Nikolaj Bendix Skyum Larsen's 2013 commission Portrait of a River shows as part of Powerful Tides, which combines historical and contemporary artworks inspired by The Dockyard, its shipbuilding, and the surrounding waterways and seas. Works by John Constable, J.M.W. Turner, Tracy Emin, Richard Wilson, and many others demonstrate responses which range from the romantic to the cold and industrial. 

With a nose for a story and an eye for illuminating detail, Portrait of a River looks closely at the people and places that give the Thames Estuary its distinctive, deep-seated character. Larsen allows the various ‘chapters’ that comprise the film to play in a completely random order, embracing the spirit of flux and elusiveness that is part of the river’s make-up and mystery.

Read more about Portrait of a River.