I've seen art change lives—now I hope it can help fight knife crime

25 March 2025, 17:14

At Grove Gallery, I’ve always prided myself on doing things differently.

For me, it’s not just about showcasing incredible artists, it’s about giving a platform to those who may not come from traditional art backgrounds but have powerful stories to tell. There’s something incredibly rewarding about nurturing talent and introducing them to a new audience of art lovers.

Beyond this, I strongly believe in aligning the gallery with meaningful causes. Over the years, we’ve supported artists whose work connects to important social issues, such as Ed Worley (Opake), who overcame homelessness and addiction, partnering him with Centrepoint; Blind Braille artist Clarke Reynolds, in collaboration with The Vision Foundation; and Eve De Haan and Sara Pope, whose work has supported Choose Love.

One of our most recent artists, Aidan Phelan, has an extraordinary journey. Once best known as David Beckham’s personal hairstylist, responsible for some of his most iconic looks, including the infamous mohawk, Aidan’s career took an unexpected hit when COVID-19 struck. Struggling with his mental health, he lost much of his livelihood.

But instead of giving up, he threw himself into helping others, raising £2.3 million for NHS frontline workers. He set up five pop-up salons across the UK, in Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, London, and Newcastle where he and his team provided 5,800 free haircuts, meals, and drinks to those in need.

After lockdown, Aidan returned to his first love: art. Over the past two years, he has poured his experiences into a 30-piece collection titled Reflections of a Broken Mirror. It’s a powerful social commentary, tackling themes such as climate activism, social media pressures, justice, and the evolution of modern society.

Living in Soho for the past twenty years, Aidan has seen firsthand the devastating impact of knife crime. This isn’t just a London issue, it’s a nationwide crisis. So when he met Brooke Kinsella, collaborating with the Ben Kinsella Trust felt like the perfect next step. Together, we are proud to present two thought-provoking pieces of art.

The hero piece incorporates Ben Kinsella’s own GCSE artwork, including his Birds of Peace, painted just three months before his tragic passing. It also features excerpts from Ben’s letter to then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown, in which he pleaded for action on rising knife crime rates. In a deeply personal tribute, Brooke has also contributed her own handprint to a secondary piece.

Both works will be exhibited at Grove Gallery for the next month before we gift them to the Ben Kinsella Trust. If we can play even a small part in raising awareness for the incredible work Brooke and her team do, and in shining a light on the wider issue of knife crime, then that, to me, is an achievement worth celebrating.

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James Ryan is CEO of Grove Gallery.

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