In 1986, an exhibition called Chambres d'Amis took contemporary art beyond the museum into 58 homes in Ghent. Forty years later, a similar experiment unfolded on a small street in Peckham, south-east London. Rooms of Neighbours, curated by Ben Broome, paired 12 households with established and emerging artists to create bespoke, site-specific works installed in homes, gardens, and communal spaces.
A Diverse Demographic Embraces Art
Broome, who discovered Chambres d'Amis while between institutional jobs, wanted to apply the idea to his own mixed street of council and privately owned flats and houses. Unlike Ghent's exhibition, which mostly involved art-world friends, his street represented a wider demographic with different age groups, social classes, and diasporas. Few residents had prior art-world connections. “The majority of people have never been to the Tate; they have never even been to the South London Gallery,” Broome said. “But that’s not to say some of the neighbours aren’t really creative.”
Early last year, Broome knocked on doors to introduce himself and pitched the idea over tea. The 12 households that signed up were paired with artists interested in domestic spaces or “social practice.” Since then, works spanning painting, sculpture, and conceptual forms have been installed.
From Bathroom Scents to Convertible Soundtracks
The works include an olfactory piece for resident Raluca’s bathroom, a motion-activated speaker by Racheal Crowther that plays calming sounds for her pet cat, and a 2024 mural by Turner prize nominee Ghislaine Leung behind a cot in a child’s bedroom, using bold colors to critique UK childcare provisions. Artist Raheel Khan created a sound piece for Nigel’s convertible stereo, featuring a warped rendition of The Lamb with added bass. “It was just fun to drive around blasting this tune,” Khan said. The composition now sits among Nigel’s UK garage playlist.
Residents as Collaborators and Curators
Community spirit runs through the project, with residents becoming collaborators and “curators in their own home,” Broome said. Multidisciplinary artist Olukemi Lijadu worked with Pamela, a retired social worker of 40 years, to scan family photos and create collages connecting their shared Caribbean heritage. “There’s a responsibility, but also an intimacy because they’re going to live with it every day,” Lijadu said. The pair now see each other as family.
Rooms of Neighbours is as much a social project as an exhibition. Many residents met for the first time and now communicate via a WhatsApp group. Pamela, who lives alone, said: “It’s like a new world that has been opened to all of us. It’s nice to know what’s happening on the road instead of us just living in our little bubbles.”
Art That Evolves with the Community
Most works will remain indefinitely. Liam Gillick’s architectural sculpture in a communal garden has been repurposed for BBQs and storage. Rirkrit Tiravanija’s ping-pong tables are becoming scuffed and tagged, developments welcomed by the artist and Broome. “I think it’s important for these kinds of projects to happen, outside the art world and in civic space,” Broome said, noting that institutional spaces increasingly fail due to lack of funding. “Bringing art to people’s doorsteps can act as a catalyst for something more.”
