- Date Thursday, 15 July 2021
Put faces to names and celebrate Banksiders with an interesting story to tell – meet your Bankside neighbours.
Since we’ve all been apart for so long, we want to celebrate the people of Bankside and remind you why our neigbourhood is so special.
Bankside is a playground for culture and art lovers and has attracted all sorts of creative and talented people into diverse roles. We’re shining a light on the characters, the stories, the interesting roles people have behind the scenes that keep our neighbourhood ticking.
First up, meet Péjú Oshin from Tate who worked with us to deliver our recent Beyond Boundaries outdoor art project in Bankside.
Name: Péjú Oshin
Job title: Curator, Young People’s Programmes
Company: Tate
Journey to work: I walk from Elephant & Castle
How long have you been a Banksider?
I’d probably say all my life as I live not too far, but consistently for the past 3.5 years
How do you typically start your day in Bankside?
I like to start my day by grabbing an oat mocha or iced coffee from Leon.
What’s been a career highlight or the most unusual thing to happen to you in your current role?
A career highlight has definitely been working on Beyond Boundaries with the BB team to support five incredible young artists to produce their first public artwork. I have a background in Architecture and Design so this project has really aligned with my personal and research interests.
What advice would you give to your younger self about getting into your sector/your career?
Spend more time with, and talking to, artists and people who have interesting ideas about how to shift culture. Even when you feel you know what you’re doing, don’t be afraid to ask more questions or for advice – the world and people around you are a valuable resource, tap into them.
Bankside foodie or culture vulture?
Definitely culture vulture.
What did you miss most about our neighbourhood during lockdown?
Being by the river and seeing the baby seagulls resting quietly on the pier.
You have one last day in Bankside – what do you do, where do you go?
I’d most likely have to visit Tate Modern to see Yinka Shonibare’s The British Library (2014), take a boat ride along the Thames, have dinner and end my last day by visiting The Globe for a midnight matinee under the stars.
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We’ll be sharing more of these over the coming weeks, but if you know someone with an interesting role or story to tell, we’d like to hear from you or them. Get in touch.
