Ruth Beale

Ruth Beale’s hand-made blank banners are interpretations of real banners used in protests and rallies from the last 100 years: from Justice for Grenfell, to the Suffragettes, Free Palestine to pit closures and trade union marches. 

At a time when protest can feel futile – despite huge and regular protests against genocide in Gaza, calls for the UK to disarm and divest have fallen on deaf ears – and information overload where protest memes are shared and forgotten, the banners are themselves a procession of the history of struggle. Protest remains a way of coming together, occupying public space, finding solidarity, and giving voice to oppressed people. By ‘silencing’ the banners, Ruth has stilled their vitality, halted their message, but not emptied their meaning.

Opening Hours

Tues – Fri : 12pm – 6pm

Sat & Sun : 10am – 6pm

Preview

Fri 11th July 6pm – 8pm

Thank you to our venue partners RER London. 

Access information: Blue badge parking is available on-site and can be accessed via the Deptford Church Street entrance. There are no public toilets on-site, the nearest are located 500 metres away at Deptford Lounge. The gallery space has flat access but some outside space is uneven. 

Please note that visitors will be required to sign in at the main entrance. 

The main entrance (a red gate) is on Deptford Church St, 120 metres from Deptford Bridge DLR. There will be volunteers and signage present inside of the site to guide you from the entrance to Brickwork Space.

Ruth Beale 

Ruth Beale is a South East London-based artist whose socially engaged art seeks to trouble societal structures, reframe knowledge hierarchies and advocate for collective approaches. They are committed to the radical possibilities of working collectively and collaboratively, and using dialogue and exchange to change who has the power, and what kinds of knowledges are valued. Their work grows from context-specific research and participatory processes, resulting in a wide variety of forms including events, public works, drawing, writing, installations and print. Often working collaboratively, they have created radio programmes, designed public interventions, and made performances and books. In 2012 they co-founded The Alternative School of Economics, which explores economic and political issues in relation to the complexity of lived experience. They founded The Hundred Club, a family club which uses art and play to explore social justice issues, with artist-led organisation TACO! in 2020. They teach in the Design Department at Goldsmiths and are a trustee of the Feminist Library. 

Ruth has worked with public institutions, galleries, local authorities and agencies on collaborative commissions, projects and residencies, including TACO!, Create London, Gasworks, Mansions of the Future, Brent Borough of Culture, Whitstable Biennale, UP Projects, Wysing Arts Centre and BFI. Recent commissions include Elastic Money with The Alternative School of Economics and At the Library/Rule of Threes, Bootle (2024-25), Care & Magic, Edgware Library, with Up Projects (2023-24), Drawing Risky Play with Turf Projects, Croydon, London (2023); and Library as Memorial with Brent Biennial, London (2020-21). Recent exhibitions include LIKE GODS at Deptford Lounge (2024) and Swiss Cottage Library Gallery, London (2023), Editorial Tables, Reciprocal Hospitalities, The Showroom, London (2023), Squidgy World at Turf Projects (2023), and a major new installation by The Alternative School of Economics in Economics the Blockbuster: It’s not Business as Usual, The Whitworth, University of Manchester (2023). Ruth published All the Libraries: Reader with Simon Elvins in 2023.