Wapping Project

My second visit to the Wapping Project confirmed in my mind that it is rapidly becoming one of my favourite places in London. Situated in an old Hydraulic Power Station on the banks of the Thames this is a bit more than the usual post-derelict warehouse art gallery...the gallery space is dramatically dark and is accessed by a modern stairway which makes very light contact with the old building. The first time I came this entire space was flooded and the visitor had to paddled around in a boat, this time you could walk around and discover other rooms full of old machinery. This is a dramatic space which actually does allow the artist to respond to it, rather than being some old building that did have a dramatic space that has been stripped of its old features flooded with north light and sterilised with a polished concrete floor. The cast iron columns are corroding and the brick work is left in a condition far removed from polished off, any original features are kept, but not religiously, so Victorian tiles find themselves partially obscured from view by the machinery that came later and would perhaps have been removed by different preservationists/conservationists.

The presence of machinery in the main area which doubles as a swanky bistro is what makes this place really special though. The posh dining tables and chairs find themselves butt next to hulking great pieces of machinery that, whilst clean still reak of engine oil. Again the machines aren't treated reverently, candles dripping wax to light the tables are on top of them as well as massive old TVs showing video art as part of the exhibition play away. They aren't showcased but nor are they diminished to some sort of stage set background...they are part of the Project. Up above in the vast roof space old vines still creep their way into the building and if you follow the staircase up to the top you can see the vast old tanks of water. Really awesome...and bloody nice hot chocolate too! These are some photos from my last visit to Wapping on 3rd March 2012 where the photography of Edgar Martins was on show "This is not a House" 

http://www.thewappingproject.com/
http://dustmagazine.com/blog/?p=587