A Hackney Friendship Told Through Art and Poetry

When celebrated poet and long-time Hackney resident Kit Wright began preparing the release of his new poetry collection, ‘Jug Band Jag’ (October 2025), he found inspiration close to home — quite literally on his own wall.

Hanging there was a familiar print he had cherished for years: Hackney Flats II, a striking painting by his late friend and fellow Hackney resident, Melvyn Robinson. The piece, depicting the block of flats on Well Street, captures the layered stories and rhythms of everyday life in Hackney — something Kit felt deeply echoed in his poetry.

Now, Hackney Flats II has found a new life as the cover of Jug Band Jag, a collection celebrated for its musicality, humour, and human insight. The pairing feels profoundly fitting — a dialogue between two Hackney voices, one through paint and the other through verse.

Together, Kit Wright and Melvyn Robinson remind us that creativity has deep roots in this borough — and that art, in all its forms, continues to connect and celebrate the stories of Hackney.