The Blind Pig pop up bar / exhibition

If phase one of Brockley's East London Line-led regeneration ended in 2012 with its cafe revolution largely complete, phase two is going to be mostly about booze. This will be a good thing. We've now got a daytime economy. Time for the night. Following the news that Brockley is due to be blessed with two microbreweries and the return of Jam Circus comes news of a pop-up bar in Drakefell Road.

Jo Dennis writes:

The Blind Pig is a pop up bar and exhibition space at the end of a suburban south London garden. Speakeasys or “blind pigs” were a product of prohibition and this DIY art space and social gathering spot, created by artist Jo Dennis, is in part a response to the chastened times in which we live.


The exhibition is a solo presentation of paintings and drawings by the artist. Her work uses disparate components,dark humour and personal symbolism. In this collection they reference vanity, identity and what it is to be human. Some of her ideas manifest as portraits - some surreal, some abstract - and others a mix of all three.

“When I moved in there was this awesome shed at the bottom of my garden, I have trawled around skips and scaffolder’s to find reusable and free wood to make the shed fit for purpose.

I made an installation in it last year for the Telegraph Hill Festival open studios and the response was brilliant. This year it will be opening for the festival again but the instal will be a complete change from what people saw last year.” Jo Dennis.

Jo Dennis graduated from Goldsmiths College in 2002 and has exhibited nationally and internationally including showing at the ICA and The Royal Academy. In 2010 she partnered with artist Dido Hallett to set up Asylum, an arts space in a derelict chapel in Peckham. Asylum is on The South London Art Map
and was voted one of The Guardian’s top 10 London Art spaces 2011.


Opening party Friday 8th March 6pm -10pm. Open Sat 9th, Sun 10th and Sat 23rd 2pm - 7pm. 200 Drakefell Road, SE4 2DR.