Drift is a group show envisaging a utopian future in which the spatial distinction between the external ‘urban’ and the internal ‘domestic’ has been broken down via the free interplay of fine art,architecture, and design.Drift is a group show envisaging a utopian future in which the spatial distinction between the external ‘urban’ and the internal ‘domestic’ has been broken down via the free interplay of fine art,architecture, and design. 

Presented by Blockwork Art, Drift takes its lead from the Situationist notion of derive (literally, ‘drifting’) – a world in which nomadic urban dwellers can drift seamlessly through hybrid domestic/urban zones of habitation, or ‘constructed situations’, with the power to ‘stimulate new sorts of behaviour’. To this end, the show will feature an eclectic mix of work by emerging artists, makers, and designers – with traditionally-defined fine art and design placed alongside those practices that sit resolutely between the two. Through this process, Drift seeks to question the validity of such distinctions in the first place. 

September 29^th – October 28^th

Playing With a Shadow ... an exhibition exploring childhood and memory

Marianne Raye, Alma Alex, and Aleksandras Aleksejevas

n a play of light an object can leave multiple shadows; multiple impressions, countless portrayals of itself. In parallel, memories shift and change with time, regularly altering one’s perceptions of places, people, events past ... both shadow and memory are our constant companions.   Childhood experiences have a long lasting effect on people’s future lives, and for many artists the memory of childhood often acts as a source of inspiration, as seen here in this evocative exhibition of painting, photography and sculpture by three very different art practitioners from Russia, and Lithuania.

September 11th – September 24th

The Art of Identity ...

London teenagers from across five world religions compete for a new art prize

 Self-portrait in England Shirt, 2011

Growing out of a day that the Archbishop of Canterbury spent at London Inter Faith Centre, with students and teachers from Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh schools, the Art of Identity project encourages young people to express something of the complexity of the different parts of themselves – with faith being one of the significant components.

The young artists in the exhibition explore ‘identity’ in a variety of ways. Some work implicitly through aspects of cultural heritage, for example one paints an urban landscape of the sub-continent, whilst another juxtaposes an England football strip with an Indian flag. Other artists explicitly rework traditional religious iconography.

The judging panel, all of whom have significant experience in working with young people to develop their interest and skill in art,  includes noted British artist Ben Johnson (www.benjohnsonartist.com) and London dealer Sarah Myerscough, of Sarah Myerscough Fine Art, Mayfair (www.sarahmyerscough.com).

The artists participating in the first year of the Art of Identity are from a variety of schools, including, alphabetically, Bishop Ramsey Church of England School, Brondesbury College for Boys, Douay Martyrs Roman Catholic School, Guru Nanak School, Hasmonean Schools, Islamia Girls School, Swaminrayan School, Twyford Church of England Secondary School.

For more information about the project or The London Inter Faith Centre please contact

Fergus Capie, Project Director        fergus.capie@londoninterfaith.org.uk

Joseph Voelker, Project Administrator             info@londoninterfaith.org.uk

The project is supported by Cass Art London, London’s leading supplier of art materials, with generous prizes for the first of what we hope will become an annual competition.

Meet the Artist !!

Val will be at Lumen on the  8th 9th & 10th June to discuss all things 'bee' and 'paint'

Don't miss Brigit's talk 9th June...... 'Bee Aware'  http://www.lumenurc.org.uk/concerts.htm

We have all been made aware of the plight of the disappearing honey bee in the UK and now many more people are keeping bees, but it is not so well known that many other types of bee are busy pollinating our crops and gracing our gardens. The much loved Bumblebees and the lesser known Solitary Bees are a crucial part of our natural world.

The exhibition shows the diversity and beauty of 20 different bees, from the smart black and silver Grey Mining Bee pondering the world from a Hawthorn branch, to the pretty Carder Bumblebee preparing to land on a sprig of Lavender, and from the tiny White Faced Bee who is only 5mm long to the delightful Leafcutter Bee who wraps her little ones in curls of rose leaves.

Artist Valerie Littlewood has been painting bees now for over a year, firstly for a 16 bee USA commission and now for this Celebration of British Bees.

 “While researching and studying bees it has been impossible not to become very fond of these delightful and hardworking little creatures. They are fine natural architects, ingenious nest builders, solicitous mothers and cooperative workers. Their stories are fascinating yet they generally pursue their crucial work of pollinating our crops and garden flowers unseen and unappreciated. I have received many messages and communications since starting this work, some from people who are quite frightened of being stung by bees.  In fact most of the solitary bees do not sting. They are gentle and harmless and can even be considered as the perfect garden pet! I hope this small exhibition can redress the balance and help people to see and understand more about these wonderful little friends of ours and their very distinct personalities.

 This is a lovely quote from the writer Karl Von Frisch in his book “Animal Architecture” which really struck a chord with me..

‘ Bees differ from predacious wasps in one important particular: they are strictly vegetarian, feeding themselves and their brood on pollen and nectar. This habit endears them to kindhearted people, for they do not destroy in order to live...’

You can read more about Valerie’s bees, her discoveries and research and about the progress of the paintings on her blog at www.pencilandleaf.blogspot.com.