Thamesmead Community Archive Exhibition: Thamesmead Texas present — Bits and Pieces — Odds and Sods
Bits and Pieces — Odds and Sods
In 2021, Thamesmead Texas proudly presented ‘Bits and Pieces — Odds and Sods’, a multi-media exhibition of art, film, oral histories, archives, photography, and installation. The exhibition was an accumulation of research made by artists Scully and Scully for their Thamesmead Community Archive residency.
The impossibility of Thamesmead as a single narrative lead to the idea of the town being a marketplace of ideas. After 18 months of meeting people, and asking the question “How did you come to Thamesmead?” it was clear that there is no single, linear story to be told about Thamesmead.
Exhibition in vacant shop unit, Thamesmead town centre, 2021
After 18 months of meeting people, and asking the question “How did you come to Thamesmead?” it was clear that there is no single, linear story to be told about Thamesmead.
“The encounters all happened quite organically” said Liam, of Scully and Scully. “It helped that we also live in Thamesmead. We would be outside walking the dog or taking photos and people would stop and strike up a conversation about the breed of our dog, or the type of camera we were using”. The multiple encounters resulted in the making of genuine friendships across different cultures in Thamesmead.
“We found ourselves getting to know people by experiencing their cultures” said Vanessa, of Scully and Scully. “We attended a car boot sale, a Christmas church service and even a Nollywood film premiere! We met people’s friends and family, together we cooked and ate, and above all shared hopes and aspirations”.
Christmas Church Service with Pastor Sylvester, December 2020
A final question to all interviewees from Scully and Scully asks, “what are your hopes for Thamesmead?”.
Between interviews Scully and Scully filmed bits and pieces of Thamesmead, from the ancient Abbey Woodland up to the Thames pathway. They used various cameras from Go Pros to digital camcorders and analogue equipment to collect unique perspectives of Thamesmead, sometimes from unseen vantage points. These bits and pieces the formed the basis of a new film which Scully and Scully worked on during the entirety of the exhibition.
A final question to all interviewees from Scully and Scully asks, “what are your hopes for Thamesmead?”.
This hypothetical question was explored further throughout the exhibition, with the shop front being shared with local people. It acted as a place to imagine and collaborate, including a TV shop set up displaying Nollywood films, a Nepalese Food Market and a Traveller’s trading space.
When Scully and Scully asked local Traveller Chris Trimmings what he was selling at the Birchmere park car boot sale, his jovial response “Bits and Pieces, Odds and Sods” inspired the title of the exhibition. “The title intends to invite viewers to browse the former Beaumont Beds Shop and contemplate the fragments of information and multiple points of view on offer.” says Scully and Scully.
Thamesmead Texas’s archive residency has been funded by Heritage Lottery Fund and Peabody,
Six Collages of photos taken during the Thamesmead Community Archive residency: Collage of Thamesmead Bootfair, Collage of Nollywood events, Collage of Travelling Cinema Build, Collage of Coralline Walk demolition, Collage in collaboration with Daniel Turner, Collage of Traveller Horses
Collaborations with Thamesmead Artists
During their project for the Thamesmead Community Archive residency, Scully and Scully invited a number of Thamesmead Artists to produce artworks, telling the stories of people living in Thamesmead. Some of the artist collaborations are highlighted below.
Alessia Gammarota
Thamesmead-based photographer Alessia Gammarota documented the whole 18-month Thamesmead Community Archive residency for Scully and Scully. Some of her work was shown as part of the Bits and Pieces — Odds and Sods exhibition.
Photographs of Thamesmead by Alessia Gammarota
Fix It
‘King of Things’, Chris Trimmings and ‘Master Craftsman’ Alex Tuckwood were on hand to fix visitors ‘bits and pieces, odds and sods’. Part of Bits and Pieces, Odds and Sods exhibition.
The right to repair is about educating and empowering consumers so they can repair the goods which they own.
Little Nollywood by Thamesmead Texas
Scully and Scully had a chance encounter with two Nigerian gentlemen and immediately a dialogue opened up about film, cinema, and Nollywood. Nollywood was a little-known subject to the artists and it was even less known that there was a network of producers, directors, and actors living in Thamesmead – in fact a small industry of filmmakers was operating right under their noses. This discovery led to multiple meetings and interviews with these local legends, where genuine friendships and collaborative partnerships were forged.
Presented on four box monitors was a selection of films by local Nollywood talent, with some films being filmed between Nigeria and Thamesmead.
Films include: Dry Leaves (2018), Director Uche Odoputa; My Love and My Crown (2019), Director Ruke Amat; Consequences (2017), Director Ruke Amata; Transmission Transmission (2018), Director Neli Kings; Closed Door (2020), Director Neli Kings; Presentation of various Nollywood VHS tapes, loaned from the collection of local resident and filmmaker Comfort Andeneye.
A custom-built (Birthing) chair by local artist and designer Debo Adegoke was on display and invited guests to sit and contemplate the very idea that Nollywood works are being created in and around Thamesmead, and that so much African talent exists on our doorstep.
‘Little Nollywood’ installation, as part of the Bits and Bobs, Odds and Sods exhibition in the Thamesmead Town Centre
Birthing Chair — by Debo Adegoke
African (birthing) chair?
Viking Chair?
No one knows for sure
It IS two planks of hardwood
(aka “Made by God”),
slotted together to form a
strong self supporting chair.
The best examples are carved,
with openings to keep the sitter cool.
This version is part functional, part allegorical.
The coat of arms at the top is rendered in
half-tone, a symbol of the never dying light
of the peoples will, shining out of the darkness.
The Nigerian government version,
would be coloured green, to match their
favourite klepto currency.
Laminated chipboard is not suitable for a chair
I know, but it’s Made in China,
like much of our economy.
That’s why it is structurally adjusted.
The air holes are approximately 8mm wide,
the same size as the bullets that the Nigerian Army
permanently ventilated the #endsars protestors with.
Growing up, our dear leaders (Oga) always addressed us
from lofty perches emblazoned with the coat of arms above their head,
directing our affairs one decree at a time.
I was told, as an adult, that these chairs were used by hunters
to rest and sleep in.
I imagined them around a camp fire
stargazing and sharing stories.
When @thamesmeadtexas asked for seating to accompany their
“Little Nollywood” exhibition,
comprising several TV sets all showing Nollywood films,
I figured that TV sets were but camp fires,
around which people gathered to get news and be entertained.
Dan Turner
Born and raised in Belvedere, artist Dan Turner reflect on growing up in the area as part of the Traveller community.
Read more about his work in the interview with Scully & Scully below and watch his film ‘Glamour’.
Asmita Shrish — Little Nepal
Asmita presented a pilot of the ongoing participatory documentary Little Nepal (working title). This pilot in particular features four Gurkha widows in their 70s living in Woolwich. Read more about her work in the interview with Scully & Scully below and watch her film ‘Little Nepal’.