The Bottle Factory Is Ready To Pop

Known chiefly for bottling mineral water and ginger beer under J. Mills & Son, The Bottle Factory, established in 1895, has been regenerated into London’s newest flexible office and events space. Currently, a space for artists and designers a part of ‘Permanent Temporary’ for London Design Festival; artists worked to ‘confront the constant state of flux we find ourselves in’.

The weekend saw students to local artists showcase work through interactive showcases that applied a lens to how people thrive during uncertainty. The unique location became home to maker workshops, food tastings, film screenings, panels and installations, which revealed the versatility of the space. An eclectic range of emerging talent from jewellery makers, furniture makers (look out for Jeremy Wyatt), fashion designers to digital artists such as Shiyou Pengvideo all came together to create a moment in time that felt permanent even though the show ends on the 28th September.

Jan Hendzel Studio partnered with Pempeople Founders and creators of The Livesey Exchange, a grassroots community-led collective, to create multiple on-site experiences. Huge halls and multiple floors housed intriguing work which transports you to 3am at a Berlin underground club. A perfect canvas to let work breathe and for the viewer to explore. Two floors with multiple outdoor sections allow for reflection and an exciting variety of exciting backdrops for future events. The event was hosted by Fabrix, the property developer and investor behind the refurbishment of The Bottle Factory. Fabrix partnered with PemPeople & Livesey Exchange to organise the event, with SUMweekly as the artist curators. The partnership came about following Fabrix’s previous community work in Southwark, where it has welcomed local groups into its spaces while they are vacant.

There’s still time to see some pieces until Sept 28th, but the refurbishment is just the beginning. The Bottle Factory has been granted protection under Southwark’s new conservation area statute, so expect to see and hear a lot more, you can keep up-to-date on news and events here.

Address: The Bottle Factory,12 Ossory Rd, London SE1 5AN

Written by Paul Armstrong

Photo: A rough blend of colourful harmony from Robert Ieaun De Haan

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