Thamesmead Texas was set up as a tool to bring artists together whom had recently moved to the outer London town of Thamesmead, through a Bow Arts Trust artist live/work scheme.
Thamesmead Texas began on the Sunday 16th September 2018, with a series of eight weekly art exhibitions hosted from a domestic living room in Radley House, Wolvercote Road, Thamesmead. Each Sunday a new artist from the Bow Arts community exhibited a new piece of work, designed an accompanying artist cocktail, and invited members from the ‘new community’ to meet up and discuss. Home made cowboy beans and Sol beer was served, exchanges made and friendships formed. As each week passed a new work of art populated the space, eventually filling the living space with a collection of artworks, ranging from painting and drawing through to performance, video and sculpture.
With London becoming an increasingly unaffordable place to live, an exodus of artists are leaving the capital city, many leaving to cities and towns including Margate, Nottingham, Glasgow and Bristol. For some, Thamesmead is the last bastion for a life as a creative practitioner inside London.
While not representing the entire community occupying those spaces, Thamesmead Texas hosted a series of exhibitions by eight of the newest residents, while creating a welcoming hub for the rest of the Bow Arts community to meet, share food, ideas, and discuss the prospect of a new life in Thamesmead.
Curated by Scully & Scully. Supported by Thamesmead 50th fund.
Featuring work by:
Joseph Griffiths
S.P.A.R with Brian Guest, courtesy of artist and performer Calum F Kerr
Almudena Romero
Liam Scully
Dominika Kieruzel
Miyuki Kasahara
Vanessa Scully
Jackson Payne
The Speed Shows were also staged as a group exhibition open to the general public at the Peabody Information Hub, from Saturday 23rd March 2018. With performances by Dominika Kieruzel and Joseph Griffiths; Liam Scully and S.P.A.R with Brian Guest, courtesy of artist and performer Calum F Kerr.