A documentary following a year in the life of Rotherhithe artist and ‘tortured soul’ Ed Gray will be screened next month.
Ed’s battles with constant back pain, allergic reactions to paint, and the “joy” of self-expression all feature in ‘One Year with Ed Gray’.
Michael Holland, arts editor at Southwark News, decided to make the documentary after becoming friends with the artist.
“I first became aware of Ed Gray’s art when I covered an exhibition he had at the Sun & Doves in Camberwell,” he said.
“I knew straight away that I could relate to his work. He painted the streets of London I knew, these were people I was surrounded by and in places that I frequented: pubs, betting offices, night clubs.
“But, for me, it was the small detail, the irrelevant minutiae of life you find in his paintings, such as discarded cigarette packets, crisp bags, water bottles and pigeons everywhere, that made his art become real.”
Michael wrote a review of one Ed’s exhibitions and “thought nothing more of it” but a year later Ed invited him to another exhibition at Camberwell’s GX Gallery.
“It was here that I met Ed for the first time and discovered that not only did I like his art but also him as a person. We soon became firm friends,” Michael said.
In 2010, Ed agreed to be filmed for a year. Looking back, he said: “So much has changed but the constants are my studio and my intention to paint my experience of city life.
“I’m not represented by a gallery but somehow it all seems to work. My work has become more recognised thanks to my online profile, and longevity.
“2010, the year that Michael made the film, was a big year for me. It was the first time I began to exhibit in public spaces.”
‘One Year with Ed Gray’ will be screened at The Art of Isolation, upstairs at the Surrey Quays shopping centre, on Thursday, May 16. Doors open from 6pm with the screening set to start at 6.30pm.