feature

Publications by New Journal Enterprises

Home

Archive

Competition

The Review - FEATURE
Published:14 February 2008

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of Torriano Meeting House

Silver celebration for the Torriano

THE Torriano Meeting House, which rather splendidly bills itself as “one of London’s best- kept anachronisms” is celebrating its 25th anniversary next month.
And to mark the occasion, they have appointed three visual artists-in-residence to respond to this unique cultural oasis in Kentish Town, focusing on its strong association with poetry and poetry publishing.
The Torriano Meeting House is a small yet internationally known arts space which survives without subsidies. Among the poets who perform there are Mimi Khalvati, John Hegley, Paul Birtill, Gerda Mayer, Jeremy Reed (pictured, by Natasha Gomperts) and June English.
The three artists-in-residence are Ruth Breckell, Natasha Gomperts and Zuzana Piponi. Ruth Breckell will use knitting and felting techniques to respond to the poetry of John Rety, the centre’s co-founder. As poets weave words, Ruth will knit and enmesh them.
Natasha Gomperts is drawing the individuals who read their work at the popular Sunday poetry events so as to gradually build a collective portrait of the centre through a poetry of drawn lines.
Zuzana Piponi will be operating among the books and pamphlets published by Hearing Eye, the Meeting House publishers. So just as writers use a computer to cut and paste, so Zuzana uses scalpels, scissors and glue to reconfigure the form of words into subtle objects and strange, intriguing images.
The residences will culminate in an open house exhibition from March 7-9.
SIMON WROE

• Torriano Meeting House, 99 Torriano Avenue, NW5. 020 7267 2751
www.ruthbreckell.co.uk • www.natashagomperts.com • www.piponi.com

Comment on this article.
(You must supply your full name and email address for your comment to be published)

Name:

Email:

Comment:

» Exhibition Listings
» Exhibition Tickets