An eyesore bus kiosk that was transformed into an art space by a community group was ripped down by the local council without warning, leaving people ‘heartbroken’.
Art collective Kabinett spent around a month clearing out the dirty bus shelter in Camberwell, south London, which was constantly used as a rubbish tip.
They decorated it and began hosting art performances for the local community.
But videos emerged of council workers tearing the structure from the ground with Kabinett claiming no one warned it was going to happen.
Camille Moreno, a member of the Kabinett team, said although some of her colleagues were ‘heartbroken’ by the kiosk’s removal, it had brought more attention to their projects, including a newly refurbished bus kiosk in Crystal Palace in southeast London.
Pictured, the eyesore bus kiosk before it was restored and turned into an art installation by a community group
The bus kiosk pictured after its transformation. Art collective Kabinett spent around a month clearing it out
The bus kiosk being removed unexpectantly by the council. Some members of the art group were ‘heartbroken’
Ms Moreno said: ‘The art installation started last October, and we had the first show in the Camberwell Kabinett at the beginning of December.
‘It took about a month to really clean it up. We emptied the trash and sanitised it and from then on we started having programming.
‘It developed organically as more people started to become involved. We would encourage artists to see how they could create street art.
‘Sometimes we would put objects inside the Kabinett to be taken, like potatoes and onions.
‘At Christmas, we filled it with plants and encouraged people to take them home with them. It was an experimental project space for artists.
‘We had a team of volunteers keeping an eye on it, making sure it was still clean.
‘I never got negative feedback about it from members of the community.
‘Bus drivers would smile and wave as they passed. People said it made them happy. But anything was an improvement on what it was like before. It was a health hazard.’
The dirty bus shelter in Camberwell, south London, was constantly used as a rubbish tip before being restored
Southwark Council claimed the box was ‘a hotspot for fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour’ and was ripped down by council workers in July (pictured)
Ms Moreno said: ‘Sometimes we would put objects inside the Kabinett to be taken, like potatoes and onions’
Southwark Council claimed the box was ‘a hotspot for fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour’ and so it was suddenly ripped down by council workers at the end of July.
Ms Moreno said she felt the had to be ‘sacrificed’ to provide more opportunities for the art collective.
‘On July 31 we discovered it was gone,’ she added.
‘It didn’t belong to us, but I didn’t expect it to go this soon.
‘The council had wished me good luck at the beginning, but said they wouldn’t be able to help me directly.
‘I still don’t know who made the decision to take it down.
‘But what we built is the community around the Kabinett, and that community still exists.
‘I don’t see it’s removal as a setback, necessarily. I’m keen to find more Kabinetts now.
Art collective Kabinett restored and decorated the kiosk (pictured) and began hosting art performances for the local community
Ms Moreno said she felt the had to be ‘sacrificed’ to provide more opportunities for the art collective
Southwark Council claimed the kiosk ‘remained a hotspot for fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour’ after the transformation. (Pictured, the kiosk after its transformation)
‘Some of my colleagues were pretty heartbroken about it, but there’s lots more opportunities to do this.
‘I almost felt it had to be sacrificed so that more people could learn about it.’
Southwark Council said: ‘We are big advocates for unused spaces being reworked for the benefit of the local community, as we have done at locations all across Southwark.
‘It’s really important that these spaces are maintained properly so that they can be safely enjoyed and add value to their surroundings.
‘This wasn’t the case for the bus controller’s box, which remained a hotspot for fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour.
‘We’d urge the artists involved to speak to our culture team about other opportunities in the borough to present work and to connect with local people.’