The Soho and The Dickens Rooms

‘TWO CITIES’ an exhibition in partnership with Gaika Tavares

Curated by Nnenna Maxine Odumodu, Funmi ‘Flohio’ Ohiosumah and Sahar Bano Malik

Including the works of five contemporary artists working in the medium of photography

Stefon Grant • Dolapo Olaribigbe • Paulius Klisionis • China Marie • Emily Nkanga

Beyond the glitz and glamour central London has been home to a multitude of underserved and underseen communities since the Victorian era. Their voices remain unheard and their stories, in their own words, are often unwritten. What if we encouraged and empowered them to tell those stories? The House of St Barnabas has been a sanctuary for people at risk of homelessness since 1846. Now operating as a charity, underpinned by a members club, the House runs onsite employment preparation programmes to get those at risk of homelessness back into good work, and a good home. In a Grade 1 listed building facing Soho Square, the garden is described in Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities’, which provides the starting point for this project. The intention is for the audience to purposefully question social division and hierarchy using imagery which explores the layers and complexities behind our collective relationships. These include political, religious, scientific, gendered and educational spaces. By printing the photography on different materials, we further explore dualities and delve into the unexpected, showcasing photography as fine art and questioning society’s collectively learned ways of seeing.

All works are for sale with a portion of the proceeds going to The House of St Barnabas Charity.

Email [email protected] to make an appointment.