Brewing & Brushstrokes: Brixton Brewery and Dulwich Picture Gallery Unite for Exhibition-Inspired Beer

When Dulwich Picture Gallery slid into our DMs to tell us about their upcoming show, we jumped at the chance to work with them on a new LTD EDN beer to pay tribute to the exhibition.

Dulwich Picture Gallery, founded in 1811 has the pretty cool accolade of being the world’s first purpose-built public art gallery. We reckon it’s one of South London’s most beautiful old buildings, housing an amazing collection of Old Master paintings as well as hosting critically acclaimed exhibitions.

So when they messaged at the end of last year to see if we’d be interested in sponsoring their upcoming show, we jumped at the chance to work with them on a brand new LTD EDN beer to celebrate the exhibition.

The show is called Soulscapes [14th Feb – 2nd June 2024] and will feature new interpretations of landscape art by artists from the African diaspora, exploring themes of belonging, memory and transformation. Featuring more than 30 contemporary works, it will span painting, photography, film, tapestry and collage from leading artists as well as some of the most important emerging voices working today.

So what beer could we make to pay tribute to this? After throwing around some ideas with the team at the gallery we landed on the concept of a refreshing lager with a sprinkle of sea salt. We felt this was a nice reference to the beach landscapes featured in the show and something of a metaphorical nod to its themes of travel and connection across oceans.

It took a bit of trial and error, but we think our brewing team have nailed the perfect-sized pinch of sea salt - enlivening the flavours of the lager and adding a touch of coastal character without actually making it salty – we promise! The can label features a vibrant painting called Moonlight Searchers by Trinidadian artist, Che Lovelace. This is one of two paintings by Che that are being featured in the exhibition. 

Soulscapes has been curated by Lisa Anderson, Managing Director of the Black Cultural Archives (based in Windrush Square, in Brixton) and founder of Black British Art. Anderson said: “Soulscapes grew from the periods of enforced ‘lockdown’ that millions experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic. During the same period, the question of racial equality in the wake of George Floyd’s murder and the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement helped ignite conversation about inclusion and social justice. These historical moments gave way to new possibilities for landscape art, which is being interrogated by artists in new and expansive ways. At a time when global consciousness has been profoundly attuned to the precariousness and power of the natural world in our lives, I hope this exhibition will challenge perceptions of our relationship with nature.”

Soulscapes Sea Salted Lager will be available at Dulwich Picture Gallery, Brixton Brewery Taproom, and of course, on our website while stocks last - BUY NOW.

The Soulscapes exhibition runs from 14th February to 2nd June this year – click HERE to grab your tickets.

To find out more about the story behind this one-of-a-kind can design, check out our latest blog post.