CANNING TOWN STEEL

THE DISAPPEARING EAST END

Portrait painter Morgan Penn has captured and recorded an East End community that is being swept aside and lost forever by the surge of modern corporate developments.

Morgan made contact with well known colourful characters in the area to discuss the idea of the oil on steel collection at their community hub, the famous Peacocks Gym. Each person painted would nominate the next person to be included in the portrait collection. The sittings were arranged to be held at the Bridgehouse 2 live venue, which is part of the area that is on notice to be bulldozed and redeveloped. To illustrate the speed of change in the area, a whole housing estate opposite Canning Town train station was evacuated and demolished during the various portrait sittings.

The people painted are all well known entrepreneurs in the area, and they embody the old spirit, colour and life of the East End!

The portraits were unveiled next to the new West Ham stadium at Stratford Circus Arts Centre, Theatre Square, London. The portraits were then exhibited at The Venue in Southend.

The opening night in East London was broadcast on London Live TV