The (Not So) White House: Local Resonance
Ravinder Atwal, Danny Baxter, Jess Burnett, Griffi, Sahra Hersi & Indre Neiberkaite
Exhibition launch: Saturday 29 September 2018, 5–7pm
Open: Thursday 4 - Saturday 6 October 2018
The (Not So) White House: Local Resonance is an exhibition of 6 Barking & Dagenham (Barking, Dagenham, Barkingside, Epping and Romford) based artists, makers and photographers.
The exhibition, situated within various rooms of The White House, is a culmination of the first 4-month Artist Development Residency based at The White House.
The group have been individually and collectively exploring intricacies of the allegorical that relate to integrity, morals, spirituality and politics. They are drawing on themes of language, interpretation, mythologies, testimony, alternative education, domesticity and community space.
Photos by Jimmy Lee
The Artist Development Residency was a pilot programme, which aimed to support and create new opportunities for members of groups who are under represented in the arts and have a strong connection to the borough of Barking & Dagenham.Through the pilot programme we also hoped to challenge the notion of a formal training environment and lay down foundations of a new kind of support framework for artists working in the borough.
The residency was facilitated by artist Raju Rage who devised a responsive programme based on the group’s individual and collective interests, practices, and needs for artistic and professional development. The programme included studio discussion, mentorship, guest speakers, exhibition and field trips, workshops, film screenings and social events. Starting in June and finishing in September 2018, the programme consisted of four development weekends over the summer. In between these weekends the six artists took residence in The White House studios and focused on their independent practices.
The White House will continue to work with the participating artists to generate opportunities to support their professional and artistic development.