called Inside Out, which aims to champion local communities.

It will see 250 black and white portraits of people who live in the Sincil Bank area placed on the walls in that area of the city, allowing for local people to be the star attraction.

The portraits will be placed on surrounding streets close to Sincil Bank. | Photo: Ellis Karran for The Lincolnite

Placement of the portraits started on Monday, September 6 and is expected to run until Thursday, September 9, when all will be in place.

The purpose of the exhibition is to celebrate the local people of Lincoln and strengthen the community spirit after what has been a difficult 18 months with the coronavirus pandemic.

Around 250 will be placed around the city. | Photo: Ellis Karran for The Lincolnite

It started as being a project for the pupils and staff of St Peter at Gowts Primary School on Pennell Street, but soon became a wider project involving the Sincil Bank community.

Portraits were taken back in May and have taken over three months to perfect and create, but the results are now starting to show and the people of Sincil Bank are recognising their faces on the walls of a brilliant art project.

One young boy was delighted to see his face on an art project. | Photo: We Are Sincil Bank

People young and old took part in the community exhibition, which has prompted excitement in the area. For updates you can visit the We Are Sincil Bank Facebook page.

It is yet another part of a huge artistic makeover for the Sincil Bank area, along with the Sincil Bank Art Project, which sees street artists from all over the world create murals on the walls of houses.

French artist Zabou (centre) with Adrian Bishop (left) and Harry Conti (right) from Student Housing. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

The first mural, made by French artist Zabou, depicts a young Isaac Newton looking through a prism, while the second, created by Sophie Mess, is a Lincoln Star Clematis flower with the words ‘Shine Bright’ written on it.

The Lincolnite went and visited the area to see some of the portraits that have been put up, and you can check them out below:

| Photo: Ellis Karran for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Ellis Karran for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Ellis Karran for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Ellis Karran for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Ellis Karran for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Ellis Karran for The Lincolnite