The Bethnal Green Community Mosaic was designed and created by the volunteers of the Interact UK ‘Interfaith Forum Project’ to celebrate multiculturalism and diversity in the Bethnal Green area, and was inspired by local designs, sites and landmarks.

For this project Interact UK brought together a group of young Londoners from various faith and cultural backgrounds, to work together, learn about each other and create an inspiring art piece for the Bethnal Green community.

The border motifs of the mosaic were inspired by similar designs the volunteers encountered during their visits to the East London Mosque and the London Buddhist Centre. The images of food and clothing are directly influenced by Bethnal Green’s vibrant and multicultural shops and markets and celebrate the diversity of the street and its people.

The Underground sign is at the centre of the mosaic, just as the Bethnal Green Tube Station is at the heart of the area. The ‘I love E2′ sign and the Stick Man grafitti, a familiar sight to all the locals, place the mosaic squarely in the Bethnal Green community.

The mosaic also features the nearby Thames. Our visual representation of the river is made out of found objects the participants gathered during a mudlark near Bethnal Green. These objects include pieces of 18th and 19th century ceramics, shells and old bits of glass.