10 ARTISTS FROM LONDON – THE WAPPING GROUP OF ARTISTS

PRESS RELEASE

The Wapping Group of Artists and The Artists’ Association of Finland have collaborated to bring an exhibition of 10 London-based artists working within the Wapping artist community to Finland.

Situated in East London, the Wapping studios are housed in old warehouse buildings, one of several such creative spaces in London repurposed from former industrial sites. Around 50 artists from various fields of visual arts currently work in these studios. Since 1979, the artists of Wapping have hosted annual “Open Studio” exhibitions, inviting the public to explore their workspaces. This local initiative has led to broader group exhibitions across the UK and internationally, including France last year and Finland this year.

The Wapping artists are not a collective bound by a specific artistic agenda but operate based on their individual creative visions. However, the shared working environment and mutual interaction provide a compelling context for their collective exhibition. It has been said that their work reflects their environment and could not have been created elsewhere.

The idea to bring Wapping artists to Finland was first proposed by sculptor Keith Reeves during his visit to Finland in connection with the Paris Youth Biennale in 1981. The exhibition is supported by the British Council, Oy Finnlines Ab, and Oy Finnanglia Ferries.

The exhibition was showcased at Ateneum in Helsinki in late February and early March 1983. It will be open at Pori Art Museum until April 17, 1983.

The exhibition in Pori is curated by artists Virginia Gordon and Richard Taffs. Other participating artists include Elton Bash, John Copnall, Roger Kite, Janet Nathan, Ken Oliver, Keith Reeves, Anthony Whishaw, and Jon Whitaker.

Translated with ChatGPT