Artist Imran Perretta was in his early 20s when the riots began in 2011. What started in London quickly spread across England, but it was the footage of a furniture shop set on fire in Croydon which stayed with Imran. Now, 13 years later, Imran revisits that moment in a new commission for Somerset House Studios which recreates Reeves Corner in the gallery space, accompanied by a new work for string quartet, entitled ‘A Requiem for the Dispossessed.’ 

In this episode of The Process, Imran heads back to Reeves Corner to reflect on its legacy today. We hear from Tim Newburn, professor of criminology and social policy at the LSE, about the history of civil unrest in Britain and the nature of riots.  Croydon-based community artist Natalie Mitchell shares how community art projects can transform the way we think about public space. We follow Imran as he records with the Manchester Camerata and hear insights from sound designer Rob Szeliga on the ways in which music can affect how we feel.  

As the requiem builds to its crescendo and the site lies silent, we ask: what does this patch of land say about the legacy of social unrest in Britain? Why has such a monumental uprising been largely forgotten? And how can sound tell this story in new ways? 

We’re sensitive to the fact that while this subject matter is important to explore, it may be triggering to some audiences.  For further support, we’d like to highlight the following resources: 

Healing Justice https://healingjusticeldn.org 

Resist and Renew https://resistrenew.com 

Radical Therapist Network: https://www.radicaltherapistnetwork.com   

The Black, African and Asian Network (BAATN): https://www.baatn.org.uk 

Credits 

Produced by Alannah Chance 

Presented by Imran Perretta 

Series presenter is Laurent John 

Mixed by Mike Wooley 

Theme Music by Ka Baird with additional music by Harry Murdoch 

The Process: A Somerset House Podcast   

An artist-led podcast series which explores the new ideas, big questions and surprising tangents which emerge from the artistic process. 

Drawing on the creative community both on site at Somerset House and from the exhibition programme, each episode follows artists as they explore one idea they’re currently pursuing, to see where it ends up.  From financial astrology to the black renaissance, quantum listening to the transformative powers of cute, along the way we hear from a cross-section of thinkers who have inspired them to help shape where it might go next.