University of Bedfordshire Arts Lecturer keeps Grenfell Tragedy in the Public Eye
Noel Douglas has been working with the Grenfell Next of Kin group to keep momentum for the campaign
Last updated 4th Jul 2023
An artist and designer who also serves as the course leader for graphic design and animation at the University of Bedfordshire has been working with the Grenfell next of Kin campaign - to keep the tragedy forefront in the public consciousness.
Noel Douglas has been working closely with Grenfell Next of Kin, a self-organized group comprising half of the Grenfell Tower's next of kin, who seek justice for the tragedy that took place three years ago.
The artist, who resides near the tower, was approached by Next of Kin through social media. Moved by their struggle to be heard and their demand for justice, Douglas joined forces with the group. Over the years, their collaboration has evolved from creating posters and putting them up around the area to more impactful initiatives.
"I recognized their struggle to be heard and sought ways to increase their visibility."
Douglas and the group have achieved an annual takeover of the Shepherd's Bush roundabout, made possible by the support of four advertising companies that provided the space free of charge. This collaboration has not only allowed the campaign to gain more publicity but has also helped keep the Grenfell tragedy in the public eye.
"The roundabout, being one of the busiest in London, ensured a significant number of people would encounter their message."
When asked about the concern that the Grenfell tragedy might fade from public consciousness outside of the anniversary, Douglas acknowledged the importance of continuous awareness and the potential difficulties faced by any campaign. He drew a parallel with the Hillsborough campaign, which took over two decades to achieve justice.
He drew parallels to other campaigns, like the Hillsborough campaign, which took decades to achieve justice. He stressed the need to prevent Grenfell from becoming a distant memory and losing momentum. Douglas believed that sustained public attention was crucial for their cause and hoped to continue creating spectacles that resonated with people.
"Sustained public attention is crucial for our cause. We need to prevent Grenfell from becoming a distant memory and losing momentum."
As an artist, Douglas discussed his creative approach to the campaign's visuals. He explained that the striking black backgrounds and bold text were intentionally designed to contrast with the colorful and vibrant nature of advertising. By using a minimalistic and stark aesthetic, their message stood out and demanded attention. Douglas revealed another layer to the campaign by incorporating augmented reality elements into their flyposting and billboards. By using an app, viewers could access videos from the inquiry, bringing the content from online platforms to the streets.
"The idea of it being the very stark black and white is really to counteract the kind of advertising, you see. We don't have the billboards continually and some of them are on rotation - most adverts are very colourful. So the idea is that those that black and white really is kind of trying to create a contrast with the advertising and obviously be quite hard hitting"
Reflecting on the response to their campaign so far, Douglas mentioned that their images had garnered attention in various media outlets. Prominent figures, such as the band Massive Attack, also wore a print of the billboards on T shirts, expanding their reach to a broader audience. Douglas emphasized the importance of media exposure in keeping the message circulating and acknowledged the positive reception they had received thus far.
Looking ahead, Douglas reiterated the campaign's primary goal of achieving justice and ensuring that those responsible for the tragedy are held accountable. He expressed a desire to expand the campaign's reach, potentially by bringing it to more locations throughout London. Douglas acknowledged the ongoing support from companies like Build Hollywood and hoped to explore additional avenues to amplify the campaign's impact.