Please Take a Seat: new work by Mahtab Hussain on The Line in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

We were delighted to join the launch of Mahtab Hussain’s new commission with our grantee, The Line, London, in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. This project has been supported through the Westfield East Bank Creative Futures Fund, made possible by Westfield Stratford City.

Please Take a Seat reimagines the traditional Victorian park bench for today’s East London. Crafted in cast iron, engraved wooden slats and sandstone, the work brings together heritage, local stories and contemporary design.

Developed in collaboration with The Line’s Youth Collective, the bench carries digitally scanned portraits of young people from the area, cast directly into the back panel. Their presence grounds the artwork in local identity, creativity and lived experience.

You’ll find Please Take a Seat along The Line in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford, beside the Waterworks River. If you’re passing through the park, we invite you to pause, sit and take a moment with the work. The engraved prompt — “Hello, let’s make a portrait together” — encourages visitors to reflect, connect and create their own portraits using the bench as a backdrop. Scan the on-site QR code for insights from the artist and to share your portrait using #PortraitsOnTheLine, contributing to a growing archive celebrating East London’s people and places.

This sculpture marks the culmination of Visible/Invisible, a collaborative project led by The Line with London College of Fashion and the National Portrait Gallery, supported by the Westfield East Bank Creative Futures Fund and the Freelands Foundation. With thanks to Momart, Price & Myers, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, and Pangaea Sculptors’ Centre for design and digital scanning.

The launch also coincides with Mahtab Hussain’s solo exhibition, What Did You Want to See?, commissioned by Ikon and Photoworks. The exhibition is open at Ikon Gallery in Birmingham until 1 June, with free entry.

Learn more at The Line: https://the-line.org/collaboration/visible-invisible/