things we didn’t have before at The Pumphouse Gallery

artists; Terry Barber, Tom Buchanan, Maria L. Felixmüller, Craig Fisher, Matt Gee, Paolo Giardi, Greta Hauer, Kevin Hunt, Scott Joseph, Morwenna Lake, Mindy Lee, Sonia Levy, Jammie Nicholas, Marina Rees, Sue Ridge, Cyrus Shroff, Hazel Stone, Julia Zastava, Willow Rowlands, Yoke and Zoom.

Each object, like its owner, has a story to tell

For its third annual open call exhibition, things we didn’t have before, Pump House Gallery transforms into a cabinet of curiosities. Each of the lakeside Grade 2-listed building’s floors serve as different compartments, a treasure trove of wondrous artworks and objects that await discovery.

Supported by curator Hannah Conroy, local recovery group CDS Wandsworth have selected artworks and objects to form a new public collection that tells the unique and unexpected stories behind objects and their creators or collectors.

Each year Pump House Gallery works with a different Wandsworth community-based group for its annual Open Call exhibition, with the aim of providing contemporary art experience, knowledge and practice through the development of a public exhibition.

Over 100 arts practitioners and collectors submitted their unusual and intriguing objects and artworks for consideration. Over six sessions, the curatorial group made its final selection of pieces by 20 artists and collectors and determined how to present these within the Pump House Gallery setting.

The group found significant resonance with this year’s submission theme of ‘curious objects’, as many people in recovery are given a token to represent their abstinence. As part of this process, the token object becomes hugely symbolic, and begins to represent relationships, experiences and journeys in ways far beyond its original design.

things we didn’t have before is an exhibition that presents both a collection of objects and a collection of the stories that accompany them, and how these are read is unique to each gallery visitor.

Curator Hannah Conroy said: “Working with CDS Wandsworth has brought about some interesting discussions drawing parallels between their personal journeys through recovery and the narratives of the strange and wonderful objects that were submitted for the show. Although none of the group has a background in arts, they have taken to selecting and curating with such enthusiasm which will develop into an exhibition that they can all be proud of.”

Paul McCue, Managing Director of Enable said: “This exhibition gets to the heart of enable’s vision to engage the community in high quality culture and as ever the Pump House Gallery will present an edgy, original exhibition.”