Painting the End of a Chapter: The Matchbox Collective at The Loop
When a building holds history, the right way here in HWFI is to mark its passing, not through a sign on the door or a last-minute clearout; it’s paint.
@sara.gennat
That's what happened at The Loop in April when we worked with The Matchbox Collective who took over the building for a week-long paint jam to close out this chapter of the site's story.
Eight artists. Seven days. An entire building transformed.
The Matchbox Collective are a radical crew of muralists, street artists and signwriters rooted in East London's creative community. Organised by Karc, Jeru and Lee (Hybrid Desire), the jam brought together some of the area's most distinctive voices:
The result wasn't decoration. It was a send-off. A collective act of remembrance and celebration rolled into spray cans and brushes.
"Another landmark building disappearing..." one local noted in the comments online. But what The Matchbox Collective did was ensure it didn't disappear quietly.
For HWFI CDT & Arbeit Studios, supporting this happening through our sponsorship was a natural fit. We believe the culture of Hackney Wick — its artists, its makers, its history of creative resistance to displacement — isn't a backdrop to the neighbourhood. It is the neighbourhood. When spaces like The Loop close, the stories, relationships and creative energy that lived inside them deserve to be honoured.
The paint jam was supported by Hackney Council's Local Area Activation Fund, alongside Loop Colors, Arbeit Studios, and HWFI CDT — organisations that share a belief in the value of public space, local businesses, and genuine community connection.
The Matchbox Collective are based in East London. They do murals, workshops, and events — and they paint walls in ways that make people stop and look.
Find them at thematchbox.uk or @the_matchbox_collective on Instagram.