Page in development.
PROJECT UPDATE – This page will be updated shortly to outline the significant progress the project has made.
FrancisKnight, in collaboration with Tom Pearman, is developing a comprehensive public art strategy for the Harrow View East development on the former Kodak factory site in Harrow, London. This strategy responds to Section 106 (S106) planning obligations, embedding meaningful public art within the emerging residential neighbourhood.
At the centre of the proposal is a large-scale sculptural work inspired by the Kodak Instamatic series of cameras. The Instamatic range represented Kodak’s pioneering approach to making photography simple, accessible, and affordable to the general public, an ethos that underpins the narrative of the sculpture.
The sculpture on one side features a bold, recognisable camera referencing Kodak’s role in popularising photography with the iconic Kodak Instamatic range of cameras, while the reverse side presents an abstract arrangement of knobs, dials, and switches inspired by factory machinery, celebrating the factory’s workforce and processes behind production.
The inclusion of the number “6000” references the numbering system used within the Kodak Instamatic camera range, while also celebrating the 6,000 people employed at the Harrow factory at its peak.
The sculpture is complemented by a series of wall-mounted vitreous enamel panels that celebrate the workforce across generations. These panels incorporate graphic elements derived from the sculptural forms, creating a cohesive visual language across the wider artwork scheme. Together, the works balance abstraction with recognisable features, blending technological references with human stories.
Community engagement has been central to the project’s development. An extensive programme of workshops, mentoring, and public consultation was delivered in partnership with Harrow Arts Centre. Participants, including students, emerging artists, and former Kodak employees, contributed ideas, shared experiences, and explored creative interpretations of camera design. These sessions directly informed the evolution of the artwork, encouraging a shift toward a more abstract, tactile, and interactive outcome. MORE
Crucially, engagement with former factory workers enriched the narrative of the project. Their stories, memories, and archival photographs helped shape both the sculpture and the accompanying panels, ensuring the work reflects not just industrial output but the lived experience of the community that sustained it.
The sculpture on one side features a bold, recognisable camera referencing Kodak’s role in popularising photography with the iconic Kodak Instamatic range of cameras, while the reverse side presents an abstract arrangement of knobs, dials, and switches inspired by factory machinery, celebrating the factory’s workforce and processes behind production.
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The sculpture’s proposal is inspired by the Kodak Instamatic series of cameras. The Instamatic range represented Kodak’s pioneering approach to making photography simple, accessible, and affordable to the general public, an ethos that underpins the narrative of the sculpture.
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The rear of the sculpture features a series of knobs and buttons inspired by the industrial machines used in production at the Harrow Kodak factory. Its design draws influence from the factory’s control room, with each button and dial referencing the wide range of machinery that operated on the site.
The front contains a concave aperture.
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The sculpture is to made from machined granite and combination of other machined materials for its features.
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The control room at the former factory.
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Location of the sculpture (square) and vitreous enamel wall-mounted panels (circles).
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The sculpture is complemented by a series of wall-mounted vitreous enamel panels that celebrate the workforce across generations. These panels incorporate graphic elements derived from the sculptural forms, creating a cohesive visual language across the wider artwork scheme. Together, the works balance abstraction with recognisable features, blending technological references with human stories.
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Community engagement has been central to the project’s development. Between 2024 and 2025, an extensive programme of workshops, mentoring, and public consultation was delivered in partnership with Harrow Arts Centre. Participants, including students, emerging artists, and former Kodak employees, contributed ideas, shared experiences, and explored creative interpretations of camera design. MORE
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