Visit 1888 in Horse and Dolphin Yard - new photo-mosaic mural now unveiled and open to the public

On Monday August 18th, Councillor Alexander Nicoll unveiled 1888, an innovative, colourful – and huge - work of public art in Horse and Dolphin Yard. 1888 is the result of a competition to find a piece of artwork to represent Chinatown’s history, heritage and diversity. It’s going to be on show for two years – and we hope you’ll come and take a look.

The brainchild of East Asian artist Wing Kei Wong, 1888 is a colourful mural of a simple bowl of rice. Upon closer inspection, it reveals itself to be made up of 1888 photos of London’s Chinatown, its residents and its visitors.

During the work’s creation, members of the community were asked to contribute 1888 photographs of Chinatown’s past and present to be incorporated into the final piece of work.  The mosaic represents a giant puzzle that pieces together the lives, history, stories and experiences of the community who live and work in Chinatown – 1888 images combined to depict a cultural icon at the heart of most East Asian communities’ daily lives: a bowl of rice.  Rice is a constant feature of this diverse community, and the rice bowl can be seen as a symbol of cultural unity. 

The number 1888 itself, in Cantonese, phonetically translates as ‘day of great fortune’ and is regarded as auspicious in Chinese numerology.  This mural is designed to bring good luck to all those who live, work and visit Chinatown.

“I want people to take a whole experience away from seeing 1888,” says Wing Kei. “It’s going to be a journey of discovery – for a start, its location isn’t obvious from the busiest area of Chinatown, although you can glimpse it when you’re walking from Gerrard Street to Shaftesbury Avenue. You have to walk past a lot of things to find it. Then, when you find it, you’ll see the rice bowl surrounded by a golden glow – and, by walking up to it, you’ll reveal all of those different stories.”

Click here to find out more about Wing Kei Wong.

To find out more, please contact Ed Fleming or Chris Pilbeam on 0870 444 4568 or at Chinatown@fourcommunications.com.