JTRE London unveils local new art on hoardings at 220 Blackfriars Road

JTRE London has unveiled hoardings featuring art from local artist and previous almhouse resident, Jenny Adams at its 220 Blackfriars Road scheme in Southwark. 

Jenny Adams was commissioned by Southwark Charities arts programme, to make site-specific artwork for the hoarding on Blackfriars Road and Nicholson Street. Jenny’s large-scale drawings are enlarged from her many sketchbooks documenting her daily life living in Edward Edwards House – the former almshouse which was previously on the site. 

Designed in collaboration with graphic designer Charlie Noon, the images record the often-overlooked details of our immediate environment including plants, the stages of decaying fruit, roadworks happening outside her window or flowers picked in the garden and left on her windowsill by a neighbour. The hoarding also celebrates the residents and marks the next phase for Edward Edwards House, a new building for a world class almshouse. 

The installation of the hoardings marks the first public commission from TENDERGROUND, an arts strategy and commissioning programme for the almshouses of Southwark Charities. 

The 220 Blackfriars Road site has been owned by Southwark Charities since 1752. Back then, it was used by Mr Boyfield’s Dye House to dry cloth. Following that, for more than 250 years, the site was home to Edward Edwards House, an almshouse for the people of Southwark. Southwark Charities’ almshouses offer older people the chance to lead independent lives in a safe, secure and supported environment. 

Nigel Fleming, joint MD at JTRE London, comments: “We are extremely grateful to Jenny Adams for creating the beautiful art for us to showcase on the hoarding at 220 Blackfriars Road, building on our track record of supporting the arts and culture as part of successful regeneration. 

Meeting residents and the community at the unveiling was really important for us, it goes to show the benefit of our partnership with Southwark Charities is even greater than just new homes, its also about building relationships, and delivering for the wider community too.” 

Caroline Croft, Southwark Charities chair of trustees, comments: “I am delighted that our charity has embarked upon an art strategy that is so ambitious and creative. TENDERGROUND is already showing that high-quality art can make a positive difference to the lives of our beneficiaries and the wider community. I’m so excited by the programme and what is to come.”

Jenny Adams commented: “My first experience with art was a jumble of nothingness. Then the colours hit me in my eyes, now I get the joy of smelling, touching and tasting through art. Everything is a beauty. Art has been and still is my life.”