THE THAMES GROUP OF ARTISTS
Set up and curated by Charles Sharman-Cox, the Thames Group of Artists is a collective of painters, printers, ceramicists, sculptors, mixed media artists, graphic artists, photographers, a milliner, a film maker and more.
The Group first appeared on the British art scene with its Arts Council England supported ‘Sweet Thames Run Softly’ exhibition which toured to festivals, art galleries and colleges between London and Southend throughout the summer of 2015 in a unique, self assembly cardboard gallery designed by internationally renowned architect John Lyall.
The inspiration for the Group’s next major project, came from another pivotal wordsmith of the 20th century, the iconic post-punk musician, lyricist and artist, Ian Dury. March 27th 2020 marked the twentieth anniversary of the passing of Ian Dury. In commemoration and with the full support of his Estate, the Thames Group created ‘All Kinds of Naughty’ which toured to art galleries across London, Essex and Kent throughout the whole of 2021.
To celebrate its tenth anniversary, the Thames Group has taken inspiration for its biggest show yet, from a double-sided fold-out map that is the brainchild of native author and musician Will Birch, artist and former ‘Clash’ right-hand man, Kosmo Vinyl and graphic artist Jules Balme. Called ‘The Scene by the Sea’, the map is a guide to many of the hippest clubs, pubs, discotheques, dancehalls, coffee bars, music shops and fashion boutiques that were pivotal in helping to create Southend’s rich pop culture heritage.
THE SCENE BY THE SEA (2025)
ALL KINDS OF NAUGHTY (2020/21)
March 27th 2020 marked the 20th anniversary of Ian Dury’s untimely death from colorectal cancer. In commemoration the Thames Group of Artists produced All Kinds of Naughty, a mixed-media touring exhibition inspired by the songs and lyrics of the great man himself. Named after an unrecorded Dury lyric, the show, curated by Charles Sharman-Cox, includes paintings, ceramics, photography, sculpture, film and live performance. In addition it features work by some notable guest artists including Ian's wife Sophy Dury, Former Kilburn and the High Roads band members Rod Melvin and Humphrey Ocean RA together with Sir Peter Blake, Kosmo Vinyl and Han Lee de Boer.
In this short film by Sophie Tuckwell, Charles Sharman-Cox talks about the inspiration behind his 'What's My Motivation' piece for the All Kinds of Naughty exhibition.
SWEET THAMES RUN SOFTLY (2015)
Sweet Thames Run Softly was the the Thames Group's first major installation. Inspired by TS Eliot’s modernist masterpiece, ‘The Waste Land’, the show toured the Thames delta region of South East England throughout 2015 and as a direct result Charles was commissioned to arrange and direct a platform performance of ‘The Waste Land’ for the ‘TS Eliot Prize for Poetry’ readings held at the Royal Festival Hall, London in January 2016.
Charles Sharman-Cox talks about the inspiration behind the Thames Group of Artists 'Sweet Thames Run Softly' installation.
Charles Sharman-Cox performs some extracts from TS Eliot's 'The Waste Land'.