A documentary that tells how the Bermondsey Artists’ Group came into being will be screened for free at Appleby Blue, United St Saviour’s Charity’s newest almshouse that was designed by Stirling Prize-winning architects, Witherford, Watson and Mann, writes Michael Holland.
Young artists had been drawn to Bermondsey after graduating by the abundance of empty houses and warehouse space left by the closure of the docks and local industry, and when their work was rejected by the famous Whitechapel Gallery annual open they decided to start their own group and have their own open show where everyone who submitted work would have their art hung. This may have been the beer talking as these disgruntled artists were nursing pints in The Ship in Rotherhithe at the time.
Needless to say, in the fuzzy, sober light of a Bermondsey dawn they set about making their dream a reality by first taking over the abandoned café in Southwark Park where they put on regular exhibitions for many years.
Those art graduates kept the faith and worked hard to make a go of it in an area not known for its love of art. As well their exhibitions they also began community art workshops that have continued to this day.
The group grew and grew as the area was slowly revitalised, and with a big injection of funding they were able to build a new, purpose-built gallery at the start of the 21st century opening up a whole new era for the now very respected Bermondsey Artists’ Group.
Their art adorns not only the walls of art-lovers but also several areas of SE16 where it all began, the dockworkers bus stop mural in Redriff Road and the swan mosaic in Swan Lane being two of the more prominent pieces of public art created by group members.
Now, forty years on from those ale-filled beginnings, in a revived Bermondsey where street art is now the norm, the members still have exhibitions and the annual open still hangs every piece of art submitted; it is one of the highlights of the gallery’s calendar.
And most of those early founders of the Bermondsey Artists’ Group still live in SE16.
Appleby Blue, 94 Southwark Park Road, SE16 3RD. 1st August 12.30 – 2.30. Admission: Free.
Screening followed by Q&A.
Check out Appleby Blue: https://www.ustsc.org.uk/2796-2/
