03/07/2025
Without SHAPE without FORM (WSWF) has redeveloped the Slough Trading Estate premises into headquarters.
A former car showroom in Slough Trading Estate is set to reopen as a contemporary arts space this September.
An assembly of artists, thinkers and cultural practitioners known as ‘without SHAPE without FORM’ (WSWF) has redeveloped the Citroën premises on Bath Road into headquarters.
Rooted in Sikh philosophical concepts, this renovation marks a new chapter in WSWF’s mission to ‘deepen engagement with art, spirituality and mind wellbeing’.
The premises span 7,500 square feet and include expanded galleries, a dedicated learning studio, community spaces and improved visitor facilities.
WSWF artistic director Deep Kailey said: “In the last three years, without SHAPE without FORM has brought its exhibitions to six cities, welcoming over 50,000 visitors into spaces of stillness and self-discovery.
“As we return home, we do so with a revitalised space and a renewed sense of purpose – to offer an alternative perspective to the noise, division and disconnection that defines so much of our world today.
“Our new exhibition, Reflections – Sangat and the Self, invites visitors to explore the internal journey towards clarity, peace and belonging.
“Rooted in over 500 years of Sikh wisdom, our programme offers a contemporary path to self-mastery – one that transcends identity and centres the unstruck melody within us all.
“In a time of fragmentation, we believe this inner stillness can be a radical act of healing.”
The upgraded design opens previously unused areas and retains an industrial character through high ceilings, a glass facade and a new mirrored courtyard garden for outdoor installations.
The inaugural exhibition, Reflections – Sangat and the Self, opens on September 18 and runs until May 2 2026.
It will bring together newly commissioned and recent works by two British contemporary artists, Manchester-born painter Jasmir Creed and Birmingham-based artist Roo Kaur Dhissou.
Through painting, sculpture and participatory practice, the exhibition explores themes of kinship and healing, while addressing mental health conditions and social fragmentation.
The exhibition at the 221 Bath Road headquarters is free and open to all.
WSWF is part of Slough Arts Forum, a collective of over 50 arts organisations leading a cultural strategy launched in March to transform the town into a thriving creative destination, funded by Arts Council England and managed by Together As One.
They have unveiled a new visual identity and website ahead of the September reopening.
The headquarters will enable the group to commission and exhibit more ‘ambitious contemporary work’, while providing a space for ‘reflection, discussion and creative learning’.
Meanwhile, the new learning studio will support workshops and programming for children, young people, community groups and adult learners.
The space will be for artists and creatives, curating exhibitions, producing podcasts, publishing articles, delivering workshops or hosting gatherings for Simran (a practice of stillness and deep listening).
For more information, visit www.withoutshapewithoutform.com