NEAL VAUGHAN: contemporary art
'THE RIVER'
(a short film)
Short film. 45 mins.
Release date: 27th JUNE 2026
Tickets: https://www.ticketsource.com/null/t-oeeylme
This animated and live action film acts as a library and celebratin of the River Wandle chalk stream in South London.
This short film combines recorded walks from pleinair artist Neal Vaughan, written memories from the community and creative responses of visual, spoken word and musical artists.The film weaves this influences together in dymanic animated film sequences and carefully edited location footage. Expect anything from; animated charcoal drawings, digital collages, poetry and techno music!
The artist explains 'This film It is part of my ongoing residency from The River Wandle in Carshalton, England. The River Wandle has been the focus for industry dating back to the Middle Ages and was once famed as ‘the hardest-working river in the world’ (Wandle Valley Website). It has a quality to it that is so hard to pin down. A community has grown up round it, it is walked by thousands and depicted by many others. But as a river, the River Wandle is a chalk stream river under threat. There are only 200 chalk streams remaining worldwide. And it is our job to protect them.
All our rivers, including the River Wandle chalk stream, are invaluable to us. Not only do they create the landscapes we know and love around us, they have also been instrumental in the development of our towns, our industry and our businesses, providing us with a vital source of freshwater. With increasing populations, the demand for water from our rivers is growing and many are suffering the consequences.This film hopefuly shows my love for the river and its place in mine and many others lives.' Neal Vaughan 2026
There will be a Q and A with the artist as part of the night.
'THE RIVER'(a long draw) a short film. 5 mins (2025)
The River Drawn: Installation of charcoal and pastel on paper/ boxed 50cm x 50cm
The River: Typology. This is the first of the many small videos that will make up the short film 'The River.' This is a time lapse of a 10 meter long drawing, on computer print out paper. Drawn in charcoal and pastel. This is a record of the full length of the River Wandle. and features an original 10 meter long drawing, with a QR code to this accompanying video, created by the artist in collaboration with musican Dominic Hemy.
The music is from Dominic Hemy. This original piece is called Beneath The Trees and it was chosen by Dominic snd I for its, almost, forboding drone and a nod to the river in peril.
This is an exciting new installation piece, using drone footage and maps to record the Wandle Trail. The Wandle trail is a 20km (12.5 mile) river trail that follows the route of the River Wandle from Croydon to the Thames at Wandsworth. It encompasses the heritage, flora and fauna of this rare chalk stream in the heart of some of south London’s most industrialised landscape.
I hope that you enjoy the piece.
FINAL FILM RELEASE JUNE 2026
CREDITS:
Written and Produced by: Neal Vaughan
From the artwork of: Neal Vaughan
Filmed by:
Neal Vaughan
Edited by:
Neal Vaughan
Words by:
Doug Shaw
Sara Nesbitt-Gibbons
Music by:
Jon Donnerlly
Kieron Brennan
Kieran Parsons
Dominic Hemy
Jez Wiles
Additional thank you for music:
Machines of Loving Grace UK
Shot on location:
Carshalton
Croydon
Hackbridge
Merton Abbey Mills
Mitcham
Morden Hall
Wandsworth
Additional footage supplied by:
Wandle Industrial Museum
Sutton Council Cultural Services
The community of Carshalton
AI was not used in the making of this film
#fuckAI
CREDITS: RESEARCH
This project has been made possible by the kindness of others. Research has be carried out in many places, but these kind places have given the project insight and reference material that has been invaluable.
Wandle Industrial Museum
Vellum Mill Gallery
STR Design
Sutton Library Archives
Sutton Council's Cultural Services
Carshalton Artists
I would like to explore more the tales of my river, The River Wandle, but through a local and global network of tales of the river. I am keen to reach out to as many people to discuss those tales of the river and from the river.
A river for me is that river in #carshalton #england,; The River Wandle. It is a place to wonder, get lost. My distant river memories are of the river #hogsmill in Ewell, jumping and running through shallow streams. Now, the #riverwandle @wandlevalley I live close to is a place of simple beautiful reflection, where people discuss their tales of the river.
What is your river?
What does it mean to you?
What are your memories of it?
Please TELL ME YOUR TALES OF YOUR RIVER and maybe even share this post, pass it on, get the telematic networks working and I want to find out how far this reaches. Maybe send to a friend in a far off place. Could you hand write or record your response? Could you draw or map your river? You can post on this thread or send things to me at nealvaughanart@gmail.com
CREDITS: BIBLIOGRAPHY
From the internet‘Waddon Ponds is a park just off the Purley Way, once part of the large estate of Waddoncourt Farm, and purchased by Croydon Corporation in 1928. Until recently, it was the only place in the borough where the River Wandle could be seen above ground, fed by springs from the source of the river.It’s located in a busy area, offering a welcome place of green tranquillity to refresh the spirit in an otherwise urban landscape.The ponds were once millponds, feeding a corn mill dating back to medieval times. In the late19th century, the area was used for watercress beds, later drained to become allotments and then used for industrial purposes.The park is a great place to see wildfowl — Mute Swan, Little Grebe and especially Coot amongst the species — with nesting boxes on stilts. It’s a lovely place to wander, or maybe sit on a bench and read, with a pathway right round the ponds, leading past an ornamental garden to a children’s playground’https://wandlevalleypark.co.uk/locations/croydon/waddon-ponds/https://wandlevalleypark.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Wandle-Trail-Map-Interactive.pdfhttps://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/london/morden-hall-parkhttps://www.southeastriverstrust.org/wandle/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wandle_Trailhttps://wandlevalleypark.co.uk/locations/croydon/waddon-ponds/Please join in this journey with me. Tell me the places and sites you use.