The Poor Door Exhibition

This Thursday 1 October, The Poor Door exhibition opens at A-side B-side Gallery, it's a group show featuring the work of 11 artists, curated from an open call out.

A collective exhibition tackling London’s housing crisis

'Yellow Curtain' by Lee Maelzer

Alison Berry, Rebecca Byrne, Tinsel Edwards, Mikey Georgeson, Mars Gomes, 
Kin, Lee Maelzer, Reena Makwana, S.P.A.R Society for the Preservation of Admirable Rubble (with Brian Guest courtesy of Calum F Kerr), Tom Rizzuto, Julia Russell.

“This Ghetto crowding is not through inclination, but compulsion.”
Jack London The People of the Abyss

It’s 2015 and we are in the midst of a major housing crisis in the capital.  In 1903, Jack London wrote ‘The People of the Abyss’, a book describing the cramped living conditions and experiences of the poor in the East End of London.  Reading the book in 2015, some of it seems strangely familiar.

The extreme poverty experienced by many people in Victorian London is another world and another time, but the soaring rents and escalating house prices that London’s residents are experiencing today are similarly disempowering.

The Poor Door exhibition is an arena for debate and discussion surrounding the housing crisis, an opportunity to challenge the status quo and to campaign for change through visual language including painting, photography, sculpture and performance. The title is inspired by the furore over the development at One Commercial Street in Aldgate, which was built with two separate entrances.  Luxury marble floors, chandeliers and concierge for the wealthy city workers, and a side-alley door for the ‘affordable’ housing tenants.  The Poor Door is a growing trend in new housing developments in London, but this divisive phenomena seems reminiscent of the Victorian era.

“In a civilization frankly materialistic and based upon property, not soul, it is inevitable that property shall be exalted over soul”
Jack London The People of the Abyss

'Help Duvet 1' by Mars Gomes

A-side B-side Gallery
Amhurst Terrace
E8 2BT

Opening night: 1.10.15 6-9pm
Show dates: 1.10.15 - 11.10.15
Gallery opening hours: 12-6pm Weds-Sun
Art Licks Weekend: 2-4 October

#ThePoorDoor exhibition is part of Art Licks Weekend, sponsored by Arts Council England.
The show has been shortlisted for the Artquest Workweek prize.
The exhibition will raise funds for the Housing and Homelessness charity: Shelter

Thank you - The Poor Door Exhibition

Thank you so much to everyone who submitted work to be considered for The Poor Door Exhibition at A-side B-side Gallery in October.  Also thanks to everyone who helped to share the info and spread the word.

I was overwhelmed by the response, it's amazing to discover so many artists creating work about the housing crisis and I'm really looking forward to curating the exhibition.

I will be contacting everyone who submitted their work by Friday 19th June to let them know the outcome.  The exhibition will open on Thursday 1st October.

'Two Bed Flat With Terrace - AMAZING! £450 per week'
Oil on Canvas
2014

The Poor Door Exhibition - Seeking Artists!

OPEN CALL FOR ARTISTS
The Poor Door

A Collective Exhibition Tackling the Housing Crisis

I am curating an exhibition which will be held at A-side B-side Gallery in October.  I’m currently looking for artists who make work about housing and the home.  Please see below for further information about the show, and details for submitting work if you would like to apply.

'Contemporary, Spacious First Floor Double Room' Tinsel Edwards 2015

“This Ghetto crowding is not through inclination, but compulsion.”

Jack London The People of the Abyss

It’s 2015 and we are in the midst of a major housing crisis in the capital.  In 1903, Jack London wrote ‘The People of the Abyss’, a book describing the cramped living conditions and experiences of the poor in the East End of London.  Reading the book in 2015, some of it seemed strangely familiar. 

The extreme poverty experienced by many people in Victorian London is another world and another time, but the soaring rents and escalating house prices that London’s residents are experiencing today are similarly disempowering.

“It is notorious that here in the Ghetto the houses of the poor are greater profit earners than the mansions of the rich.  Not only does the poor worker live like a beast, but he pays proportionately more for it than does the rich man for his spacious comfort.”

Jack London The People of the Abyss

The Poor Door exhibition is an arena for debate and discussion surrounding the housing crisis, an opportunity to challenge the status quo and to campaign for change through visual language including painting, photography, sculpture and performance. The title is inspired by the furore over the development at One Commercial Street in Aldgate, which was built with two separate entrances.  Luxury marble floors, chandeliers and concierge for the wealthy city workers, and a side-alley door for the ‘affordable’ housing tenants.  The Poor Door is a growing trend in new housing developments in London, but this divisive phenomena seems reminiscent of the Victorian era.

“In a civilization frankly materialistic and based upon property, not soul, it is inevitable that property shall be exalted over soul”

Jack London The People of the Abyss

Exhibition Details and info on submitting work:

The show will be curated from an open submission, a percentage of sales will raise money for the housing charity Shelter.  If you are making art work about housing and you would like to take part in the exhibition please email jpegs, cv and info to: tinseledwards@hotmail.co.uk

·      Maximum of 6 jpegs labeled with your name and the title of the work

·      CV

·      Some brief info about the work you are submitting and why it relates to the theme of the show.

Deadline to submit artwork: 1^st June

Venue: A-side B-side Gallery, Hackney Downs Studios, E8 2BT

Dates: First two weeks in October – Thursday 1^st – Wednesday 14^th.

Public View: First Thursday

Throughout the week there will also be film screenings, talks and events from several communities, groups and individuals.

2014 Round Up

Somehow it’s February already, but here’s my round up of 2014…

In 2014 I chose not to exhibit very much, and instead focus on developing my work in the studio. 2014 also involved lots of change, leaving A-side B-side Gallery, starting a new part time job with Acme Studios, and my son starting school.

January 

I started the year by working on a commission to paint around the Bar Area in The Star by Hackney Downs Pub. My favourite thing about this was discovering Sign Writers One Shot paints…ooh - they are amazing.

February 

I made the difficult decision to leave A-side B-side gallery, it was a lot of work and I found it wasn’t giving me the time and energy to focus on my own practice.   Catherine Magnani and I held our last exhibition on the 1st floor of Hackney Downs Studios in January, then gave up the lease.  We both continue to share the responsibility of running the studios at A-side B-side, and since then Catherine has re-launched the gallery as a successful solo project in new premises.

March and April

Finally with a bit more time to be in the studio, I focused again on my own painting, spending Spring and early Summer working on small studies for my housing series.

May 

Another commission from the Star pubs! I worked with Interior Designer Lady Ray to illustrate her design concept for the refurbishment of The Jackdaw Pub in Homerton.  And later in the summer, I did the sign writing for the exterior.

 

June

Twinkle Troughton and I joined forces once again, this time we created our very own Revolution themed Launderette for The Art Car Boot Fair.

 

I worked with Jealous Gallery to produce two new editions for my ‘Revolution’ screen print, in neon pink and yellow. These were on sale at The Art Car Boot Fair, and at the Moniker Art Fair in the autumn.

July and August

I finally finished making a brand new website!

Let me know what you think: www.tinseledwards.com

September 

A studio revamp in our space in Homerton, and feeling very excited to be starting a new part time job with Acme Studios.  Acme is a housing association with charitable status, it provides affordable studios for non commercial fine artists.

October

Again I collaborated with interior designer Lady Ray and we formed: ‘R Girls Electric?’ we worked together to create a series of limited edition Light Art pieces.  This project was lots of fun and a nice change, there is a possibility we will make more of these light pieces in the future.  Our first collection was exhibited in Brixton in November.

November  

My painting: ‘Lovely Period Style New Build, £380 per week’ was selected for ZAP Open 2014.  Selected anonymously from 547 entries, I was amongst 22 other artists.  Our work was exhibited in a group show at the Zeitgeist gallery in New Cross.

December

Feeling encouraged and inspired by taking part in the ZAP Open, I spent December planning and preparing for the next phase of works for the Housing Series.  After painting small for most of 2014, I decided it was time to paint big.  Wanting to experiment with different grounds for these paintings, I have started working with old sheets and duvet covers found in charity shops.

2015 will be about continuing to develop my series of paintings which comment on the Housing Crisis in London.  
I am intending to curate a group show on this theme in the Autumn.  I have also just started working with a documentary film maker who is creating a video diary for me, this will document the project as it progresses.  The first entry is being edited now and will be uploaded here soon.