The Story of Water
FrancisKnight was appointed by Medway Development Company too curate and project manage a public art commission for Chatham Pumping Station.
Chatham Waterfront, is the focus of a multi-million-pound regeneration programme to revitalise the area with new homes to provide waterfront living. Apartments sit next to the River Medway with views across Chatham, Rochester and Strood.
Chatham Pumping Station was built in the 1960s, in a prominent location on Chatham waterfront and visually stands out due to its red brick façade. The commission was created to enhance the building, the newly developed public plaza in front of it, and make the Pumping Station a centrepiece within the regeneration programme.
The Story of Water is a striking public artwork by Artists Nicole Mollett and José Den Hartog, both appointed as lead artists for the Chatham Pumping Station.
Together, the artists have collaborated to create a large ceramic tiled mural that wraps around the building illustrating the multi-layered history of water and the importance it plays in people’s lives, specifically in Chatham and Medway.
By illuminating the area’s profound maritime heritage, the river’s ecology, and the ingenuity of waterworks engineering, the commission captures the essence of the river as an essential element of the landscape and core part of local identity. The community’s connection to water, from broader historical contexts to individual experiences, has been informed through research from the Medway Archives, Greenwich Maritime Museum, and the Historic Dockyard.
Nicole Mollett is a socially engaged public artist who has delivered multiple projects across Kent, including Project Managing the ‘Draw Hope’ pavilion which took place in Chatham Riverside Park.
José Den Hartog is a Dutch ceramicist with many years of experience developing architectural public art commissions. They have collaborated since 2007, and have a shared passion for making artwork which is inspired by archival imagery, bringing together communities & creating a new sense of understanding of place. José’s involvement is supported by a grant from the Dutch Embassy.