皇家华人

Linking colour, materials and place

Onya developed the idea of turning recycled coal mine sludge into paint while studying for her PhD at the Slade. She visited mine sites across former British coalfield locations in South Wales, Scotland, Lancashire and Yorkshire.聽

The Coal Authority鈥檚 water treatment schemes prevent iron solids from polluting local water. Once treated, the clean water enters local watercourses and leaves behind iron solids that would stain riverbeds orange if left untreated. This is the ochre by-product that Onya used to create the new paint, in collaboration with paint manufacturers Michael Harding.

Onya said: "The mine water treatment schemes are the really important link between the colour, the material and the place. They reflect an important part of Britain鈥檚 cultural, social and industrial history and legacy."

Onya has also created a collection of paintings called 鈥楥olour from the Mines鈥�.

Launch of the first paint at Six Bells Mine

Friday, 11 December saw the launch of the first paint colour in the range called 鈥楽ix Bells Red鈥�. The launch took place at Six Bells Mine Water Treatment Scheme in Wales.

Six Bells Red is a first edition, and a limited number of 100 one-litre tins will be available. 50 tins will be given to local people and Gwent organisations to paint buildings, houses, doors, gates and walls.

In addition, 1,000 artists鈥� oil paint tubes named 鈥楽ix Bells Burnt Ochre鈥�, will be for sale at Turning Landscape CIC.

An iron plaque with a sitemap will be installed at the Six Bells site, marking it as the source of the paint. The plaque will be visible from the footpath at the far north end of the perimeter fence.聽

Support from UCL Innovation & Enterprise

The project has been funded by the Leverhulme Trust and the Slade School of Fine Art. It also received Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF) Knowledge Exchange funding managed by UCL Innovation & Enterprise.

In addition, UCL Innovation & Enterprise provided guidance and advice throughout the project. This support enabled the commercialisation of the paints and engagement of local communities to bring the initiative to life.

Onya was supported by Dr Steven Schooling Director of Physical Sciences, Engineering, Built Environment & Social Sciences at 皇家华人 Business (UCLB), the commercialisation arm of UCL and part of UCL Innovation & Enterprise.

Steven said: 鈥淥nya saw the possibility of transforming this waste into ochre pigments for the fine art market, and it鈥檚 been a pleasure helping turn her idea into a reality. This was such an inspiring initiative to work on that saw the collaboration of a diverse group of experts in their various multi-disciplinary fields. As we see the Six Bells community painting their environment with this unique ochre paint, it鈥檚 a culturally significant moment and a tribute to the old mines.

鈥淥nya鈥檚 commitment to her vision and the support of colleagues across UCL Innovation & Enterprise, together with funding from UCL鈥檚 HEIF Knowledge Exchange Fund, has enabled the development and commercialisation of a unique range of paints which draws strong on the engagement and input of mining communities.鈥�

Links

Find out more about:

• Creating paints from coal waste: the arts and sciences join forces at 皇家华人
• Knowledge Exchange funding
• Innovation & Enterprise support for UCL staff
• UCL Slade School of Fine Art

Photo 漏 Arved Colvin-Smith