Thousands of padlocks at JW3 to be transformed into permanent 7 October memorial

The Lovelock Hostage bridge at the JW3 community hub is being transformed into a permanent five foot tall padlock sculpture dedicated to the victims and survivors of 7 October 2023.

Originally populated with padlocks inscribed with the names of Israel’s hostages to keep them in the public consciousness, the bridge installation at Finchley Road officially opened in February 2024.

The brainchild of project creator Marcel Knobil, the bridge railings swiftly became crammed with thousands more locks, added by celebrities including Sir Simon Schama and Maureen Lipman, together with members of the public determined to express their solidarity with hostage families and their loved ones.

With the return of the remains of the last hostage, Ran Gvili, on 26 January, Knobil has now commissioned renowned porcelain sculpture artist, Sandra Shashou, to take every padlock and re-purpose them into a tower as a lasting memorial.

Sitting on the bridge, wrapped up in hat, scarf and gloves, surrounded by hundreds of padlocks, a metal cylinder “that’s been dug down and fastened to the ground below”, metal rings and a very large cup of tea, Shashou explains she “usually works with vintage tea-ware but recently has been stacking them and creating towers. So when Marcel had a tower in mind here, he thought I would be the right person, especially because I work with multiples of things.”

Describing her process as “placing the padlocks with intent”, Shashou will incorporate yellow ribbons and the now rusty keys into the installation, describing it as “very human and imperfect” with “an organic feel to it.”

With the entire process expected to take up to two weeks, she adds: “It’s a great honour to be doing this. It makes me feel that I can make a tribute to the hostages, that they won’t be forgotten and there will be something here for them permanently. ”

Project creator Marcel Knobil said: “The Lovelock Hostage Bridge Tribute is being created from padlocks which thousands of people lovingly attached to the Bridge in support of the hostages. It will prove a magnificent testimonial to those that perished and to the courage and inspirational spirit of the survivors.”

JW3 chief executive Raymond Simonson added: “Our Lovelock Hostage Bridge gave people a way to turn heartbreak into action, and that is why it resonated so deeply. It began as a simple invitation to those who needed a way to express love and anguish together. Over 18 months, more than 5,000 locks were added by people from across the community and beyond, showing love, solidarity and hope for the hostages and their families.

“At JW3 we witnessed thousands of deeply personal acts, each one small on its own, yet together creating something powerful and visible. This new sculpture, created by Sandra using hundreds of those original locks, ensures that the spirit of that collective action endures. It is not only a tribute to the hostages and their families, but also a lasting reminder of what can happen when community comes together with purpose and compassion.”