earth lines

FREE by Free Painters and Sculptors A group exhibition exploring ideas of freedom in modern times

FREE by Free Painters and Sculptors
A group exhibition exploring ideas of freedom in modern times

Clerkenwell Gallery, 20 Clerkenwell Green, London, EC1R 0DP

Tuesday 26th – Saturday 30th September 2017
Opening Hours: 12-7pm (except Thursday 12-5pm)

Private View: Thursday 28th September, 6-9pm
(please rsvp)

Capturing the essence of freedom and diversity, a new and exciting exhibition from Free Painters and Sculptors (FPS) opens to the public on Tuesday 26th September.

This exhibition explores the principles, reflected in the core beliefs of FPS, of free speech and artistic expression and features work from members of the group using a wide variety of materials and styles.

FPS, an artist-led organisation, was first established in 1952. Since its inception, the idea of freedom has been at the heart of its beliefs. In the aftermath of World War II, it was vital for the group to be able to protect the principles of artistic freedom, free speech and expression, and to challenge established notions and values.

Clearly, since that time, there have been significant, and positive changes in attitudes concerning class, gender, sexuality, race and religion. Despite this progress, there is still a great need to defend these values.

FPS is proud to be an artistic collective that champions and encompasses the essence of diversity. Many of the exhibiting artists will be present at the show at which you will be able to discuss and see their artistic representations of freedom and diversity.

FPS was originally associated with the ICA (Institute of Contemporary Arts) and came to prominence by playing a significant part in the establishment of abstract art in the 1950's and 60's. Founding members featured many high profile and influential artists, including Roy Rasmussen, Lyall Watson and Maurice Jadot, who all feature in the permanent Tate Collection.

In 2017 FPS celebrates its 65th anniversary.

bright green caterpillar

I am an aged and disabled pillock,

And I was dragging a loaded shopping trolley,

Up an urban hillock,

When a bright green caterpillar appeared before me,

It was just there,

Level with my eyes

In mid-air.

I stopped, glad for a chance to catch my breath,

As my puzzled brain computed,

How could the caterpillar just be there,

Defying gravity as far as I could see?

But the laws of physics were not dead,

It was hanging by a thread,

Writhing and wriggling,

Struggling and striving,

To climb up its thin thin lifeline,

To regain its footing and food,

From the laburnum bush above.

A green heaven it loved so much,
That it never gave up

Its aim to return from airborne exile.

I watched it win,

Then dragged my shopping home,

With renewed determination,

And wondered if the caterpillar would now,

Stay in the bush

And save the silk

That it used to make its own rescue rope,

To later encase itself in a chrysalis.

Soon I too may enter a rigid container,

But, sadly, I won’t burst from coffin,

To fly away on brilliant wings,

Surprising those at the graveside.

'A Free Moment' is a summer pop-up exhibition from art group the Free Painters and Sculptors (FPS).

'A Free Moment' is a summer pop-up exhibition from
  Free Painters and Sculptors (FPS). 
 Celebrating its 65th year,
 FPS is delighted to be exhibiting for the first time in 
the gallery@oxo 
in the iconic Oxo Tower building
Exhibition dates: June 7 - 11 
Open daily 11am-7pm 
Free admission 

 Private View: Friday June 9 Open 6.30-8.30pm 
rsvp: info@freepaintersandsculptors.co.uk 
 gallery@oxo | Oxo Tower Wharf |
 Bargehouse Street | London | SE1 9PH

p.murry invigilating 10/7 11.00 – 14.30

ART EXHIBITION at the Trafalgar Rowing Centre

ART EXHIBITION at the Trafalgar Rowing Centre 11-13 Crane Street SE10 9NP 

PHOTOGRAPHS BY CAROL KENNA PAINTINGS BY STEVE LOBB 

also open on JUNE 11th, 17th & 18th june FROM 2 TO 6PM 

on SATURDAY JUNE 17 2017 FROM 6 TO 9 PM 

at the Trafalgar Rowing Centre 11-13 Crane Street SE10 9NP 

PHOTOGRAPHS BY CAROL KENNA PAINTINGS BY STEVE LOBB also open on JUNE 11th, 17th & 18th june FROM 2 TO 6PM

PHOTOGRAPHS BY CAROL KENNA 

PAINTINGS BY STEVE LOBB

LONDON SMOGS, OLD AND NEW

Once a riverran

Like cord of grey churning muscle,

Through a valley

And a city.

Current rolling, pulsing and twisting muddy waters

To the sea and back again at the same time

Running with and against the tide,

Like the city, it never ceased,

On cold winter nights, it sweated mist;

But, if the night was still,

The mist could not rise.

Every house in the city burnt a coal fire,

Nearly every adult who lived there smoked,

And then there was a time

When all the cars, buses and lorries

Smoked too.

Smog was born

And the mist and smog embraced each other

And lay down like satisfied lovers

In a sleeping yellow embrace

Above the city,

Smothering breath and life in a poisonous blanket

So every still night when the smog laid down

Hundreds died beneath.

“Give us clean air!”, the people cried

“Stop the coalfires!,

And clean the car exhausts!

Stop smoking! Cut carbon monoxide!”

Then the old smog, made illegal died,

And fewer people did.

But death was just resting for a decade or two,

Then it smiled and said:

“I’ll find a way to return,

And choke the life from your lungs and heads;

 I’ll make a finer blanket now

Than the smog of old

And when the sun is bright

And the air is still,

I’ll weave a cloth of car fumes,

And light

And lay it over the city

So that they’ll gasp for breath and cough in vain,

Again and again,

Just like they did when my smog was thick

My clear killing veil

Will hang invisible above the city

So they’ll still die for me

As the river rolls on and on

And passes the poisoned people by.

Westminster Abbey November 2016

I walk through the grounds of the abbey,

Lost in my meditations,

With the burden that I carry,

A banner for a demonstration.

Tourists swarm around me,

Some move in files like ants

Crawling over history,

Consuming what’s left behind.

Perhaps they see the grand buildings,

The cornices, gargoyles and spires,

But I see through this feudalist frippery,

To class power that lurks inside.

I unfurl my flag of protest

Hoist on a telescopic pole

There are slogans and placards around me

Parliament’s  close and remote.

We are free to shout on a pavement

Orators can urge and rant

But concrete barriers and armed police,

Keep power and powerless apart.

London traffic never falters one second,

It’s always got somewhere to go,

Solidarity with strikers,

Shall not obstruct its flow.

The tourist buses pass us,

And phones and cameras click,

A demo is turned into data,

Impaled on selfie stick.

We’re all just part of the spectacle, that the tourists may later replay,

They saw a real genuine protest, and heard protestors shout,

With flags and placards and banners,

But what was it all about?”