Celebrating art and creativity at Shoreditch House

Our latest Soho Visionaries event took place over two ideas-packed days at our creative east London hub, Shoreditch House, last week. Powered by Porsche, it championed and celebrated creative changemakers and upcoming artists, with programming shaped by our Global Director of Art, Kate Bryan.
 
We hosted a range of sessions for members, including an immersive dinner hosted by poet-artist Gommie, a printmaking workshop with Adam Bridgland, and a Q&A with Bryan herself.  
 
Read on for all the highlights.

Wednesday 7 February  
 
Ask me anything with Kate Bryan
Guests arrived to coffee and pastries in the Library as the Soho Visionaries programming opened with a session designed to help members delve deeper into the Soho House art collection, and benefit from insider knowledge of the art world from Bryan herself. 

Following an overview of the global art collection – tailored to represent the art scene in each location – Bryan shared some of her knowledge from behind the scenes, before opening the floor to a Q&A.  With every seat in the room taken and our newly released Soho House Art Maps – powered by Porsche – available for members to take away, it set the tone for the two busy, informative, and creative days ahead.

Collage workshop with Gina Soden
The British fine art photographer led a collage-making session for members, in which she demonstrated the different methods she employs, including the use of scalpels, cutting boards, paint and paper. Attendees went on to create their own artworks, using materials that included prints of abandoned structures and locations around Europe. Soden has artworks in seven Soho Houses, including ‘Blaue Treppe’ and ‘Klavierzimmer’ at Soho Farmhouse.
 
Figurative painting with Rosso Emerald Crimson
Wednesday afternoon featured a painting workshop on the Back Deck of the House, guided by the London-based portraiture artist. Using acrylic paint on canvas, she took members through different realism techniques, followed by an opportunity to let loose and make entirely abstracted work, too.

Dreamers’ Dinner with Gommie
The poet-artist hosted an interactive dinner on the Back Deck, with guests treated to performances of his poetry between courses. A natural performer, Gommie held the room under his spell as he debuted a new spoken-word piece inspired by the historic life of a tablecloth, which had been reinterpreted in physical form as a painted table covering. 

Guests were encouraged to write their own ideas and motifs on the piece, which Gommie then incorporated into the final work. The room featured several Gommie poem-paintings – installed for one night only – as well as napkins printed with a new Gommie work written especially for the occasion, which guests were invited to take away with them.

Thursday 8 February 
 
Still-life artwork with Dawn Beckles
Thursday began in the Library, as the self-taught artist hosted a hands-on workshop for members and guests. Beckles specialises in mixed media, combining painting, collage and screen-printing to produce unique still-life works – under her guidance attendees were encouraged to create their own piece to take home with them.
 
Dreamers’ silkscreens with Adam Bridgland
In this comprehensive workshop, the multidisciplinary artist took members through the printmaking process from beginning to end, guiding attendees through the process so they would leave with a completed silk-screen print of their own. They each received a Valentine-themed artwork – produced specially for the occasion by Bridgland – to take home with them as well.  
 
Connect with the artists
Our closing mixer saw our Soho Visionaries’ guest artists and speakers come together with members. Hosted on the Back Deck by Soho House Art Collections Assistant Manager, Jack Lazenby, it was an opportunity for members build connections, meet the artists involved in the event and ask any questions they might have. Above all, it was a celebration of art and creativity – punctuated with Picantes.

Learn more about our Soho House Art Maps here