People in Greenwich can take a walk down memory lane thanks to one artist who has shown how Greenwich has changed over the past decade.
Ten years ago, Jo Peel created an exhibition called In the Mean Time showing Greenwich “warts and all”.
Now, the same artist is back with another exhibition filled with paintings of the exact same places in Greenwich a decade on.
Jo said: “I think what has surprised me most about Greenwich is that it hasn’t changed that much in ten years.
“A period of time that initially seems long is made short in a place with such a rich history.
“Even though there are all the high-rises and new builds, so much is still the same.”
Jo’s exhibition is being shown at the Ben Oakley Gallery – an independent gallery sat at the top end of Greenwich Market since 2010.
Jo and Ben Oakley, the gallery owner, walked around the area and chose a variety of locations to paint, including the iconic Cutty Sark pub.
Ben said: “What Jo paints is Greenwich warts and all – she doesn’t sanitise it.
“Jo paints real lived in buildings not tourist spots.
“There are certainly more flats and high-rise buildings than there were last time.”
There have been a number of new developments in Greenwich over the past decade, including many luxury apartment buildings close to the river.
As well as this, many of the area’s favourite pubs have closed down thanks to rising rent prices and lockdown restrictions.
However, Jo’s work shows that many spots in Greenwich really have stood the test of time.
Ben added: “This exhibition is the full circle for us, so to speak.
“We opened in austerity and I said ‘if we’re still open in two or three years we’re doing something right.’ “To be in a position now to help locals and build a cultural community is fantastic.
“Greenwich is a big part of my life so this is a really special exhibition for me.
“It’s just heart-melting, it’s lovely.”
The exhibition opened June 10 and will be open to the public until June 26.
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