A SERIES of single pansies have been planted at locations across Colchester as part of a ground-breaking art project marking sites of homophobic abuse across the world.
Artist Paul Harfleet planted the flowers at six locations in Colchester - Mersea Road, Rawstorn Road, Turner Road, High Street, Eld Lane and Magdalen Street - to mark previous incidents of homophobia reported in the town.
They were planted as part of Mr Harfleet’s Pansy Project, which has seen similar installations made in towns and cities across the world.
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Mr Harfleet, 42, is also hosting a separate show as part of We Are the Minories upcoming Silent Spring exhibition.
Artist - Paul Harfleet snaps a pansy at the University of Kansas. Picture: Nick Krug
He said: “The project started 16 years ago in Manchester where I suffered three instances of homophobic abuse myself.
“I wanted to do something which marked they had taken place.
“I knew I wanted to plant a flower and I realised a pansy was the obvious choice as it is obviously associated with homophobic remarks.
“I visited every location where the abuse took place and planted a pansy.
“I then named the photo after the abuse and added it to the map.
“When I started in 2005, I sent the idea to a queer arts festival and they commissioned me to do a series of installations and giveaways.
“I have been doing that as well as installing single flowers at locations across the globe ever since.”
Paul Harfleet photographing one of the pansies in Colchester
To find appropriate locations to mark, Mr Harfleet researches incidents online, as well as asking for community input.
The locations marked in Colchester relate to incidents reported around the town since 2012.
Mr Harfleet said: “Usually I would visit and speak to people in the area about their experiences, but that was hard this time around due to Covid.
“There is a bit of artistic licence as I have to find the nearest patch of soil. It is a guerilla gardening project in a way.
“The hardest part is taking the photos afterwards as I always want to frame the pansy as the centre of the picture.
“I have planted 300 individual pansies around the world, as well as planted several thousands for special installations in the past.”
One of the pansies planted in Colchester
The Colchester sites have now been added to the project map.
To find out more about the Pansy Project, visit thepansyproject.com.
Visit www.wearetheminories.org.
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