Enclave: new Deptford art project

Enclave is a new art project in Deptford, launched last month by a team that includes Anthony Gross (also behind the Old Police Station and the former temporarycontemporary in the Seager Distillery in Deptford). Its opening show, Artist Urban Action,  includes a number of separately curated exhibitions running in parallel to each other in a strip of spaces in Resolution Way (running along the railway track opposite  Deptford station).

It is considerably more ambitious than most previous art projects in the area. For a start it is in a new building, part of the complex that also includes the Deptford Lounge and the new Tidemill school. And the work featured is not, on the most part, from locally based artists. There is some outstanding international work, my personal favourite being this caged bed and accompanying images by Czech artist Eva Kotátková:

I also enjoyed Taus Makhacheva's film The Fast and The Furious. It documents her 'infiltration' of the all-male illicit 4x4 racing scene in Dagestan in a vehicle covered in fur (sourced from second hand markets).

Taus Makhacheva, The Fast and the Furious

Another highlight is the Centre of Attention's News of the World exhibition, featuring 'Berlusconi Pasolini' a film piece by Italian artist Angel Vergara. It juxtaposes footage of Pasolini discussing the mass media with images of Berlusconi struggling on the floor after being knocked down by protesters.

'Berlusconi Pasolini' by Angel Vergara (detail)

If I could have taken one work home with me it would probably have been Dolly Thompsett's remarkably detailed car strewn landscape Endless Highway, seemingly painted on a resin coated linen curtain fabric. It is included in The Seven Lamps (in Enclave 8),  curated by Bella Easton and Iavor Lubomirov.

Endless Highway by Dolly Thompsett (detail)
@ Lubomirov-Easton

The exhibition runs until July 15th and is open Friday to Sunday, 12 - 6 pm. I recommend taking a look - I'm sure you will find something to catch your eye even if contemporary art isn't your thing, You can also get coffee and cake there, though I haven't  yet sampled the produce.