| Launching Iniva's new home at Rivington Place. |
| Thursday, 04 October 2007 |
Yesterday, David Lammy was proud to attend the launch of Iniva's new home at Rivington Place in Shoreditch.
Rivington Place is a new unique cultural landmark located in the heart of East London’s art scene and is the only arts space in the UK dedicated to the continuous display of culturally diverse visual arts - providing unique insights into the expression of cultural difference. It is also the first new build public gallery in London since the Hayward Gallery 40 years ago.
It will be a permanent home for Iniva and Autograph ABP, two organisations which have worked for 20 years to champion and promote different cultural perspectives in art and photography.
The opening exhibition, London is the Place for Me, jointly curated by Iniva and Autograph ABP, explores the concept of home, identity and belonging through film and photography. The exhibition takes its title from a 1948 calypso song by Lord Kitchener composed aboard the SS Empire Windrush as it sailed from the Caribbean to Tilbury Docks
It makes a direct link between the ‘Windrush generation’ and contemporary arrivals to all parts of the UK from all over the world, exploring Britain's symbolic and economic pull for immigrants, and in doing so looking at the myths and iconography of their experiences.
At the launch Professor Stuart Hall, Emeritus Professor, Open University and Rivington Place project champion, spoke about Rivington Place and its inaugural exhibition London is the Place to Be:
“Difference is complex – it alters and evolves, but does not go away. Difference matters and will continue to matter, it provides an incredible source of richness, new ways of seeing and creativity. Rivington Place is a landmark building which celebrates diversity and the exciting and essential contribution it makes to the visual arts.
“Before Rivington Place this type work has never had a permanent home in Britain. Now this wonderful building sits at the centre of that mysterious place were art meets experience, allowing us to look at a world we think we know in a different way.”
Following the opening exhibition, Iniva will be staging States of Exchange: Artists from Cuba in January 2008, and in April, Autograph ABP will curate Bangladesh 1971, the first comprehensive review in the UK of one of the most important conflicts in modern history.
David Lammy during his time as Minister for Culture developed a strong relationship with Iniva and Rivington Place; since he moved on to become Minister for Skills he has continued to be closely engaged with the project.
At the launch he said:
“I am so pleased to be here at the start of this most wonderful journey and in this fantastic and iconic building designed by David Adjaye. I believe that Rivington Place will be a beacon on our cultural landscape, representing a fantastic investment in the future of artistic innovation.
"I see this place as a space dedicated to the perpetual discussion of our cultural interaction with each other. Such a building could not have arrived at a more timely moment as we increasingly look at who we are and how we relate to those around us."
Mark Sealy, Director, Autograph ABP, said:
“This project is not just about bricks and mortar, it represents a modest but important destination. It will be a home for the work Iniva and Autograph ABP have been doing collectively for over 20 years and will provide a sense of place for the artists and issues we champion. It is also a strategic shift towards greater certainty and greater autonomy for both the organisations.”
Following the official opening there was a brief question and answer session which included children from St John the Baptist Primary School before visitors were taken on a tour of the new building by David Adjaye, OBE.
David Adjaye, Director, Adjaye Associates added:
“Rivington Place is hugely significant as it’s my first completed arts building anywhere in the world. It’s a natural addition to the East End’s existing landscape of art institutions and reinforces the area’s position as a national and international arts and culture destination.”
The building houses two flexible exhibitions spaces, the Stuart Hall Library, an education space and a cafe, as well as the offices of Iniva and Autograph ABP and office space for several small, creative businesses. The building has five floors and a floor space of 1,445 sq metres.
Please click here to see more pictures from the launch.
To read more about Rivington Place and the London is the Place to Be exhibition, or to plan your visit please click here
To read more about Iniva please click here.
To read more about Autograph ABP please click here.
|
|
Email this page to a friend
|
