The Showroom announces a new offsite billboard installation by artist Kathrin Böhm. Located on the corner of Praed Street and Tanner Lane in Paddington near to The Showroom, the work will be in-situ for a year and responds to the theme of care by asking ‘Why do we care about art?’

Individual and collaborative responses to this question were explored through public poster-making and knowledge-sharing workshops held at The Showroom. Through assimilating, compiling, distilling and responding to the taped posters, slogans and statements created by each workshop contributor, the final banner projects the chorus of voices who have contributed to this collaborative process.

In Böhm words: “Art can be many different things to each of us, and the workshops “who cares about art” with local interest groups made this very clear. It was important to hold a space where different meanings, practices, understanding and expressions were possible, and equal to each other. The one word and value we all care about is freedom: in art, through art and with art.”

Contributors to these workshops include a wide range of groups based locally including the Church Street Maternity Champions, Imperial Health Trust, artists and arts organisations based in the Church Street Ward, The Mosaic Community Trust, Penfold Community Hub, construction workers involved in the building of Paddington Square site, The Showroom board, team and freelancers; the Working Group of the rotational public art commission; as well as a series of open, public drop-ins.

Designed by Kathrin Böhm in collaboration with graphic designers, An Endless Supply, this work, made by many, is indicative of The Showroom’s long-standing commitment to working with constituents and community groups in our local neighbourhood and beyond, whilst interconnecting with an evolving ecology of trans-local, trans-disciplinary networks.

The installation is the first of three iterations of the Tanner Lane Wall Rotational Public Art Commission at Paddington Square. This annual cycle has been commissioned by Lacuna on behalf of Great Western Developments Ltd as part of the wider Paddington Square Public Art Programme.

The following years’ collaborative commissions will be Long Distance Press (Adam Shield and Thomas Whittle) in 2025-26 and Harold Offeh in 2026-27.