A Hackney councillor has spoken of the borough's pride at having a Turner Prize-winning work of art in the borough.

Veronica Ryan won the award this month for two works. One was a body of work which touches on the psychological impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, but the other was the custard apple, breadfruit and soursop sculptures which have become a popular feature of Hackney's streets.

Cllr Carole Williams, who was on the panel which commissioned the marble and bronze sulptures, said: “We’re all incredibly, incredibly proud.”

She said she was especially pleased with the artwork’s emphasis on honouring the Windrush generation.

“We said right from the start that we wanted this artwork to represent the council’s commitment to migrant communities, but also those who have been specifically affected by the Windrush scandal and their descendants,” said Cllr Williams.

“So now that there’s some national recognition of that I think we’re even prouder than we had been at the time of the launch.”

READ MORE: Sculptor Veronica Ryan wins Turner Prize for works exploring Windrush and Covid

The artist has spoken about trips to Hackney’s Ridley Road Market as a child helping inspire the sculpture.

“I like the fact that the community in Hackney will see some familiar fruit and vegetables represented in the sculptures, and always enjoy these connections,” she said when the piece was unveiled.

Cllr Williams siad: “Food is very emotionally evocative. I remember us all having a discussion about food and the memories that food brings back for all of us.”

The Turner Prize victory as Hackney Council continues its Review, Rename, Reclaim project, in which it is taking a closer look at artworks, statues and street names in the borough, and how they represent residents.

Cllr Williams said: “I certainly hope that councils around the country recognise that public art - the names of our streets, the names of our parks and places in our public realm - should represent the positive contribution that our communities make, and make sure that the contribution withstands the test of time as well.”

In December 2020, Hackney Council removed the name 'Cassland Road Gardens' from a public garden in Homerton, because of Sir John Cass’s association with the Atlantic slave trade.

It was later renamed Kit Crowley Gardens in honour of a member of the local community.

Cllr Williams said: “It’s about how communities are represented in the public realm. That’s incredibly important.”