Rafał Zajko

2023 Deptford X Parade

Rafał Zajko
Techno Harvest
2022
Processional performance from Giffin Square to Fordham Park
Midday onwards on 1 October 2023

Co-created with students from Deptford Green secondary and Watergate primary schools and elders from Entelechy Arts over 60s art group, Meet Me at The Albany through workshops facilitated by Cecily Loveys-Jervoise (Watergate) and Alia Hamaoui (Meet Me at The Albany).

The intergenerational parade through Deptford was led by artist Rafał Zajko who sought to recreate the spirit of the 1999 Berlin Love Parade while embodying a techno-future imaginary. Pulling from visual motifs associated with Catholic processions, workers strikes, and harvest celebrations, Zajko worked with artists Alia Hamaoui and Cecily Loveys Jervoise, and Deptford Green School art teacher Esther Wakelin-Stotten, to devise workshops for local children and elders to create parade costumes and banners. Zajko created a ceramic figure, resembling an industrial-looking idol, and featuring crevices filled with vegetables,l to lead the parade. The joyous ‘Techno Harvest’ paraded along Deptford’s streets in celebration of the end of the year’s natural cycle, the reaping season in late September.

With thanks to Esther Wakelin-Stotten, head of art at Deptford Green School; Darren MacDonald, Creative Lead and Molly Betrand, Assistant Headteacher at Watergate School; and Sophie Merriman, Producer of Meet Me at The Albany.

Rafał Zajko lives and works in London, UK. He holds an MFA in Fine Art from Goldsmiths, University of London and a BA (Hons) in Fine Art from Chelsea College of Art, London, UK. He has participated in numerous group exhibitions including shows at London Open 2022, Whitechapel Gallery, London, UK, New Contemporaries 2021, South London Gallery, X Museum, Beijing, China (2020); Bold Tendencies, London, UK (2020); Grand Union, Birmingham (2019) Goswell Rd, Paris, France (2019); Ashes/Ashes, New York, USA (2019); EXILE, Vienna, Austria (2019); Vitrine, Basel, Switzerland (2019); Litost, Prague, Czech Republic (2018); Focal Point Gallery, Southend, UK (2016). Rafal Zajko is currently working on a public commission with Wysing Arts Centre and St. Peters School in Cambridge (2023) and solo show at Queercircle (London,UK).

The parade project is supported by Awards for All and People’s Postcode Lottery