Get to know the people helping to bring the new London Children’s Museum to life!
Susan Day, a ceramic artist known for her works throughout the City of London and beyond, crafted the large-scale mosaic that will greet visitors when they enter the new museum. First approached in 2019, this mosaic reflected what nature might look like and mean to us in the future. It is aptly titled, “Our World, 2024.”
Like all elements of the new museum, Susan Day’s mosaic integrated children and their voices into its design. Susan Day set out to create a mosaic that “recognizes children as cultural citizens and not simply passive observers… children [were] invited to make marks and leave traces to both explore and communicate their sense of belonging in a museum setting and indeed in the world.”
The tiles were molded, glazed, and fired by Susan Day and her team, but the tile designs - names, patterns, pictures, and more - were crafted by children and families during numerous tile-making workshops at the London Children’s Museum. As these workshops progressed, the mosaic design evolved to include elements and designs straight from the stories of our visitors.
“This boat tile made by a...child visitor had a huge impact on many of my choices in making this mosaic,” Susan Day wrote on Instagram on July 19, 2024, chronicling the mosaic installation process. “I hope whoever made it remembers it. When the young boy made the texture on the boat shape he was given we noticed his intensity in creating. After we thought he was done he started to cut thin lines through the surface of the vessel. When asked why he was doing this he said, “It's the rain, the boat is in the rain.” The beautifully cut and textured mirror rain (donated by Stylistic Glass & Mirror Inc. and cut by Susan Day’s team) was integrated into the mosaic from this child’s thoughtful contribution.
Thank you, Susan Day, and your incredible team for allowing children in our community to share their stories and see their passions and interests guide the creation of this dazzling mosaic!
“Because [children] have contributed to something larger than them, it gives them a sense of belonging that they may not get elsewhere. The act of tile making and the resulting tiles are physical evidence for understanding how young children enter into dialogues with environments outside of the home… With projects like this, we can support children in forging relationships and taking ownership of spaces within the wider community.”
