Signs of success as rapper honoured by award and artwork
Hip-hop producer Kevin Walker’s pioneering use of sign language in his songs has earned him a National Lottery Award and an art installation at London music venue The Roundhouse.
The deaf writer, producer and rapper, who records and performs as SignKid, has adapted British Sign Language (BSL) to create a visual language for hip-hop, rap and urban music performance. His efforts to make the art form more accessible to the deaf community have been recognised at the 2022 National Lottery Awards where he was announced as the winner of the Arts, Culture and Film category.
As well as the award, Kevin’s contribution has been honoured by a striking sculpture created by artist Liam Hopkins of the multidisciplinary creative studio Lazerian. An interpretation of SignKid’s work, story and legacy, it features 2 hand-shaped sculptures forming a ‘V’ shape (the BSL sign for ‘Visual’).
The artwork forms part of The National Lottery’s Peoples’ Portraits, a campaign highlighting the importance of making the arts accessible to all.
Kevin said, “It’s an honour for my work to be recognised with such an incredible piece of art, at one of the most iconic music venues in the world and to win a National Lottery Award. I’ve been able to achieve amazing things with the help of National Lottery funding, so I would love this campaign to inspire others from the deaf community and beyond to not to let any barriers stand in their way.”
2nd November 2022
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