The Drawing Room is located in Laburnum Street, East London, marked at one end by the striking mosque attached to the Islamic Turkish Cultural Centre and at the other by the grand but dilapidated Haggerston Baths. Sandwiched between these landmarks are residential properties threatened with demolition, newly built housing and an active boat club backing on to the canal which runs parallel to the street. The Drawing Room aim to develop its role within this lively,culturally mixed area by involving local people in creative activity. As a starting point for the unique project Laburnum Pilot, artists' Ella Gibbs and Amy Plant raised the questions: "To what extent does the experience of living in a city such as London create a sense of isolation? Is community no longer defined by the place where we live and those who live around us?" The questions posed lead to Laburnum Pilot, a street magazine. The gallery was used as a publishing house with magazine production workshops lead by Hackney-based Åbäke Design Group and drawing classes run by Maia Naveriani. Visitors were invited to browse the small neighbourhood reference library containing a variety of published material: fanzines; special interest pamphlets; established magazines. The resulting 60 - page glossy magazine challenges the concept of standard magazines in its lively, creative and new approach. An entirely drawn and written magazine, its contents are humorous, serious, eccentric and credible and portray much of the life of the street and its people. Price £2.00. See under 'Publications' for order information. Laburnum Pilot was launched on Saturday 26 June during a Street party to celebrate the Centenary of Haggerston Baths on Laburnum Street. The Drawing Room commissioned this exciting project on the basis of the artists' experience of working in a variety of situations, both in the UK and abroad, in which sensitivity to context and collaboration with others has been a key focus. Laburnum Pilot is the result of an ongoing dialogue between Ella Gibbs and Amy Plant. It is their first collaboration since 2000 (Green, curated by Rampe 003, Berlin) and they plan to continue working together, developing the reference library and further publishing projects. Ella Gibbs was born in London. Projects include www.whitechapel.org/programme and Spare Time Job Centre, Chisenhale Gallery, London 2003. Amy Plant was born in London. Projects include Multi Stop Shop, Arc percent for art scheme, North County Dublin 2003. www.arcarts.ie. Supported by the Jack Petchey Foundation.
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