Artist Commissions
Rahemur Rahman
With partner T100
Thames Estuary
Family Friendly
Free Event
About
What tales does our waste tell? This commission breathes new life into discarded materials, transforming them into a celebration of sustainability, craftsmanship and cultural connection.
At the heart of this commission is the embroidering together of 500 Beach of Dreams Silks, damaged in storms along the South Coast in 2023. Renowned designer and textile artist Rahemur Rahman leads this ambitious project, collaborating closely with eight sewing groups based along the Thames Estuary, including the Whitechapel Sewing Group Inspire and resident Kinetika Studios sewing group, Kite Spirit. Each group is crafting its own unique and intricate silk panel, drawing on global craft techniques and infusing their designs with elements reflective of their local surroundings. These panels, made from fragments of the original silks, are embellished with naturally dyed threads and waste materials gathered from the banks of the Thames Estuary. The finished panels will form part of the sails for two contemporary, sampan-inspired mobile structures, co-designed by Rahemur and Kinetika.
Adding to the spectacle, a vibrant carnival costume will be designed by artist Sarah Doyle in collaboration with Rahemur Rahman, students from the South Essex College Royal Ballet and Opera House Costume Construction degree course and the participating sewing groups, serving as a striking centrepiece. Rooted in themes of sustainable textiles, natural materials and dyes, pollution and the interconnectedness of the natural and built environments – including the Port of Tilbury – this commission invites reflection on the hidden stories within waste. It celebrates the resilience of materials and communities alike, offering a compelling testament to the beauty that can emerge through reinvention, collaboration, and shared creativity.
Rahemur Rahman is a designer, artist, and educator dedicated to creating art that challenges the creative industry's norms while uplifting marginalised communities. With a background in East London, Rahman’s work is shaped by his experiences as a working class British-Bangladeshi, queer Muslim navigating systemic barriers. He is passionate about sustainability, inclusivity, and decolonising fashion, collaborating with artisans in Dhaka, Bangladesh, through Aranya Crafts to elevate subcontinental craftsmanship.
As Joint First Year Leader for the BA Hons Fashion Design pathway at Central Saint Martins, Rahman uses his expertise and his PGCert in Curriculum Design to shape the next generation of creative leaders. His work spans fashion, film, and community-driven art, including notable inclusion in exhibitions such as Fashioning Masculinities at the Victoria and Albert Museum, My Home, Creative Design and Production Lead for My Bari at the Museum of the Home, and Brave New Worlds at Somerset House part of the International Fashion Showcase by the British Council. Rahman has been nominated for the Changemaker Prize by the British Fashion Council and presented his fashion collections at London Fashion Week.
Rahman’s approach is deeply rooted in social justice, working to close the gap in creative career access for young people and women from marginalised communities. His art and fashion are about more than aesthetics—they are a call for change and a reminder that the fight for a just world is ongoing.
Sarah Doyle is an accomplished artist with a talent for bringing creativity to life in community projects. After ten years in early education, she pursued her passion for art, first as a successful cake artist creating bespoke designs and intricate sugar models. In 2019, Sarah’s design for the Tilbury Carnival flag sparked her love for batik and silk flag-making, leading to her collaboration with Kinetika. In just 18 months with Kinetika, Sarah has played a key role in major projects, including T100 Festival Mandalas, Grays Community Flags, Carnival Gold, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant and Beach of Dreams. Her ability to translate community stories into vibrant, meaningful art has made her an integral part of these initiatives, earning her recognition for her creativity and dedication.
T100 is a year-round walking, talking and making programme that encourages multiple stories to surface in Thurrock. T100 continues to grow each year, gaining new activities and events, new walkers, new routes and new partners to support the programme. What began as a walking celebration of Thurrock – 10 miles, 10 walks, 10 days, has developed into an outdoor arts festival stretching along and across the estuary into Southend and Kent, hence the name T100. Over the last ten years, T100 has travelled on a journey with a growing team of local volunteers, one year spontaneously building the theme for the next, all the time drawing more people in through a range of arts activities. T100: Our River is the 2025 festival.
Estuary Festival shines a spotlight on the Thames Estuary region through high-quality contemporary arts programmes that celebrate the stories, places and people of the Thames Estuary. Estuary Festival 2025 (21-29 June) focuses on the water itself with a contained and focused programme that explores and engages in-depth. Taking the theme of ‘Vessels’ the festival looks beyond the boats and ships that move in and out of the Thames Estuary, to think about the festival as a vessel for creative action and explore ideas relating to estuary people and the more-than-human beings that live here as holders of ideas, stories, memories and hopes for the future.
Start Thurrock is a 'Creative People and Places' programme funded by Arts Council England. We work in partnership with the people of Thurrock to help you choose, produce and take part in brilliant arts and cultural experiences on your doorstep.
Inspire (East London); Kite Spirit (Purfleet); Leigh Three (Leigh-on-Sea); North Kent College – Art and Fashion Students (Dartford); Red Hot Stitchers (Shoebury); Seevic – USP College – Fashion Students (Benfleet); Subrang Arts (South London); YM Workshops (Purfleet).
Sarah Doyle, South Essex College Costume Construction Students, Iola Weir and other makers