When the BRIDGE founders, Pernilla Iggström and Christel Lundberg, were thinking about the ethos of BRIDGE and working towards the BRIDGE24 exhibition in Brixton in September 2024, they asked themselves “What keeps the English people together?, What do they all share and have in common?” The answer was a mug of tea – a cuppa! Pernilla explains “There aren’t many things a mug of tea can’t solve… We thought carefully about the key values of BRIDGE – embracing diversity and building bridges – and we asked ourselves how could we best work to bring the locals of Brixton together with BRIDGE?… We didn’t just want to set up an exhibition that didn’t include the local community and then leave, so it was really important to us that we started explore and integrate Brixton and its community in some way. With its rich history, Brixton is really relevant to what BRIDGE is about.”
By knocking on the doors of people who live and/or work in Brixton Christel and Pernilla initiated conversations by asking them if they could show them their favourite mug and if they could take a photo of them holding it. Many of the local people they met were open to this process and generously shared some quite personal stories about their lives.
The MUG project is a continuous process, with the two curators remaining in touch with the locals they interviewed. The curators’ experience of these encounters will be presented at BRIDGE24 in September at the historical venue of Downstairs at the Department Store on Ferndale Road.
Christel and Pernilla will continue this art intervention to gain deeper knowledge of the community and forge new friendships. For more information about the MUG Project and please contact Pernilla and Christel on the email [email protected].
BRIDGE24
Venue: Downstairs at the Department Store, 248 Ferndale Road, London SW9 8FR.
Dates: 20-25 September 2024.
Timings: Open 10am-5pm daily – free and all welcome!
