The mad parties they had in Butler’s Wharf warehouse was eye-opening
The Art of Isolation gallery in Surrey Quays Shopping Centre began as Rod Kitson’s lifeline for locked-down artists isolated in their studios and has evolved into a gallery that is now a treasured part of the community.
His door was always open for people to step in and have their portrait painted (socially-distanced) for free; he opened his doors for people to come in and make furniture from all the waste cardboard emanating from the centre’s shops; there were weeks when families could come in to design and print their own T-shirts, draw and paint to their hearts content, and his weekly life drawing classes have become habit-forming for the regular attenders, whether that be the class outside The Range for all ages to drop in, or the more academic session in the gallery on Sunday afternoons. A recent addition to his community work is to give a local artist his window space to exhibit their work each month to complement the community-led exhibitions that he has curated.
Now, Rod has given the opportunity to local film-maker Micky Holland to show his documentaries that celebrate local people and their work. Last month Rod screened Micky’s film about Silwood Estate, where he grew up, and in April there will be the first screening for many years of “The Story of The Bermondsey Artists’ Group”.
Micky told us how this film came about: ‘I was part of a big group exhibition for the Millennium in the Café Gallery in Southwark Park and over the months of meetings and discussion I got to know the group’s director Ron Henocq and several of the other founder members. The story they told of how the group was established fascinated me enough to ask if I could make a film about them and in 2004 I began following a few of the member artists for a year.’
Why a year?
‘It would give viewers a good idea of how artists work if I showed them over 12 months, plus, Anne Bean had initiated Reap, a 12-month project based in the group’s two galleries, that would capture time. That gave me a good time-frame to work with.’
Were you given enough access to the artists?
‘They were initially a bit suspicious but after the third or fourth visit to film them working and to conduct interviews, they were fine. Actually, when I first approached Ron Henocq about making the documentary, his first words were: “Why would you want to make a film about us!?” He – and the members – didn’t realise how big a part of Bermondsey they had become and wondered why anyone would be interested.’
How do you mean?
‘When did you start seeing street art on the manor? There was none before they arrived, now, after what some of those artists started with those early murals in Surrey Docks bus shelter and Swan Lane has mushroomed into murals everywhere. And that lovely gallery in the park! Without the Bermondsey Artists’ Group that wouldn’t be there… Perhaps there would be no art or artists in Bermondsey at all, not even The Art of Isolation…’
What did you enjoy most about making the film?
‘Getting to know the artists was great and hearing about the mad parties and events they had in the old Butler’s Wharf warehouse was eye-opening; becoming more informed about art is something that has stayed with me, but I think watching Reap evolve over a year was amazing. Watching a baby grow, one daily photo at a time; seeing rotting apples spell out a message, watching an electronic clock count down a year in seconds; documenting some amazing performances, all these memories are engraved into my brain forever. I hope the Reap section of the film conveys the brilliance of the idea and manifestation of that idea.’
Anything you’d like to add?
‘It will be nice to see the film again and it would be good if a few of the members, who still live locally, could come along and answer any questions from the audience. I’ll certainly ask.’
“The Story of The Bermondsey Artists’ Group”, The Art of Isolation, 1st Floor, Surrey Quays Shopping Centre, SE16 7LL.
April 4th at 6pm.
£5 on the door; or pre-book: isolationart2020@gmail.com
