Wayfinding To Our Memories is a public art sculpture created by Sahra Hersi following design workshops with Y1 and Y5 pupils at Cherry Orchard Primary Academy.
While listening to recollections from older residents recorded for Ebbsfleet Citizen Archive, students reflected on their own memories of the local area and what might symbolise ‘home’ for them. Inspired by these, they then crafted personal wayfinding designs, blending their memories with those from the archive.
“The aim was to create a symbol of shared memories between older and younger residents, showcasing a cross generational blend of recollections. The artwork does not attempt to capture every memory but rather creates intrigue in the landscape and tells a story through symbols.” – Sahra Hersi
The artwork features a QR code for ebbsfleetcitizenarchive.org, acting as a portal to a vault of collective memories and encouraging visitors to “pause, reflect on their own memories, and appreciate connections across time and experiences.”
The Wayfinder is situated near Cherry Orchard Academy Primary – find the exact location here.
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Wayfinding To Our Memories is part of Ebbsfleet Citizen Archive, a community-led project capturing and preserving the varied stories and histories of the people and places of Ebbsfleet, Greenhithe, Swanscombe, and Northfleet, inviting local people to work with artists, historians and fellow residents, to explore the area’s unique historic and contemporary identity through objects, sounds, videos and photographs, collected by and from residents past, present and future.
Ebbsfleet Citizen Archive is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England, and supported by Ebbsfleet Development Corporation, Gravesham Libraries, Dartford Museum and Libraries, and Kent Archives.
All the materials gathered through the project can be now be accessed via ebbsfleetcitizenarchive.org, where you can also upload your own contributions.
Sahra Hersi is an artist and spatial designer. She describes her work as “caring about people, places, art & architecture, in that order”. Her work is public and ranges in scale from zines and workshops to public realm interventions and buildings.