East London Archives - Page 2 of 35

November 20, 2024November 20, 2024

Emily Jo Gibbs embarks on artist residency at Trinity Buoy Wharf

How silk organza and thread are worked into portraits and pictures that depict the people she meets

Artist Emily Jo Gibbs - image Jon Massey — Artist Emily Jo Gibbs – image Jon Massey

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

There’s a clear sense you get when talking to Emily Jo Gibbs that making work is simply a natural response to the world around her.

For the next six months, she will be artist in residence at Trinity Buoy Wharf and aims to capture something of the place and those who call the Leamouth creative hub home.

“I’m hoping to meet other people, see the things that are going on here, hear stories and make work about them,” said the Forest Hill resident.

“I’ve already met the guys who are restoring the SS Robin and heard about their backgrounds in blacksmithing, cabinet-making and carpentry.

“That research will evolve into finished pieces and there will be an exhibition of those.

“Part of the project is also to run workshops too, although those are still being arranged.

“What is certain is that I’ll be hosting Stitch And Talk sessions at The Orchard Cafe.

“It’s about being here, meeting people, drawing, stitching and seeing what comes out of that.”

The stitching is key to Emily’s practice as she uses appliqué embroidery and silk organza to create her pieces.

Taught to sew by her mother, it’s a style that’s emerged from her background as a crafter.

Emily Jo Gibbs at work on one of her pieces — Emily at work on one of her pieces

a journey through materials

“I grew up in a family of makers and designers and I was passionate about art and making growing up,” she said.

“I actually went to study wood, metals and plastics at Wolverhampton University and it was only in the third year of that course that I started making fashion accessories in textiles and metal.”

Unsure what direction she wanted to pursue, she dabbled in leather work and shoe-making but ultimately found the processes restrictive after the comparative artistic freedom of her university course.

Building on the success of her degree show she managed to secure funding to start a small business making high-end handbags in London.

“That really took off and it was very exciting,” she said.

“It was ironic because I’d been quite intimidated by fashion students when I was doing my degree.

“But I did well because I was interested in materials.

“My bags were featured in Vogue and other magazines, travelling to Paris and Japan.”

After a decade of making, Emily changed direction when she had children, taking a “convenient” admin job.

While the handbag trade was unpredictable, she realised how important having a creative outlet was to her and began making work about her family.

“I used silk organza that I had from making the bags, initially for my own pleasure – portraits in what I call flat-work because they weren’t three dimensional like the accessories,” she said.

“That evolved as well. I went on to do portraits of kids who lived in our street.

“Through Craft Central in Clerkenwell I reconnected with Bridget Bailey who had been on the fashion scene making hats and was repositioning herself as an artist too.

“We got chatting about doing a collaborative project and I wanted to make a portrait of her, but she was quite shy about that.

“That got us thinking about other ways you could depict an artist, so I made a self portrait of her and me by depicting our pin cushions.

“I then did a whole project with seven contemporary makers, meeting them, talking to them and making portraits of them through their tools.”

Emily's art combines embroidery with translucent layers of silk organza — Emily’s art combines embroidery with translucent layers of silk organza

making work

Emily’s practice involves the combination of delicate stitches – each done by hand – with the translucent, ethereal finery of her chosen fabric.

“It feels really good to say that I’m an artist – I’ve now been doing it longer than the time I spent making the bags,” she said.

“It’s lovely to meet other makers and make work about them.

“There are a lot of artists in the world who may not be working in contemporary craft, who may be quite hidden, and I’m interested in those people.

“I did a nice project with a boatyard in Lymington because it had a really interesting apprenticeship scheme.

“There I took photographs of the people and talked to them, and made work about them.

“Since doing that, I’ve been trying to get a project where I’m embedded and get to know the people better, and see how the work evolves.

“That’s how I came to apply to Trinity Buoy Wharf – they really liked my work and the projects I’ve been doing and selected me for this residency.

“Here I feel there’s lots going on behind closed doors, and I’d like to know what that is.

“The really exciting bit is not knowing exactly what’s to come and what I’m going to make while I’m here, engaged in this project.”

A piece depicting a tradesperson's tools — A piece depicting a tradesperson’s tools

key details: Emily Jo Gibbs

Emily Jo Gibbs is artist in residence at Trinity Buoy Wharf for the next six months, culminating with a display of her work during London Craft Week in May.

Dates are yet to be confirmed.

Emily will be hosting drop-in Stitch And Talk sessions from 10am-noon on Tuesdays in November 2024 at The Orchard Cafe in Trinity Buoy Wharf.

These are for anyone interested in creating some art or finding out more about her practice and are free to attend. Materials and ideas provided.

Follow the artist on Instagram for details of future projects or find out more via her website

Read Wharf Life’s e-edition here

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com

November 19, 2024November 19, 2024

Bombe aims to boost business’ bottom line via machine learning

Co-founder Mike Joslin talks success, growth, polling data and basing a startup at Level39 in Canary Wharf’s One Canada Square

Bombe co-founder and CEO Mike Joslin - image Jon Massey — Bombe co-founder and CEO Mike Joslin – image Jon Massey

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

Mike Joslin is a man of clarity.

“The success of our company is down to the success of our customers – if they don’t succeed, we don’t succeed,” said the CEO and co-founder of Bombe.

For Mike, delivering that success means using data.

Having spent much of his career crunching numbers and utilising tech to help boost political campaigns for the likes of Ed Miliband, Angela Rayner, Keir Starmer and Sadiq Khan – inspired by Moneyball, a book by Michael Lewis and later a film that highlighted the importance of using metrics to drive a run of wins on the baseball field.

After working at the National Education Union for several years and running its campaign to improve teachers’ pay, he saw a commercial niche for the techniques and tech he’d developed to deliver results in the political sphere.

Bombe, named for Alan Turing’s codebreaking Second World War machine that deciphered Enigma messages, was born and Mike quit his job in March this year to run it full-time.

the basis of Bombe

“Our thesis is that there is a lot of data out there which tells you what people are doing, but it’s not that interesting for a lot of businesses because you want to know why people are doing what they’re doing,” said Mike, who is based at Level39 in Canary Wharf’s One Canada Square with his rapidly growing team.

“That’s the basis of our company.

“This kind of machine-learning approach has been absent from products I’ve experienced in my career in marketing.

“I’ve been using machine learning for well over a decade – people think AI is ChatGPT but that’s just a powerful iteration of it.

“The technology has been around for a long time.

“When setting up Bombe, which is strictly non-political, we looked at the market, did an analysis of where we would fit, then developed our data proposition, working with our polling partner Deltapoll.

“A lot of people are obsessed with technology, but it’s not about technology, it’s what you use it for.

“Our tag line is that we’re trying to build the best audience and data targeting model in the world and I think we’ve done that – so do our clients and that’s why they’ve chosen to use us.

“If you’re a business we can tell you for every postcode in the country the likelihood someone will purchase from you and the price they’ll pay for your product.

“Companies may have huge amounts of data, but they don’t necessarily know who is purchasing goods or services from them. That is a necessity.

“We’ve built a number of persona sets to reveal what is actually driving people’s decisions using machine learning.

“Those groups have been battle-tested with our clients and that has propelled our success.”

Commuters come in and out of Canary Wharf Jubilee Line station – image I-Wei Huang

delivering a return on investment

The idea in some senses is simple.

Bombe’s service tells businesses where best to concentrate their marketing to deliver the best return on their investment.

“What our clients are buying from us are models,” said Mike.

“We make our own data – we’re not buying it. It comes from interviews, from machine-learning models, from statistical techniques, from battle-testing and then spending hours making sure it all works.

“However, how we’re doing it is less relevant than whether it works for our customers. What matters is what’s driving their sales, their top line, whether you’re going up or down and how you can change that.

“What we do is tell our customers why their revenue is where it is.

“Some of our clients are seeing results that are 85% better with Bombe.”

Initially the startup is working with medium and large-scale businesses, but plans to launch products for smaller companies next year.

Bombe is open for business

“If you are selling to consumers, come and talk to us,” said Mike.

“Our mission is to help everyone who wants to engage with their audience to be doing it through us.

“We take great enjoyment and pride in doing that.

“We have a team of about 20 people, and we’re growing strategically, which is very important to us.

“We don’t want to grow too quickly, but we are offering something unique and different.

“We’ve seen the market reaction to that and that’s helping us to make sure our product is the best.

“We have to have the best data and we think we do, but we can’t rest on our laurels – the market is changing so quickly and we want to make sure that our customers continue to come to us.

“We think we’ve got an incredible team and Bombe would be nothing without the people working for it.

“Starting the business was a leap of faith.

“It’s hard, it’s tough, there’s always a challenge, always something to solve and always something more to do.

“You’ve got to be level-headed, have a strategy and a team to deliver it and I think we do.

“That’s really where our success has come from.

“Our clients need to see that they’re getting value, seeing an increase in their revenues from our product and that’s when we succeed.

“That’s what drives me to make sure that’s happening.

“I work extremely hard and don’t do much apart from that and look after my young son at the moment.

“If you want to start a business, you’ve got to be all-in.

“Your staff, your investors and your customers need that. If you’re not prepared to do that, don’t start a company.

“I don’t think there’s been a learning curve with Bombe, it’s just hard work. Success is 1% idea and 99% hard work.

“We want the best for our customers, so we’ve got to keep pushing. I like my work so I have no problem with that.”

success and growth

Bombe has attracted clients through the reputation of Mike and his team as well as press exposure.

The company also hosts webinars to showcase its data.

“Most of our work has come from people coming to us,” said Mike.

“We’ve got a growth strategy team who have significant commercial experience and they’re doing a really good job.

“We’re doing a number of webinars over the coming months to showcase what we do via LinkedIn.

“The first will be on November 19 at 11am with Joe Twyman, co-founder of Deltapoll and will reveal key insights into the shifting patterns of Londoners’ transport habits, using the latest data from TfL.

“It should be really interesting for readers.”

Transport links played a part in Mike’s decision to join the tech community at Level39 in Canary Wharf too.

“It’s a really buzzy area,” he said.

“I came to Level39 a few times before I took space here and they’ve done a great job with it.

“It’s a really interesting environment, with so many events and the view is fantastic.

“The wider area is also great – the shopping is amazing and the food offering here is the best in London.

“It’s incredibly accessible, too with the Elizabeth Line.

“It has changed the way a lot of people behave in the capital and between it and the Jubilee Line, pretty much anyone can get here, so that makes Canary Wharf good for recruitment, good for the company and good for clients.”

setting goals

It’s also not a bad environment from which to target fast growth – former Level39 startup Revolut is set to put its name atop YY London in Reuters Plaza in the not too distant future.

“Our objective is to be the best in the world,” said Mike. “We believe we have the best data, and we think that means the market will respond to it.

“Our ambition is to grow rapidly as a business, if that happens and we have the investors backing us and the team to do that.

“We want to be a name that rings out alongside the other market leaders in the space, and we think we’ll do that.

“Perhaps people reading this will be sceptical.

“There are thousands of data companies in this country. What I would say is come and talk to us to understand how we are different.”

key details: Bombe

Bombe is based at Level39’s One Canada Square offices in Canary Wharf.

It currently offers a one-off Targeting Package for businesses priced at £5,000 aimed at telling clients where and what they should be saying and who it should be directed at to best reach their audience.

The firm’s £25,000 yearly package includes monthly reports specific to the client’s industry and access to its platform and AI dashboard on an ongoing basis.

At £5,000 per month, clients also get a strategy manager to run campaigns on behalf of their business.

Those interested in its services should email contact@bombe.io for more details or visit its website.

Read Wharf Life’s e-edition here

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com

November 19, 2024November 19, 2024

V&A East Storehouse to bring something fresh to museum sector

V&A deputy director and COO Tim Reeve on the institution’s ambitions and plans for the Here East site

An artist's impression of V&A East Storehouse - image Diller Scofidio + Renfro — An artist’s impression of V&A East Storehouse – image Diller Scofidio + Renfro

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

“I hope it will feel welcoming, but I also really like the idea of visitors wondering if they’re really allowed access to all these space, that maybe they’re somewhere they shouldn’t be,” said Tim Reeve, deputy director and COO of the V&A and chair of the East Bank Board.

We’re talking about the first of two sites that the museum is set to open in Stratford as it expands its offering across the capital.

V&A East Museum is set to launch in spring 2026 at East Bank and will celebrate making and the power of creativity to effect change in the world.

V&A East Storehouse, however, goes far beyond conventional displays and promises something entirely new.

Housed at Here East about a 10-minute walk across the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park from East Bank itself, the V&A is creating a vast publicly accessible facility where its diverse non-display collection and archives can be looked after for the next century.

Spread over some 173,000sq ft, it is set to arrive first, opening its doors to the public on May 31, 2025.

V&A COO and deputy director Tim Reeve - image Jon Massey — V&A COO and deputy director Tim Reeve – image Jon Massey

a second site

“While we were engaged in the process of working out what V&A East Museum would be – how it would be distinctive and reflect the local geography and demographic of the people around East Bank – we were also talking to the Government about the future of Blythe House,” said Tim.

“That’s the place in West Kensington where we stored all our non-display collections – about 250,000 objects, 350,000 books and 1,000 archives.

“It was made clear to us, along with the Science Museum and British Museum – which also use it as store – that we needed to leave because the building was to be redeveloped.

“That was a pain, because you don’t want to be moving a collection of our sort more often than you have to, due of the delicacy of the objects and the expense.

“However, it was also a clarifying moment for the V&A East project with the idea that we could find a place for our Blythe House objects, books and archives and that we could create two sites in east London.

“We just needed to find a space big enough and close enough to East Bank to make sense. Looking at the two sites together, you get a complete 360-degree view of the contemporary museum world.”

tucked away: V&A East Storehouse

While V&A East Museum, with the dramatic angles of its purpose-built home at East Bank, will be the more visually striking, in content it will probably feel the more familiar of the two with galleries, exhibitions, a cafe and a shop.

Somewhat tucked away in the former Media And Broadcast Centre built for the 2012 Olympics, V&A Storehouse is deliberately radical.

Storehouse will be a place where our objects live and where we look after them,” said Tim. “We know people want to see what they’ve been told they can’t – where the magic happens.

“So V&A East Storehouse has been created to facilitate people’s exploration of the bit of our organisation that would normally be hidden – a visitor experience that’s self-guided and free every day of the year.

“We have an absolutely enormous, amazing space, where we can fit everything in, with some space to spare as the collection grows.

“We’re building some of our showpiece objects into it such as architectural fragments from the Robin Hood Gardens estate and we’ve come up with a public network of spaces intertwined with the collection.

“That will be a 60 to 90-minute, self-guided tour of exploration as people burrow their way up through the building and arrive in this incredible atrium.

“From there you can keep exploring and see how far you can get – it’s been designed to allow visitors to get as far as possible.

“Moving all our stuff from Blythe House is incredibly expensive, so we thought we might as well create a new world with it and that’s what we’ve done at Storehouse.

“The idea is you will breathe the same air as the objects we hold.

“A visit is the start of a journey and we hope people will come back when they realise they can browse as much as they like.

“Here East is a warehouse, an industrial building – not a marble-clad museum. It’s humble and we want as many people as possible to visit.

“It’s also a source to be mined and returned to, constantly changing as it’s also a working building with objects going out on loan or for conservation.”

A section of the Robin Hood Gardens estate is installed at Storehouse – image by V&A

east London influence

Designed by architects Diller, Scofidio + Renfro, Storehouse will be home to an extensive and varied collection including creative works from The Glastonbury Festival Archive, PJ Harvey and Elton John’s costumes, vintage football shirts, Dior and Schiaparelli haute couture, Roman frescos, samurai swords, mid century furniture and the iPhone.

A dedicated David Bowie Centre will showcase artefacts from the musician and performer’s archive with rotating displays set to open in September.

More than 100 miniature displays on the ends of storage systems will highlight specific exhibits including those relating to this part of the capital.

“There will be lots of east London influence in the way we’re displaying and interpreting the collection,” said Tim.

“Our piece of Robin Hood Gardens was the first thing we installed here because it’s so enormous.

“It’s one of the first things visitors will see when they climb the stairs.

“Our collection is international and so we want to bring out its full splendour, depth and range and there are some really wonderful east London stories we want to showcase, drawing inspiration from the connections with the local community we have built.

“I think walking in on opening day will be a really emotional moment.

“Colleagues across the institution have poured so much time and energy into it, through some really tricky moments, of which we’ve had more than our fair share.

“It’s the most important thing I’ve done in my professional life, and will probably be the most important thing I ever do.

“I feel I’ve been really lucky to be involved in creating such a project since 2013.

“You have a light bulb moment and think what it would be like to see it happen – to be around from beginning to end.

“There were moments when it felt like it might never happen.

“But as an institutional lift, it doesn’t get any better.

“And we are here for the long term.

vWe have a 100-year lease at Here East and 200 at East Bank.

“One of the biggest treats for us is seeing people who were here before the Olympics realising that these things are being created for their benefit.

“The interplay between the different types of organisations at East Bank make the future very interesting – a special destination.”

An artist's impression of the David Bowie Centre - image by IDK — An artist’s impression of the David Bowie Centre – image by IDK

key details: V&A Storehouse

V&A East Storehouse is set to open on May 31, 2025, at Here East on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

Entry will be free. The David Bowie Centre will open on September 13.

V&A East Museum will launch in spring 2026 at East Bank in Stratford.

Find out more about the openings here

Read Wharf Life’s e-edition here

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com

November 13, 2024November 13, 2024

Club Pilates brings comprehensive fitness offering to Wapping

London Dock development welcomes American chain as the business expands to the UK

Club Pilates' Wapping studio can host classes for up to 12 participants and boasts a wealth of equipment for people to use — Club Pilates’ Wapping studio can host classes for up to 12 participants and boasts a wealth of equipment for people to use

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

It would be nice to think that those living in the prosperous capital of a G7 country would have access to pretty much the best stuff in the world.

But it’s clear London is lagging behind in some areas.

A recent visit to Tokyo left me agog at its bullet trains, spotless streets and high quality cuisine.

Its urban planning makes the City look like a rather unambitious provincial backwater.

Then there’s the astonishing level of hygiene facilities – plentiful and mostly free – in a culture that really wasn’t content for the evolution of the toilet to essentially stop with the invention of the manual flush in 1596.

A trip to Wapping made something else plain – that the UK is also behind on certain health and fitness trends.

Pilates is clearly starting to have a moment in London.

Visit Third Space in Canary Wharf and you’ll find its Reformer Pilates classes consistently oversubscribed.

It’s really the extra kit that makes the difference.

Mat-based Pilates sessions are not so rare in community centres across the country.

But studios that allow groups of people to stretch and strengthen their bodies on equipment such as the spring-loaded reformers, Pilates chairs and springboards are far less common.

Club Pilates has opened its third UK branch at London Dock in Wapping

seeing an opportunity

It’s a niche Club Pilates is looking to fill.

Founded in San Diego in 2007, the business has expanded to more than 1,000 locations globally via a franchising model.

With a target of 50 clubs for its initial UK roll out, it recently opened its third location in the capital at London Dock in Wapping.

Offering classes for up to 12 participants, the Gaughing Square facility is packed with Pilates paraphernalia and offers locals a range of classes to cater for all fitness levels and ages.

Jada-Rae Poku, master Pilates instructor and director of sales, marketing and education at Club Pilates

Club Pilates: a one-stop shop

“It’s an all-inclusive, one-stop shop for all your Pilates needs,” said master Pilates instructor and director of sales, marketing and education at Club Pilates, Jada-Rae Poku.

“We’re an American company, founded in California by Allison Beardsley whose mission was to bring Pilates to the masses.

“Historically, it wasn’t accessible to many people, so, by having more equipment, she could have more people at one time and that brought the price point slightly lower.

“It’s about community and bringing people, who might not otherwise take part, into the practice.”

Jada-Rae is currently splitting her time between the States and the UK, having been with the business for seven years.

“At school I did track and field, and my first experience of Pilates was in rehab from an injury – I was a high jumper,” she said.

“I was planning to become a physical therapist, but found Club Pilates along the way, and now I’m involved in the management of the business as well as teaching the practice.

“Having started on the sales team, I was working to open up branches on the coast of New Jersey, then in Irvine, California.

“I also run a certification course at Wapping for people wishing to become instructors themselves.

“We offer a fully comprehensive Club Pilates certification for everything you can see in our studios and those who complete a course can take those skills wherever they like.”

Of course, with a further 47 branches of Club Pilates expected to create some 900 jobs across the UK, those 500-hour programmes could well be a route to employment with the company as it grows.

Jada-Rae takes a class at the Wapping branch of Club Pilates — Jada-Rae takes a class at the Wapping branch

a little history

That interest in this country is increasing feels especially apt given the exercise system’s roots.

Born in Germany, Joseph Pilates had overcome childhood asthma, rickets and rheumatic fever thanks to a passion for exercise and martial arts.

Having become a gymnast and bodybuilder, he moved to England in 1912 and earned a living as a circus performer and a self-defence instructor for the police.

However, when the First World War broke out he and many other German citizens were imprisoned through the Government’s policy of internment, first at Lancaster Castle and then on the Isle Of Man.

It was during these periods of incarceration, teaching his fellow inmates wrestling and self-defence, that he developed the fitness regimen of mat exercises that evolved into Contrology, the basis of modern Pilates.

He taught thousands of men his methods during these years.

While the evidence is inconclusive, the spring systems used to create resistance in his Reformer machines may have been inspired by those in the frames of the hospital beds he helped to rehabilitate injured prisoners of war on.

He returned to Germany after the war but decided to emigrate to the USA, meeting his future wife on the crossing and dedicating his life to teaching his method and spreading its benefits from their base in New York.

Club Pilates shares that mission as it expands to the country where the exercises it teaches had their genesis.

Exercises on the Reformer are often performed on the back making them accessible to people of all abilities

a warm welcome at Club Pilates

“People can expect super-friendly, smiling faces, here to make sure they have the best experience,” said Jada-Rae.

“There is a lot of equipment and it can be overwhelming, but we’ll make sure you have a full-body workout – that you move your spine, feel good and get stronger – in every class.

“You’ll always be working on the stabilisation of muscles, mobility and flexibility, which are all needed for proper functional movement.

“I go to a gym as well and, when I have a solid Pilates practice, I’m not getting injured as frequently and I’m getting stronger more quickly, because I’m rehabbing my muscles in the Pilates classes.

“You’re able to push more if your muscles are more limber, so it’s great for any movement practice.

“Pilates is life-changing. It’s great for rehabilitation, it’s low-impact, so literally everyone can do it.

“The method is a very controlled and precise way of moving your body – we’re very focussed on the mind-body connection.

“The more you do it, the better you get.

“It’s about engaging every single muscle, so there’s a lot to take in when you start, but it becomes easier and easier.”

key details: Club Pilates in Wapping

Club Pilates is located in Gaughing Square at Wapping’s London Dock development.

New clients can take advantage of an early Black Friday offer and purchase three classes for £30 via the link below.

Membership options are also available with prices ranging from £150 to £299 for unlimited classes.

One-to-one training options are also available.

Find out more about the studio here

Read Wharf Life’s e-edition here

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com

November 5, 2024November 5, 2024

Santa Stair Climb from The Felix Project returns to Canary Wharf

How Wharfers can climb 48 storeys of One Canada Square to help charity feed hungry Londoners

The Santa Stair Climb is back at One Canada Square in aid of The Felix Project

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

Having filled the stairwells in One Canada Square with a sea of green last year, Wharfers are once again being invited to take on the tower to raise money for charity.

The Felix Project’s Santa Stair Climb is set to return to the heart of Canary Wharf on December 8, 2024, with participants challenged to scale 48 storeys of the building on foot.

The reward?

A spectacular view across the capital and the knowledge that the cash you’ve raised will help save surplus food from the bin and be redirected to feed Londoners in need.

The Felix Project's Will Savage, right, completes the climb last year — The Felix Project’s Will Savage, right, completes the climb last year

a surge in need

“We’ve experienced a real surge in need this year, and we know that winter is going to be really tough for many people across London,” said Will Savage, head of corporate partnerships at The Felix Project.

“We are London’s largest food re-distribution charity.

“We rescue high-quality surplus food that can’t be sold and would therefore go to waste and deliver it to about 1,000 community organisations, such as food banks, homeless shelters and primary schools – all working on the front line to feed people who are experiencing hunger in the capital.

“A lot of that work is done locally in Tower Hamlets where we deliver to more than 100 organisations and dozens of primary schools.

“We know that more than half of working families are having to turn to food banks to put food on their tables.

“Unfortunately it is a problem that’s getting worse.

“We’ve moved from a pandemic straight into a cost-of-living crisis and we know that’s having a devastating effect on communities across London.

“We also found in our survey that one in four working families are struggling to feed themselves, and for one in seven that’s a daily struggle.

“This demand means many food services are buckling under increased pressure and that’s why The Felix Project wants to save more food and feed more people.”

This year's event is set to take place on December 8 — This year’s event is set to take place on December 8

how the Santa Stair Climb contributes

To do that, like any organisation, it needs both cash and volunteers.

After launching last year, the Santa Stair Climb is the charity’s flagship fundraising event with capacity for 1,000 participants.

In addition to an entry fee, climbers commit to raising £300 each for the charity – a sum that could provide 825,000 meals for Londoners in need should the maximum number of people take part.

“It’s a really great way for people to support our work and help feed Londoners in need,” said Will. “I went up last year and it was amazing.

“When you’re at the bottom, 1,031 steps feels like a lot but it was great to get to the top and to see the support that was there.

“It’s Santa-themed, so we provide a Felix green Santa outfit for everyone in the spirit of Christmas, which also recalls the fact that Santa was green originally.

“There’s a fantastic atmosphere at the top and beautiful views. Participants’ families can even come along for the celebration.

“We’re hoping as many people as possible sign up this year because it really will have a huge impact on what we can do.

“The climb takes about half an hour to complete although that will vary by who’s taking part.”

The Felix Project gathers surplus food that would otherwise go to waste

filling the stairwells

Last year saw hundreds of participants take on the challenge – a mixture of corporate supporters and individuals.

“The Santa Stair Climb is both challenging and rewarding and Morgan Stanley is looking forward to taking part again this year as we continue to support The Felix Project,” said Anish Shah, Morgan Stanley’s managing director, global capital markets.

The Santa Stair Climb is part of Canary Wharf Group’s ongoing collaboration with The Felix Project, which kicked off in 2023 with the launch of the partners’ Green Scheme.

Will said: “We know CWG aims to achieve net zero by 2030 and one way is to help reduce food waste.

“In the first year of the Canary Wharf Green Scheme, we got seven restaurants signed up.

“In practice, teams of people pick up food from retailers and outlets based on the estate and they take it by bike or electric van directly to organisations who are feeding people in the vicinity.

“In that first year we saw 118 individuals volunteer with us, which equates to 26,000 hours of work and this meant that over 6,900kg of food was redistributed.

“That’s about 16,500 meals that we’ve been able to rescue and save from going in the bin.

“The mission to tackle the twin problems of food waste and hunger really resonated with me – it’s why I wanted to join the charity.

“Seeing what it does, it’s not difficult to understand it’s very valuable.

“I remember going to our Park Royal depot at the time to meet the team and see what it was about.

“Seeing the volumes of really high quality food that would have otherwise gone to waste made me think how insane it was that this resource was available but could have gone to landfill, even though people are hungry.

“Having been here for four years and seeing the need is still growing, I know there’s still much more that we need to do.

“I’m really proud to play a small part in that mission.

“You never quite get used to the idea that food would have been thrown away if it wasn’t with us.

“It’s great that The Felix Project is there to redistribute it and make such a difference to people’s lives at the same time.”

Slots are still available for the Santa Stair Climb so Wharfers can play their part in supporting the charity’s work.

The Felix Project is also looking for volunteers on an ongoing basis to support its activities.

Find out more about its work here

Participants in the Santa Stair Climb get a hat and T-shirt as a memento of their challenge

key details: the Santa Stair Climb

The Santa Stair Climb is set to take place at One Canada Square on December 8, 2024, with half-hourly waves of climbers starting at 10am.

The final wave will set off at 2pm.

Individuals can participate for £30 each, while groups of four can book in for £100 (£25 per head).

The fundraising target for each person taking part is £300.

Find out more about the challenge here

The charity distributes food and meals to charities and organisations across London

case study: EastendHomes – why the Santa Stair Climb matters

>> The housing association provides homes to people based in Tower Hamlets.

In early 2020 it started offering a food service to just a handful of residents but now supports around 225 households a week.

EastendHomes’ community engagement manager, Paul Wilson, said: “We get new people each week.

“The hardest thing for us and our volunteers, is when we have to send people away.

“That is always dispiriting, but at least we are doing what we can.

“The service we provide could not happen without the ongoing support of The Felix Project.

“We would not be able to afford to give people this food – if each bag is just £10 worth, it would cost thousands of pounds a week to fund.

“That’s why it’s so important that Felix gets more support and funding, because it means we can do this and fewer people get turned away.

“This service is helping. We supplement people’s budget and that might give a family a bit of slack in the autumn to buy their kids school uniform, a pair of shoes or a treat for a child.

“All parents want to do that whenever they can and Felix is permitting that, it’s wholly positive.”

Read Wharf Life’s e-edition here

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com

November 2, 2024November 2, 2024

A Kiss For Cinderella is set for a festive revival at The Space

Tickets are now on sale for the Christmas run of Bethany Sharp’s adaptation of JM Barrie’s play

Bethany Sharp has adapted JM Barrie's A Kiss For Cinderella as The Space's festive show for 2024 and is also directing the show — Bethany Sharp has adapted JM Barrie’s A Kiss For Cinderella as The Space’s festive show for 2024 and is also directing the show

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

Perhaps, if a weighty tome hadn’t fallen off a shelf onto the head of Bethany Sharp’s mother in a bookshop in Frinton-On-Sea, her daughter would never have discovered A Kiss For Cinderella.

“When I was 12, I was into old, weird plays and I was given this very big book of JM Barrie’s plays, which I found fascinating,” said the interim deputy artistic director at The Space on the Isle Of Dogs.

“He wrote so many fantastic pieces, although you wouldn’t perform a lot of them today because they’re too strange.

“Very few of his works have survived with such fame as Peter Pan, but many were very popular.

“Quality Street, for example, gave its name to the chocolates, despite there being no chocolate in the play at all.

“It’s a romance and they borrowed the costuming and put it on the tin.

“But I thought A Kiss For Cinderella could actually work as a festive show at The Space.

“It’s kind of an anti-Peter Pan because there’s no magic in it – although we won’t be telling that explicitly to the children who come to see it.

“It’s not a pantomime, but it is very funny and very snowy.

“The play has the elements of something like It’s A Wonderful Life – being grateful for things in the best possible way.

“The festive season can be a time for gathering round and traditional storytelling.

“People often ask if we have shows for families and we do a lot of that kind of thing at the Crossrail Place Roof Garden in Canary Wharf.

“But I think there should be a festive play here at The Space. It’s a building where lots of people feel at home.”

A Kiss For Cinderella is set to run from December 3-15, 2024

family friendly: A Kiss For Cinderella

Suitable for ages eight and up, Bethany has adapted A Kiss For Cinderella for the 21st century and is directing the production.

“It was written in 1916 and is set in that year in a poorer part of London,” she said.

“We’ve put it in the East End and it’s about a girl who has been made to think she’s Cinderella by her employer, a posh, patronising sculptor.

“She takes this to extremes because she doesn’t have much hope in life and convinces herself that a fairy godmother will come, grant her a wish and that she’ll marry the Prince Of Wales.

“She’s slightly deluded, slightly unwell and indulging in a fantasy.

“The magic stuff does happen, but it’s all in her mind. Then it turns into her convalescing and discovering she’s not the real Cinderella.”

Set against a backdrop of the First World War – with Zeppelins bombing London from the skies – the fear of death from above proves a key plot point in the piece.

“Cinderella is actually harbouring illegal immigrants – she shouldn’t have a set of children she’s looking after in war time, but she’s desperate to help people,” said Bethany, whose love of the performing arts began with a trip to see a panto at the age of three.

“She’s very good-hearted, but she’s incredibly poor and can barely feed herself let alone the children she’s taken on.

“Then a policeman turns up to investigate the sculptor who has a light on in his apartment, fearing it might attract the bombing.

“He is very suspicious of Cinderella but eventually falls in love with her.

“Not all the best aspects of the police are in this person – he’s very gruff – so it’s also a transformative story for him as he changes a lot of his opinions along the way.”

The show will run at The Space in Westferry Road on the Isle Of Dogs

a darkness alongside the light

In similar fashion to The Snowman and A Christmas Carol the play contains darker elements, but nevertheless promises audiences much more than misery.

“The main thing to say about it, is that it’s very funny,” said Bethany.

“JM Barrie is very underrated as a comic playwright.

“The jokes in it are fantastic and we’re having a physical comedy director to bring out a lot of the more visual material out.

“There’s a ball scene, for example, which happens in Cinderella’s brain – it’s her idea of what such an occasion might be like.

“George V is handing out party bags with sandwiches in them and she’s been to see a horse show so she imagines the women are lined up to have their teeth examined.

“It’s all a bit confused because they are the best things she can imagine.

“There’s also a lot of class criticism.

“It’s clear that the posh sculptor has set up a lot of the problems, although he is redeemed by helping Cinderella out.

“It’s not an angry class comedy, though – it’s all very subtle.

“It is ridiculously layered and detailed – I’m hoping it will come together as a lovely Christmas entertainment.

“We’ll be performing it in the round and the atmosphere changes when that happens.

“There’s a scene where the policeman meets the children and they all sit down together – it’s really nice and I hope people will feel that.”

comfort and joy

Bethany, who is also a stand-up comedian, writer and actor, said she hoped the production would leave people with a sense of warmth.

“I would like people to feel very comforted, which is not often a very popular thing to say with theatre,” she said.

“I come from comedy and I think everyone should be happy by the end.

“Obviously, it’s great, if they’re crying and emotional, but I also want them to be comforted as well.

“I would like people to have laughed and appreciated the darker bits too.

“There is a strong message of love, comfort and hope, even if we know what the ending is going to be.”

A Kiss For Cinderella is a co-production between Bethany’s company On Point and Space Productions and is set to play for two weeks on various dates at the start of December.

Tickets have just gone on sale, with purchases contributing to the work of The Space, which supports and champions new writing in theatre.

key details: A Kiss For Cinderella

A Kiss For Cinderella is set to run at The Space on the Isle Of Dogs from December 3-15 with shows on various days at 7.30pm, 2.30pm and 4pm.

Audiences can pay either £10, £16 or £25 for tickets to support the production.

Find out more about the production here

Read Wharf Life’s e-edition here

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com

October 31, 2024October 31, 2024

The Pirates Of Penzance all-male show set for Wilton’s Music Hall

Gilbert and Sullivan classic gets a fresh revival at the Wapping venue, directed by Sasha Regan

The Pirates Of Penzance, complete with an all-male cast, is set to run at Wilton's Music Hall until November 23 — The Pirates Of Penzance, complete with an all-male cast, is set to run at Wilton’s Music Hall until November 23

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

BY LAURA ENFIELD

“Close your eyes in the darkened auditorium of Wilton’s Music Hall this autumn and you will truly believe there are virginal Victorian women on stage,” said Sasha Regan.

But, once you open them, you will actually see young men dashing about as swarthy swashbucklers one minute, then fluttering across the stage as petticoated ladies, the next.

We’re talking about Sasha’s all-male version of The Pirates Of Penzance, a reimagining of the beloved Gilbert and Sullivan operetta that debuted as a concept some 15 years ago.

Her new production is set to run at the Wapping venue until November 23, 2024, and challenges its cast to sing everything from falsetto to bass.

“When they become girls, there’s no drag, wigs or fake boobs,” she said.

“They have these little white corsets and skirts and it’s about trying to keep it very innocent and fresh.

“You have to steer them away from the RuPaul idea of what a woman is – really sexualised and quite overt.

“These women are good girls and when they meet these sexy pirates for the first time, that clashing with the innocence is a really lovely moment.

“We had to teach them to walk with books on their heads, like the old days of etiquette and be very dainty, which is where the humour comes from.”

an all-male The Pirates Of Penzance

She got the idea for the show as a 20-something running The Union Theatre in Southwark, a venue she set up in 1998 using a Prince’s Trust loan and that still exists today.

“I think it came from the fact I’d done an all-female version of HMS Pinafore at school when I was about eight,” said Sasha.

“I was trying to find interesting things to do and the beauty of Gilbert and Sullivan is there’s no rights to it any more, so you have freedom.

“I was thinking about how to take something a little bit dusty and refresh it, to bring out the humour. I imagined what it would be like if a boys school put on a production.”

That inaugural show, first performed to an audience of 50, drew gasps of horror from the traditionalists.

“We had Gilbert And Sullivan Society members coming in sitting with scores on their laps and there was a bit of an uproar,” said Sasha.

“But we won them all over and now we’re in their newsletter.

“I think if you respect something and do it well, people can’t complain too much.”

Acclaimed all-male productions of HMS Pinafore and The Mikado have followed and the 52-year-old was recently awarded the Special Achievement Award at the Off West End Awards for her contribution to musical theatre.

The Pirates Of Penzance, the show that started it all, still has a special place in her heart and cast members have returned again and again over the years to return it to the stage.

However, this new version by Regan De Wynter Williams Productions – the company Sasha has co-run since 2008 – will feature a line-up of fresh blood, including many recent graduates.

“This is the first cast with only one person that’s been in it before – David McKechnie who plays the Major General – so it’s a whole bunch of newbies,” said Sasha.

“We always do availability checks on previous cast members because it’s a bit of a family but they’re all working right now.

“It wasn’t a choice but it’s really refreshing, because we have almost started from the beginning and brought new ideas in.”

The production is currently running at the Wapping venue

casting the show

Finding actors who were up to the challenge was no easy task.

“They need to be able to play multiple characters – the pirates, the policemen and the sisters- and be able to sing in falsetto and bass and dance, because we treat it like a musical rather than an old fashioned operetta,” said Sasha.

“It means we have to search a little bit harder but casting director Adam Brown did the rounds of the performing arts schools and he had a list of agents it was advertised through.

“When we did the workshops we had them do quite simple things like: ‘You’re these Victorian girls and there’s a muddy puddle and you’ve got to get over from that side of the room to this one’.

“It was quite funny because they were all so high-pitched and I had to tell them we’re not all like that as woman.

“Falsetto was a lot less common when we started, but now it’s part of the voice that people do at drama school, probably for things like Jersey Boys.

“It is getting easier to find men who can do it.

“Sam Kipling, who played Mabel last time and is now in Les Mis, has been popping in and helping this cast and handing down his tools of the trade to the next generation.”

In these days of equality and equity and women fighting for more time on stage, why not stage an all-female version?

“With all-male we can get the full vocal range,” said Sasha.

“If you close your eyes, you wouldn’t know that they’re not girls, which is quite stunning. They are singing top Bs.

“Most of our creative team has been female and mums. We’ve got Lizzy Gee as a choreographer.

“Her baby was about six weeks old when we first created the show and the designer – Robyn Wilson Owen – is now a children’s illustrator and has got children.

“My little one was three when we started.

“So it is a female team looking after their own kids and dealing with childcare at the same time as creating something with a room full of men.

“It is a fun dynamic.”

Men play all the roles, including the women

evolving The Pirates Of Penzance

Sasha said the show had definitely evolved over the years and, this time around, Lee Greenaway from the original cast was working as associate choreographer to help avoid stereotypes.

“Back when we started it was just all a bit bonkers.” she said.

“Some of the boys were wearing pearls and earrings because that was their idea of what a woman should be.

“Now it’s much more refined and less ridiculous.

“The Pirates Of Penzance is already physically funny and then if you’re a male identify person in a white corset, long dress and ballet shoes, that is funny in itself.

“So then you don’t really have to pretend to be that gender or it becomes like Carry On and actually not funny.”

The set is also pared back, using just wooden blocks and imagination to create a pirate ship, with the auditorium as the passageway the sisters take through the Rocky Mountains into the spotlight – Sasha’s favourite moment of the show.

“You can hear them before you can see them,” she said.

“When they all arrive on the stage sometimes we have to stop for a moment to let the laughter finish because the vision of all these boys in skirts is so magical.”

The Pirates Of Penzance is by Gilbert and Sullivan

going against the grain

How does she imagine the late great writers themselves would react if they were in the audience?

“I think they would laugh,” she said. “We totally respect their score and script and they were satirical and poked fun at the government and went against the norm.

“I’ve definitely gone against their norm and I think they would respect that and enjoy it.”

This is by no means her first time at Wilton’s having toured there almost every year since 2010.

But Sasha hopes to attract a new generation to the “magical” theatre with this production.

“I would love to think that when people watch it, they don’t realize they’re watching a really old fashioned piece of theatre written in 1879 because it’s so fast-moving and physical,” she said.

“We do get a lot of return customers.

“People bring their kids or grandkids, because it’s very innocent, old fashioned fun.

“That, for me, is an achievement of knowing these shows aren’t going to die out.

“I haven’t become bored with them yet and our audiences haven’t either so I’m hoping this time we get more young people coming in because we have this younger cast and we can introduce them to Gilbert and Sullivan’s work.”

key details: The Pirates Of Penzance at Wilton’s Music Hall

The Pirates Of Penzance will be at Wiltons Music Hall until November 23, 2024, with shows at 2.30pm and 7.30pm.

Tickets start at £10.50.

Find out more about the show here

Read Wharf Life’s e-edition here

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com

October 15, 2024October 15, 2024

Forge Art Fair relocates to London Lighthouse Gallery And Studio

Isle Of Dogs showcase finds a new home at Sokai Higgwe’s London City Island space

Forge Art Fair founder Carolina Kollmann

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

Anyone who visited the Forge Art Fair in 2023 will have felt the buzz.

Founder Carolina Kollmann and her team packed Craft Central’s Westferry Road base with art, artists and people to appreciate them and their work.

The charity may be no more – with its crafters, artists and tenants ejected from the Isle Of Dogs building following its unexpected collapse, earlier this year – but, nevertheless, Carolina’s vision lives on.

That’s in no small part thanks to artist and photographer Sokari Higgwe.

The founder of London Lighthouse Gallery And Studio at London City Island had visited the fair in 2023 on the advice of residents and neighbours.

So when Carolina and her co-curator Tammy Walters were looking for an alternative location to host this year’s event, he stepped in, allowing it to grow in scale and scope.

The Forge Art Fair 2024, is set to kick off at the gallery with a private view on November 1, before opening to the public on November 2 and 3.

The Forge Art Fair will take place at London Lighthouse Gallery And Studio

the Forge Art Fair: curated by artists

“The event is curated by artists to showcase talented creatives – it’s a unique, affordable opportunity for people to immerse themselves in and understand the world of contemporary art,” said Carolina.

“My idea when creating the fair was to bring art from across the UK to east London, but also that it should be connected to the local area.

“As a curator, for me, quality is the most important thing.

“As an artist, someone who is always creating, I want to showcase people who are serious in what they are doing.

“Yes, the work has to be affordable, but it has to be art that says something by an artist that can communicate properly.

“We were very lucky to have a lot of applications to show at the fair and so we had to make choices.

“Even though we are growing, I wanted to ensure the artists are all completely different so there is a real range for people to see.”

A piece by Venetta Nicole, who will be exhibition at the Forge Art Fair 2024

a multitude of artists

The Forge Art Fair is set to feature work by Kathy Miller, Venetta Nicole, Alexandra Moskalenko, Miguel Sopena, Dom Holmes, Abi Jameson, Jairo Nicola and Imogen Hogan as well as Carolina, Tammy and Sokari.

The fair has also teamed up with the Women In Art Prize to offer the winner of its Young Artist award space to exhibit.

As a result, Nancy Singh will be showing and selling her work at the event.

While works from all the artists will vary in price, pieces will be available from £50 with the structure of the fair contributing to its affordability, with no third parties placing charges on the artists.

Visitors can expect to see a wide variety of pieces, including Carolina’s 3D paintings and Sokari’s photography, meet the people that created the work and support creativity by purchasing art if they so choose.

“This will be an autumn art experience like no other – from traditional paintings to textiles, multi-disciplinary creations and abstract pieces – it’s perfect for art enthusiasts of all ages from the local area and further afield,” said Carolina.

Artwork by Forge Art Fair contributor Dom Holmes

key details: Forge Art Fair

The Forge Art Fair 2024 will run from November 2-3, 2024, at London Lighthouse Gallery And Studio in Lyell Street. Entry is free.

The gallery is located in the same building as English National Ballet at London City Island and is a short walk from Canning Town station.

There will be a private view on November 1 from 5.30pm. Those wishing to attend should subscribe for updates from the fair organisers.

Find out more about the showcase here

Artist, photographer and gallerist Sokari Higgwe

meet the artist: Sokari Higgwe

“When people who are not your friends start buying your work, it’s scary,” said Sokari Higgwe, artist, photographer and gallerist.

The London City Island resident spent two decades working as a database engineer for the Bank Of New York and UBS before turning a passion for his hobby into a career.

“I mostly do abstract architectural photography but also portraiture,” said Sokari. “

I’ve loved both taking pictures and buildings since I was a child, so it was easy to put the two things together.

“In my pieces I want to show aspects of architecture you wouldn’t think about when you just look at a building.

“For years my day job was working in the City for UBS.

“Before that I was in east London, employed by the Bank Of New York, looking after 30% of electronic trading and making sure it was running smoothly – a big responsibility.

“The artist in me was always, there through my hobby. After 20 years I was getting bored and I wanted to express myself creatively.

“But, as a self-taught photographer, I always felt I was an imposter. I wasn’t confident. I’d joined the camera club at UBS and that was where my interest got stronger.

“Then I got a break when a gallery offered to show my work at an exhibition in Mile End.”

Successful solo shows followed and Sokari found himself much more absorbed by his creative work than by the databases he managed.

So he decided to take voluntary redundancy when it was offered and embarked on a new chapter in his life.

“I thought this was my chance to do photography full time,” he said.

“I started looking for a gallery and a studio where I could do portraiture and create art using models and props.

“I opened the London Lighthouse Gallery three years ago, after searching for quite some time.

“London City Island was one of the best places to do that because of the creative community locally and especially as I moved here eight years ago.

“I really love the history of this part of town, knowing it used to be the engine of the country when the docks were operating.

“One of the reasons for opening a gallery was to help promote artists like myself who haven’t gone the conventional route.

“I know it was a struggle for me to get myself out there because I wasn’t a professional. The idea is to have this as a space where creatives can feel free.”

Read Wharf Life’s e-edition here

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com

October 15, 2024October 15, 2024

Bompas And Parr unveil Bioluminescent Flower Parlour in Canary Wharf

We sat down with Sam Bompas of creative studio Bompas And Parr to find out more about the installation at Jubilee Place mall

A buyable exhibit at the Bioluminescent Flower Parlour by Bompas And Parr in Canary Wharf

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

In celebration of the launch of Eden Dock, Canary Wharf Group has commissioned creative studio Bompas And Parr to create an installation at Jubilee Place.

You can head over there right now and see it.

what’s going on?

Billed as the world’s first Bioluminescent Flower Parlour, visitors are invited to step inside to see photographic work from Maggie West’s Ultraviolet series as well as plants that have been specially prepared to respond to UV light and fluoresce.

Visitors can explore exhibits at the pop-up

tell us more, Bompas And Parr…

“Maggie’s one of my all-time heroes, photographers and artists,” said Sam Bompas, co-founder of Bompas And Parr.

“Her approach really is extraordinary.

“I find, with her artwork, it makes me look again at all plants, not just hers, to re-enchant the everyday.

“She was working over in London, and she came along to one of our future-food reports, which is about how we bring the future into the present – I was immediately scrabbling around for an opportunity to collaborate, and this is it.”

Her images use ultraviolet light and fluorescent ink to illuminate the process in which plants absorb water.

She photographed white flowers absorbing fluorescent ink under black lights, with her time lapse photography process revealing the hidden pathways that flowers use to sustain life.

no, about the glowing flowers?

Oh, right. Well there are a selection of flowers and plants on show. Visitors get given a UV torch to help them explore the exhibition.

“At Bompas, we do have a history of making things glow,” said Sam, whose studio is best known for its work in artistic edibles.

“We started with glow-in-the-dark jelly, but this is our first foray into glowing flowers.

“Some have a residual fluorescence, others are UV-reactive.

“We’ve never done this before and, as far as I can understand, it’s the world’s first glow-in-the-dark flower parlour, but, if you’re creating food and drink installations, flowers and floreography has a very important role to play, not least the table dressings.

“In Victorian times they would use paper flowers for the table dressings, because they wanted them to be completely odourless, so they would not interfere with your enjoyment and appreciation of the food.

“We have worked with flowers before – at Kew Gardens, for example, where we were making a giant golden pineapple on a boating lake.

“We’ve also make a bio-responsive garden, where flowers track people’s motions and mimic them.

“More recently in Melbourne, there’s a sentient forest, where you’ll recall the speaking forests of childhood, when plants know where you were and follow your footsteps and creep up on you.

“One of the things I love now is that we’re living in the science fiction world I read about and imagined in childhood.

“With this project, we’re drawing a little bit of a future, which you can come to in Canary Wharf and take home.”

Glowing flowers are available to purchase at Bioluminescent Flower Parlour by Bompas And Parr in Canary Wharf — Glowing flowers are available to purchase

how did it come about?

“We’ve been long time correspondents with and enthusiasts for Canary Wharf and we’re often asking what they’ve got coming down the line – important moments to celebrate on the estate,” said Sam.

“This sits within Canary Wharf’s wider partnership with The Eden Project – focussing very heavily on greening the site and the launch of Eden Dock.

“Every time I visit the estate, it looks more utopian.

“I’m really impressed with how the area’s developing– becoming energetic and blossoming. Hopefully, we’re a small contribution to that.

“The inspiration for the installation was Mental Health Awareness Day earlier this month. We know looking at nature can have an impact.

“When you look at a red or yellow plant, for instance, you’re immediately uplifted and feel more positive about the world.

“What we really want is to give people a sense of awe and wonder when they consider nature, the cosmos and their place in it.

“Then, through our installation, they can pay closer attention to that.”

where is it?

You’ll find the Bioluminescent Flower Parlour by Bompas And Parr in the back of the Wharf Farm pop-up, down the escalator from Obica in the West Wintergarden at Canary Wharf.

when’s it on?

You’ll need to be quick, the installation is already in place and will be open from 10am-2pm until October 19, 2024, and then again from October 22-23.

does it cost anything?

Entry is free, however visitors may wish to purchase glow-in-the-dark blooms with prices starting at £12.50.

“You can surprise your friends, your loved ones or just yourself with flowers that genuinely glow in the dark,” said Sam.

“My favourites are the tiny, freeze-stabilised roses that look almost like jewels.

“You can charge them up with any source of light and they glow and linger on and on.

“They’re hauntingly spectral.”

Bioluminescent Flower Parlour by Bompas And Parr in Canary Wharf is located in the back of Wharf Farm — Visit Wharf Farm in Jubilee Place to find the pop-up parlour

key details: Bompas And Parr Bioluminescent Flower Parlour

Catch the Bioluminescent Flower Parlour by Bompas And Parr from 10am-2pm until October 19, 2024, and then again from October 22-23.

Entry is free and UV torches are supplied as part of the experience.

Find the installation at Level -1 in Jubilee Place.

Find out more about the Bioluminescent Flower Parlour here

Read Wharf Life’s e-edition here

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com

October 6, 2024October 6, 2024

The Social Art Of Braided Hair is set to arrive at Art In The Docks

Exhibition forms part of Newham Black History Month with a focus on African and Caribbean culture

Image shows a woman with braided hair in a denim jacket — The Social Art Of Braided Hair will be on show from October 18-20 and 26-27

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

BY LAURA ENFIELD

The practice of combining strands of hair has been around for thousands of years. But it is about much more than creating a neat appearance.

Exhibition The Social Art of Braided Hair will showcase it as an art form and the people who design it as artists.

The show has been produced by Royal Docks collective Art In The Docks with Stratford-based social enterprise Nurture Academy.

It will be open to the public on October 18-20 and 26-27 as part of Newham Black History Month.

Matilda Russell from Art In The Docks tells us more about the people and ideas behind it.

what can visitors expect?

The Social Art of Braided Hair is a photo essay positioning the cultural and social importance of braided hair.

All of the work being shown in the exhibition is contemporary to Newham Black History Month.

Rather than images of professional models with carefully manicured hair shot in soft focus, this show centres entirely on local east Londoners, shown as they really are.

the meaning behind it?

As well as portraying braided hair as an art form and the people who wear it as living artworks, the exhibition will show the powerful social impact of braided hair.

The time spent between a mother and child braiding hair is a deeply bonding moment.

The legacy hair design remains as a visual reminder of a time spent together.

what is Art In The Docks?

We are an artist-led social enterprise in east London, committed to making art and culture accessible to people who might otherwise feel excluded.

Regular events, activities and workshops are delivered to the local communities, as well as exhibitions, dance and theatre performances. These are free and open to everyone.

what is Nurture Academy?

It’s also a social enterprise based in east London working with individuals of all ages to promote and understand the significance of braided hair.

The organisation nurtures, mentors and teaches individuals lifelong skills while unlocking confidence.

As well as working with families and young children, Nurture Academy shines a pathway into new career directions for ex-offenders and the long term unemployed.

Image shows the back of a woman's head with braided hair in place — Art In The Docks has worked with Nurture Academy to create the exhibition

how have you worked together?

Nurture Academy promotes the understanding of braided hair, its cultural significance and the techniques used.

While braiding skills are often handed down from one generation to another and practised between siblings and friends, Nurture Academy teaches people how to optimise these techniques in workshop environments.

The exhibition will include images of these workshops, and the teaching methods used. Several of these workshops will accompany the exhibition on Saturday, October 19, 2024, and will be totally free to access.

what inspired the exhibition?

This project came about as the result of shared values between both Art In The Docks and Nurture Academy.

Both are committed to showing how the capacity for creativity fundamentally defines who we are as a civilisation.

The title of the exhibition reflects these values and highlights the importance of societal reference points.

why is it important?

Much has been said about braided hair and cultural appropriation. In the same way that tattoos are ‘not just for sailors’, exclusive title to the of art braided hair cannot today be claimed by any one section of society.

However, there is no doubt that it is deeply rooted in black African and black Caribbean culture and we have chosen this as the central theme to this exhibition.

This visual human story will be told in 22 frames, each the same size and dimension. It will centre on the people we see around us every day and invite us to stop and look, maybe to learn.

key details: The Social Art Of Braided Hair

The event runs October 18-20 and 26-27 at Art In The Docks in Royal Albert Dock, a short walk from Gallions Reach DLR station.

Find full details of the exhibition here

Image shows traders at a Black Pound Market — Black Pound Markets are set to take place on October 12 and 19

more to do during Black History Month

Newham Black History Month is here offering free talks, workshops, markets, and musical performances.

The programme runs from October 4 to November 4, 2024, with the theme Reclaiming Narratives, dedicated to addressing historical inaccuracies and seizing control of stories, allegories, and histories.

It has been organised by Newham Council as part of its 15-year Building Newham’s Creative Future Cultural Strategy, launched in March 2022.

Mayor Of Newham, Rokhsana Fiaz said: “Black History Month provides a crucial opportunity for us to recognise and celebrate the immense contributions of black African and Caribbean communities to our borough and beyond.

“This celebration is not only a reflection on the past, but also a source of empowerment for our present and future.”

Councillor Rohit Dasgupta, deputy cabinet member for equalities, social justice and culture said: “Through this celebration, we aim to challenge ignorance, prejudice, and racial hatred, and to build a more inclusive and harmonious society.”

Black Pound Markets

A celebration of Newham’s black businesses and entrepreneurs featuring music and entertainment for the whole family.

Saturday, October 12, 9am to 3pm at Woodgrange Market

Saturday, October 19, from noon to 4pm at Rathbone Market

My Story Is Of Healing

Two workshops produced by East London-based mixed-media artist Marilyn J Fontaine.

The first is Rewriting the Health Narrative Of Black Women on Tuesday October, 15. It will explore the link between emotional healing, black women’s activism and care provided for black women, referencing Dr Angela Davis and Dr Melba Wilson.

Participants will create an “emotional genogram” using coloured pens, fabric and self-portraits followed by reflections and discussions.

The second is Women’s Rest is Resilience on Thursday, October 17. It will be an exploration of language around black women (sacrifice, resilience, endurance) and community organisations in the 1980s and 1990s in Newham who delivered art workshops for the black community to support mental wellbeing.

Creative activities will be used to craft a new narrative to reflect the relationship between self-care, community empowerment and wellbeing. Participants are required to bring a picture of themselves.

October 15 and 17, 6-8.30pm, Applecart Arts, The Passmore Edwards Library, 207 Plashet Grove, E6 1BX

Improving Black Health

An event focused on enhancing the health and well-being of Londoners within the black community.

It will include discussions on various health topics affecting the Black population.

The aim is to hear and understand the health experiences of individuals from black communities in order to initiate a discussion on addressing long-standing health and wellbeing inequities, explore culturally appropriate public health strategies for combating chronic conditions such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes and discuss and develop strategies to improve health outcomes for patients from the black community at a local level.

Friday, October 18, 6-7.30pm, City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, E16 1ZE

Art Workshop Inspired By Professor Sonia Boyce

Part of a series of events to reclaim narratives by exploring the political innovations, artistic achievements and cuisine of black residents and how they have contributed to life in Newham and further afield.

This event will focus on the trail-blazing career of Dame Sonia Boyce. The British Afro-Caribbean artist and educator is a Professor of Black Art and Design at University of the Arts London. She explores art as a social practice and has been closely collaborating with other artists since 1990.

In 2016, she became the first black female to be elected to the Royal Academy Of Arts in London.

Wednesday, October 23 (time TBC), Custom House Bookshop, 3 Freemasons Road, E16 3AR

Finale: From Beats to Legacy – 30 Years of Black British Influence

A showcase of grime music, film, poetry and a special guest Q&A. More details TBC.

Saturday, October 26, 6-9pm, Stratford Old Town Hall

Find full details of Newham Black History Month here

Read Wharf Life’s e-edition here

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com