Don’t Panic, Dilston Grove

This project involved a cultural collaboration for the delivery of a site-specific sculptural installation within Dilston Grove, Southwark. Originally constructed in 1912 as the Clare College Mission Church, the Grade II listed building is one of the earliest examples of reinforced concrete churches in the UK and now serves as a distinctive arts venue managed by Southwark Park Galleries.

Working with artist Klara Kierzkowska, the University of the Arts London, and Southwark Park Galleries, the project explored the monumental interior of Dilston Grove, creating an installation that both responded to and reinterpreted the building’s historic fabric. A confessional-like device was conceived as a semi-private space in which participants could pause, reflect, and communicate indirectly with the wider gallery audience. Dialogue within the booth was dampened by soundproofed walls, while a single video link provided image-only feedback to a remote screen, abstracting the act of confession into a mediated, visual exchange.

The installation offered two closed perspectives—one outward-facing, the other inward—framing an intermediate, moderated platform for expression. Its scale, character, and function were informed by research into traditional confessional booths, while its construction employed wood fibre insulation and fibreboard, materials chosen for their robust yet muted presence within the concrete volume of Dilston Grove.

By introducing a space for contemplation and mediated communication, the work highlighted the continuing adaptability of heritage structures as platforms for cultural production. The outcome reinforced Dilston Grove’s dual identity as both a landmark of early 20th-century reinforced concrete architecture and a contemporary site for experimentation, reflection, and collaboration.

www.southwarkparkgalleries.org/dilston-grove/

www.arts.ac.uk

@klara.woland