Ignition Brewery organises space to help emerging artists

Ignition Brewery is a vibrant brewery in Sydenham which employs and trains people with learning disabilities to brew beer, but the space is now also being used to help emerging artists launch their careers.

The brewery is running an exhibition until June 1 to enjoy while you sip their freshly brewed beers and their newly appointed curator, Tom Fry, is bringing a range of artistic talent to the space.

He said: “Our Taproom is a fabulous, large space and we have so much to give our community and its creatives in terms of opportunity. “We’re all about forging pathways for those with less of a chance and empowering talented individuals.

“I’m privileged to work with such amazing people and offer my help to artists. We are growing a real community and Ignition is every day a more enchanting place to be.”

Ignition Brewery directors, Will and Nick, said: “We are delighted that Tom is curating this series of exhibitions in our space that brings a wide-range of artistic talent to Central Sydenham.

Our Artists are from a broad spectrum of London communities and will surprise and inspire our customers while they drink the freshest beer in SE26.

Our Team – all of whom seem to have developed into art critics in the last few months – are also very excited.

We look forward to welcoming everyone to share in this vibrant collection of art.”

The opening artist on Tom’s roster is Tracey Image, who will explore Barstory as a project here at Ignition, in her first ever solo exhibition.

From napkins to table cloths, this exhibition encapsulates the life of a mother who found inspiration in the privacy of underground bars. These methods of working have fuelled her fascination with identity and the idea of private identities in public spaces.

Tracey said: “I’m now leaning in on social sensations in bars and restaurants, with my mediums reflecting the stories I’ve experienced through the very fabrics, napkins and other materials I’ve taken home directly from the places I visit.

“The work that transpires in these bars is a reflection of the people, the décor and responses to events or things I observe.

For more than personal reasons, I’m riding on social sensations for creative expression; to find solitude, freedom, relaxation.”