One Potato, Two Potato, 2022

NOcado campaign

ONE POTATO, TWO POTATO, a major new work by Turner Prize-winning artist Mark Wallinger, created to support a community campaign in north London, was unveiled at Yerbury Primary School on Thursday, 8 September 2022, at 8:00 am.

Proceeds from the work went to the NOcado campaign, which was created by Yerbury School parents and local residents in December 2019 after it was revealed that Ocado had been granted a licence to operate a depot next to the school in this densely populated area. The depot had no restrictions on operating hours and potentially grave consequences for the surrounding community from toxic diesel emissions, noise and light pollution, traffic congestion and threats to local businesses. The online retailers have abused planning loopholes to attempt to gain use of the Bush Industrial Estate in London N19.

The struggle reached a critical stage. Following a lengthy battle with the community, Ocado mounted a third attempt to gain use of the site via planning loopholes. They have also appealed to the Planning Inspectorate to reverse Islington Council’s rejection of their second application. Funds raised by the artwork were used to pay the NOcado campaign’s ongoing and considerable legal costs.

The NOcado campaign made national news, fighting and winning a four-year battle to stop online retailer Ocado from opening a polluting depot beside the primary school.  

Mark Wallinger, whose studio is in nearby Archway, has been involved in social and political activism since the start of his career. State Britain, his 2007 Turner Prize-winning installation, comprised a recreation of an anti-Iraq War protest in Tate Britain. He created the first artwork for Trafalgar Square’s empty Fourth Plinth and the Labyrinth series of plaques for London Underground.

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