The Colours of Newham murals were unveiled on 7 August, reported Neandra Etienne.

Mayor of Newham Rokhsana Fiaz and local councillors joined residents in the unveiling of the first Colours of Newham mural: Jimi Hendrix at the Upper Cut Club on 7 August.

Colours of Newham murals, co-designed by local artists with surrounding communities, is part of the Council’s cultural strategy and celebrates Newham’s arts and culture heritage. The design and installation of the Jimi Hendrix mural, which celebrates where Hendrix wrote his classic hit Purple Haze, was a collaboration between the Council, Bud Studio and artist Zabou, who is a former Newham resident.

Local resident Hazel Goldman suggested Jimi should be wearing rings. She told Newham Voices: “The local community campaigned for this mural for 25 years. Bud Studios and Zabou worked with local people including Paul Romane and Lloyd Jeans, who are experts in local music history to get the details and historical context of the mural right.”

The mural celebrates the musical and cultural heritage of Forest Gate, in particular the well-known musicians who played at the Upper Cut Club in the late 1960s, including Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, Otis Redding, Small Faces, and David Essex. The mural also acknowledges Forest Gate as the home of the first Rock against Racism gig which took place in the Princess Alice Pub in 1976.

Three years ago a Newham Heritage Purple Haze blue plaque was unveiled on the same wall as the mural.

For more information, visit: newhamco-create.co.uk

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