In London, 125 galleries network to bring English and international curators and collectors into their spaces
The event
The idea of the Gallery Weekend in London was born with the pandemic and came from a WhatsApp group started by the well-known gallery owner Sadie Coles . “In that moment we all found ourselves in conversation” commented Jeremy Epstein of the Edel Assanti gallery, founder and director of the London Gallery Weekend, “so we wanted to continue that dialogue and celebrate London galleries by creating a second moment of international meeting beyond at Frieze, when between fairs and museums it is difficult to find time to visit the full range of galleries that make up London's diverse community.”
The themes
An important aspect for the organizers is the social component of art and inclusiveness, also to involve a new audience, perhaps accustomed to going to the city's museums, but unaware of the cultural offer of the galleries. For this reason, a program of performances in the squares, guided visits, tours and workshops was organised. “It is a very useful format for having a broad overview of London galleries” commented the director of Mambo Lorenzo Balbi. “It is very stimulating to see where the galleries are located and how they interact with the space, while at the fair one has a 'anaesthetized' perception of the stand format. I like exhibitions that challenge spaces, as in the case of Marcin Dudek at Edel Assanti, who brought a bus of Romanian fans into the gallery space."
