Visual artist Karen Davies says that moving into A House for Artists in Barking in east London, when it was completed in 2021, was 'life changing'. She explains that it is the first time in her adult life that she has had secure housing. 'After moving in here there was a moment of catharsis. You realise you've been uptight for a long time while navigating private renting.' The people who live here are all artists selected by the arts organisation Create London, supported by project ambassador Grayson Perry. Perry's presence is still felt: one of his sculptures is located in the courtyard which connects the housing block to its neighbour - a 2m-wide lamp shaped like a row of houses. The artist has described the artwork as 'a monument to social housing', inspired by the nearby Becontree estate, once the biggest council estate in Europe.
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