Art at the Bridge - ON IN LONDON

On the 12^th of February the fifth annual art collaboration between Tower Bridge and Southwark Arts Forum was launched. The exhibition displayed the work of ten local disabled artists who have each explored the theme of ‘Connections’ through a range of media and styles.

The exhibition was hosted in Tower Bridge’s historic ‘Engine Rooms’. This restored Victorian hub, previously responsible for housing the coal driven engines which opened and closed the bridge, was a perfect venue for this intimate exhibition. Each of the ten artworks had the space to speak for itself yet the small venue brought the collection together and catalysed the thought-provoking journey each piece took the visitor on.

Visitors were each given a token on entry to the exhibition in so they could vote for their favourite piece of work. Initially I wasn’t sure if this undermined the personal nature of the contributions (which focused on a range of experiences, from homelessness and living with disability to the impact of welfare reform), nevertheless it did facilitate visitors engaging with the art. On our visit I noticed how friends were discussing the work with one another and how lovely and unusual it was to see art in a conversation-inducing setting rather than in stuffy and cerebral silence.

Sarah Underwood- With Bell Whistles

Sadly this exhibition was only accessible as part of a general admission to Tower Bridge. This was a powerful display of local talent speaking out about their experience of London, disability and life. It was a small collection and probably won’t be the primary reason why anybody makes a trip to the attraction – but should you find yourself there then take time in your trip to get a taste of these South London artists. Art at the Bridge gave a superb cultural link between the 19^th and 21^st centuries of this glorious City, and brought to life the dynamism of Londoners today offset against the rich historical heritage of our industrial past.