Film Screening: Rivers in the City

With works by:

John Rogers
Catherine Yass
Aislinn Evans
Tom Fisher

This screening brings together artists' film and sound pieces that relate to the rivers that surround our site here in Barking. The programme was inspired by the work of the Friends of the River Roding and the River Roding Trust, who campaign for the protection of the Roding in particular, and more widely for the Rights of Nature; the idea that trees, rivers and wildlife should have legal personhood.

The program is organized as a circular journey along the Roding, the Thames and the Lea. It begins travelling downstream the River Roding, from Ilford to Barking, with John Rogers’ film Secret World of the River Roding (2021); then passing through the Barking Flood Barrier, in Catherine Yass’ Flood Barrier (2023). From there, we travel out onto the Thames, and along its parallel vein of the A13 in Aislinn Evans’ Downstream (2023). The program will conclude with listening in the dark to Tom Fisher’s sound piece RIVERSSOUNDS (2021), recorded in the River Lea.

The evening will conclude with a conversation with Paul Powlesland: barrister & founder of Lawyers for Nature, river guardian on the River Roding and advocate for Rights of Nature and nature guardianship.

Please note that we operate our cinema events as a relaxed venue; there is some comfortable seating available, visitors are welcome to snack, move about the space, and babies, children and young people are welcome.

If you have any access needs, please let us know on [email protected].

Flood Barrier by Catherine Yass was commissioned by Create London, funded by Art Fund and Arts Council England, with additional support from The Elephant Trust.

Downstream by Aislinn Evans was commissioned by Create London as part of Breaking Waves, with support from National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Host or Publisher A House for Artists