The Blue Project

September – December 2015

Project blog-

vulpesvulpeslondon.tumblr.com

The Blue Project was a collaboration between London artists and community groups in Market Place, The Blue, Bermondsey, working together over a three month period. Southwark Irish Pensioners Project and Bermondsey Community Kitchen were linked with Elaine Reynolds, Berry Patten and Vulpes Vulpes from September – December 2015.

The Blue Project ended in December with a lunch event involving the community groups.

Berry Patten delivered a series of workshops with Bermondsey Community Kitchen who train young people, giving them confidence and the skills needed to gain employment in the catering industry. Berry worked towards building creative relationships through cooking and making art works inspired by food. She was assisted by Tors Beedles.

Berry Patten is a multi-media artist with an interest in food and subculture. She recently worked as part of a collaborative group called Janey Lamb, hosting performance dinner events in unusual environments.

www.berrypatten.co.uk
www.bermondseycommunitykitchen.co.uk

Elaine Reynolds is an Irish artist based in London. Elaine will work with Southwark Irish Pensioners Project which provides support for older Irish people in Southwark and surrounding areas with daily social activities including a gardening club, bingo, film, drama and tea dances.

Members of the Pensioners Project have been invited to participate in a series of workshops over 6 weeks. The workshops used techniques from Reminiscence Therapy to explore perceptions of age and ageing in contemporary society.

Elaine Reynolds is an artist working in video and installation to address unique communities and relationships to place. She also works as an artist workshop facilitator at the Tate Modern/Britain and South London Gallery.

www.elainereynolds.info
www.irishinlondon.org

Vulpes Vulpes is a group of four artists who seek to create a platform for collaboration, encouraging engagement with social histories and the built environment. Vulpes Vulpes facilitated the project and curated the final event. They also worked in Blue Anchor Library.

This project was supported by Arts Council England and Southwark Council.

The Blue Dinner

The project culminated in a dinner party in a Rouel Tenants Hall. A table setting which was decorated with colourful fabrics, handmade ceramics and plants. Artefacts from the workshops such as clay models, drawings, photographic and a collaborative collage were on display for all the participants to see. The food was cooked by the students of the Community Kitchen and served to the Irish Pensioners by the artists. All the participants sat down together to eat.

Documentation from Elaine Reynolds Workshops with the IPP. Using techniques from ‘Reminiscence Therapy’ to reflect upon and re-imagined objects and events.

Berry Patten’s workshops with the BCK

Vulpes Vulpes made a children’s display based on display research into local area history

Vulpes Vulpes workshop with IPP, plants and purposes discussion, tasting tinctures and sculptural flower arranging.

Preparation and planning: