12 juli 2017

Bridget Riley #4


Bridget Riley in her studio at SPACE's first studio complex in St Katherine's Dock.

"...
SPACE was founded by artists Bridget Riley and Peter Sedgley and Peter Townsend in 1968. They recognised the dire need of professional visual artists for affordable studios in London and were inspired by a visit to artists’ spaces in New York. While visiting St. Katharine dock beside the Thames, Peter Sedgley swiftly realised that the wasteland of empty warehouses might offer a solution to the problem, and secured the support of the Greater London Council and Arts Council of Great Britain to open their first studio site.
...."
(bron: SPACE, foto: J.S Lewinski)



Circa 1969.

"....
By pure chance Peter Sedgley, an artist painter was visiting a friend who had a small yacht moored in St. Katharine’s Eastern dock. It was in 1967 and as it happened was the only and last vessel to be there as the docks were closing. Sedgley was overwhelmed by the sensation of this environment and had a wild idea or inspiration that here might be a solution to his own private need for a studio to be combined with the possibility of other artists who he knew were looking for space. Following official inquiries Sedgley along with Bridget Riley, Peter Townsend and others founded a charity, this time for the benefit of needy artists to acquire studio premises at affordable rents.

Space Provision Artistic Cultural & Educational, S.P.A.C.E. was established and through the good offices of the new dock owners, the Greater London Council, Desmond Plumber the leader of the GLC proposed a lease for a peppercorn rent of 500 pounds per year to use ‘I’ warehouse and ‘The Match Shed’ a large ancillary space, for 2 years.

The deal was done and at the beginning of 1968 the artists began moving into the premises. The doors of St. Katharine Dock were once again open.
...."
(bron: SPACE, foto: Graham Stevens)

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