Bow Open Walk & Workshop: mirrors and meanings portrait drawing with Sheyamali Sudesh
Saturday 1st August 2026 , 11:00am to 1:00pm
Join artist Sheyamali Sudesh on a walk around Bow and Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park to create a series of portrait drawings using mirrors to encompass our urban and natural environment. Together, you will create mono-prints using our drawings and written phrases on the themes of belonging and displacement. No drawing skills required!
We will begin the session at Nunnery Gallery (181 Bow Road, Bow, London E3 2SJ), making simple hand-held mirror looking device and creating a series of drawings based on what we will see in our mirror devices on our walk around the Bow area.
For the walking part of the workshop, we will be walking through Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park and Sheyamali will speak briefly about the history of the park, the migration of people (specifically Somali and Bengali communities) and some plants you may spot. Please bring comfortable walking shoes and a bottle of water.
Back to the gallery, we will create a mono-print encompassing our drawings and written phrases on the themes of belonging and displacement.
No drawing experince required! All materials provided.
Map of the walking route:
More about Sheyamali Sudesh
Sheyamali (she/they) is an interdisciplinary artist. They use various mediums such as drawing, painting, filmmaking and sound to complement their writing practice exploring what’s hidden within dialogue and misty memories. They draw on folklore, histories and geographies of places and how the memories of non-human beings co-exist with people occupying them.
More about the Bow Open
Bow Open is Bow Arts’ annual exhibition showcasing new and innovative work produced by Bow Arts studio holders, artist educators, and guardians. This year, the exhibition is curated by young curators from Mile End Community Project and features the works of 25 artists exploring the theme of belonging. Find out more exhibition information here.
Access Information
The route is entirely on street level. The Nunnery Gallery has step-free access throughout from street level, including to the accessible toilet, and is service animal friendly. This venue does not have a hearing loop system. Accessible parking is not available on-site.
If you have any questions regarding accessibility at this venue or event, would like to make us aware of any access requirements that you have in advance of visiting, or would like this information in an alternate format including Easy Read, please email nunnery@bowarts.com or call 020 8980 7774 (Ext. 3)
Access requirements could include things like providing equipment, services or support (e.g. information in Easy Read, speech to text software, additional 1:1 support), adjusting workshop timings (e.g. more break times), adjustments to the event space (e.g. making sure you have a table near the entrance) or anything else you can think of!
Transport Information
Opening hours: Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm
Address: Nunnery Gallery, 181 Bow Road, London, E3 2SJ
Nearest stations: Bow Road (District and Hammersmith & City lines) is a 6-minute walk away, and Bow Church (DLR) is a 3-minute walk away.
Bus: 205, 25, 425, A8, D8, 108, 276, 488 and 8 all service the surrounding area.
Bike: Bicycle parking is located at Bow Church Station. The nearest Santander Cycles docking station is at Bow Church Station.
