50 artists paint 50 children to show East End’s poverty alongside Canary Wharf’s affluence

Fifty leading artists each took a child from London’s deprived East End as their subject for a painting to highlight poverty alongside affluence which are to go on public show at Shoreditch.

The Fifty Children Fifty Artists project was completed this week at Canary Wharf when the young subjects met up with the artists again to have their pictures taken—this time with a camera—alongside their hand-painted portraits.

All the works go on exhibition at Shoreditch Town Hall from Monday.

The art project was launched by the Miracles UK charity last year to raise awareness of extreme child poverty in one of London’s most eclectic boroughs.

Tower Hamlets was chosen because of its deprivation, like neighbouring Hackney, running cheek-by-jowl with Europe’s most prosperous financial district.

The artist project aims to draw attention—as well as portraits—to the huge problem east London faces with child poverty and raise money with donations and sponsorships to support those in need as well as giving the portrayed youngsters a lasting experience.

Artists involved included Emma Sergeant, Daphne Guinness, Christian Furr, Robbie Wraith, James Lloyd, John Wragg, Tai Shan Schieren, Zachary Walsh, Eileen Cooper and Jessica Albarn.

Their exhibition opening Monday in Shoreditch runs until Friday, 10am to 5pm.