Friends of the Earth

Inspired by the Gallery’s neighbour the Thames, a group of local artists have compiled a show about wild water and how its changes through global warming are affecting the environment. This is only the second exhibition they have held as a group, their first was a weekend show in the garden of Turner’s House in East Twickenham, which was graced with kind weather and fun for all attendees. They hope this exhibition will be as interesting and enjoyable for all visitors to the gallery. The nine artists taking part have very interesting and diverse practices, in painting, sculpting and photography. This exhibition brings together local artists deeply concerned with the climate crisis and the devastating consequences of warming of lands and seas.
Rising sea levels, caused by the warming of the ocean (since water expands as it heats) and the increased melting of glaciers and ice sheets, is a particular focus for Helen Goodwin, whose poetic work explores coastal erosion. Her photograph depicts a solitary chair, placed where it once stood in her former wooden cottage by the sea in Yorkshire - a poignant reflection on loss and change. Lizzie Brewer turns her attention to melting ice caps in the Arctic, translating the process of melting and destruction into a narrative expressed as a scroll. Jane Oldfield’s intstallation illustrates the warming of the sea and Amanda Randall’s stone sculpture draws attention to the Mermaid’s Purse - a shark egg case - symbolising the aquatic species now threatened by warming oceans.
Extreme weather events and flooding, caused by a warmer atmosphere holding more moisture, are becoming increasingly frequent. Richard Eastwood’s paintings, responding to the deadly floods in Spain in 2024, are inspired by a haunting media image of roses carried off by swollen waters. Loraine Monk’s etching and aquatint envision the River Thames flooding at Kingston Bridge. Janey Hagger’s boat, constructed from materials gathered from the Thames riverbed and coastal shorelines, reminds us of human waste and the plight of climate refugees. Nicki Rolls’s sculptures are also made from found river debris - making river creatures which are mythological representations of the power of water.
The twin impacts of drought and flood on plant life and farmland are explored in Nicki Rolls’s charcoal drawings of root vegetables. They highlight the effect of flooded farmland on UK vegetable crop yields. Brian Deighton reflects on the persistent rain in the landscape, and Susan Cunningham investigates practical responses - inspired by rain gardens to identify plants that can tolerate damp conditions, as well as plants that can survive flooding.