Newham and Tower Hamlets artists will showcase works reflecting their interpretations of their local areas amid global health and social crises in a new exhibition.
Artists and friends Judith Kusi from Poplar and Adeyam Tsehaye from Beckton reflected on shared experiences of the global health crisis and worldwide focus on racial injustice.
Their connection to, and feelings of belonging within, their local area were revealed as pertinent to their wellbeing during these uncertain times.
They have co-curated Somewhere I Live: an exhibition exploring connections to the spaces we live in, during times of global uncertainty; which opens on September 18 at Cody Dock in Canning Town.
The amplification of the Black Lives Matter movement inspired Dr Kusi and Ms Tsehaye to seek ways of facilitating allyship within and between their respective communities.
Cody Dock, a community wellbeing space on the edge of and connecting the two boroughs that they call home, was the ideal space to initiate allyship.
The co-curators considered their own connections to the spaces they have been brought up in and to their local area.
Dr Kusi, a conceptual artist and practicing educational psychologist who grew up in Bow, said: “Experiences of lockdown highlighted the importance of the space around me.
“Often busyness has meant that I have neglected to notice what is in front of me, these spaces that subconsciously cue my body to feel relaxed, feel connected - spaces that remind me that I am home”.
Somewhere I Live presents works exploring 12 artists’ interpretations of their own local areas, focusing us on what is perceived in the present.
It includes a variety of interpretations of the theme - including paintings, sculpture and photography - and installed within the indoor and outdoor spaces of Cody Dock.
The exhibition will run from September 18 until October 16, with the gallery space open on Fridays and Saturdays from 3pm to 9pm.
Admission is free with one-hour timed tickets to allow for social distancing.
Visit eventbrite.co.uk/e/somewhere-i-live-tickets-117913944783 for more information and tickets.
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